Evening star., 1934-01-16
CONTEST FOLLOWS
CONDEMNAT|ONBY
OVERTON PR0BERS
Mrs. Hammond Files Protest.
Investigators Score Louisi-
ana Politics.
FRAUD UPON RIGHTS
OF CITIZENS CHARGED
Irregularities Charged Through
Dummy Candidates-Junior Sen.
ator Sees Exoneration.

A formal contest against the election
| Of Senator Overton. Democrat. OF
| Louisiana, was filed with the Senate
today by the Womens Committee OF
| Louisiana shortly after the committee
headed by Senator Connally, Democrat
of Texas, had submitted a report con-
demning political conditions in the
State.
The Connally report described Louis
lana political conditions as vicious, ~
''abhorrent' and fraud upon the
rights of citizens" The Women's Com
mittee filed its protest with Vice Presi-
dent Garner.
The committee headed by Mrs. Hilda
Phelps Hammond. contended Overton S
election was accomplished by the use
of fraud, coercion. intimidation and
corruption"
The women charged that Overton
being on the ground throughout the
campaign and in close touch with what
was going on, must be held in the law
10 have had knowledge, and is fairly to
be charged with knowledge Of TN: cor
rupt, fraudulent and coercive methods
used to secure his election
Right Unchallenged.
The Senate Committee report did not
touch on Overton's right to hold his
seat. asserting his election was not con-
tested
Officials said the protest would not
constitute a contest in the sense in
which it was used by TIE Connally
committee. A Senate contest can only
be filed by an opponent. they ex-
planned.
The committee made no recommend
alton with regard to Senator Overton
or with regard to Senator Long.
Speaking for the committee. Senator
Tom Connally of Texas. chairman
pointed out in the report that no con-
test" had been filed against the election
of Senator Overton, although charges
of fraud in the primary in 1882 were
made and an investigation by the COM
mittee had been requested. So far as
the senior Senator. Huey P. Long, is con-
cerned. the committee explained that il
had no jurisdiction to go into his elec-
ton. which took place in 1880. anc
furthermore that charges against Sen
ator Long were pending in another
i committee of the Senate
The long g-awaited report of the SEN
ate Committee on the Louisiana sena-
torial election of 1882 followed an in.
quiry by the committee which held the
attention Of the country for days.
The committee singled out for par
ticular condemnation the practice OF
filing dummy candidates" for the Office
OF election commissioner. candidates
who have no intention of serving but
who step aside and let others-organi-
zation men-serve on election day.
Invites Fraud"
THE practice of causing dummy can
didates to file cannot be too severely
condemned" said the committee. 1T
gives an opportunity for fraud and cor
ruption. If it should be desired to use
election crooks as commissioners, they
might be selected through the scheme
of filing dummy candidates"
The report said with respect to this
practice in the primary in which Sen
ator Overton and former Senator
BrOuSSard, the anti.Long candidate
were contestants
1T is contended that dummy can
didates filed who were favorable to both
Senator overton and to Senator Brous-
sard, but Senator BrousSard claims
that no dummy candidates, with pos
sibly one small exception. we're filed in
his interest. The evidence is conflict
ing on the point, but the committee
exonerates Senator Broussard of any
knowledge of any dummy candidate
filed in his interest. and there is no
evidence that he had any part in it, II
any such candidates we're filed. The
same can be said of Senator Overton so
far as his inducing any one to file as
dummy candidate is concerned.
Dummies were filed by organizations
supporting his candidacy, but no evl-
dence that he personally directed or
procured the fling of dummies was
submitted The dummies we're local
candidates.
Large Number Filed.
ut is apparent from the evidence
that large number of dummy candl-
dates filed in the interest of the group
of candidates running on what may be
denominated as the Overton slate.
Those interested in Mr.. Overton's cam
didacy induced dummy candidates to
file and paid the filing fees. AS a result
of this practice there is no doubt that
majority of the election commission
ers where dummy candidates filed were
favorable to the candidacy of Senator
Overton. In the city of New Orleans,
where there were 1000 or l,400 COM
missioners, perhaps not more than 200
of them we're favorable to Senator
| BrouSsard. In 104 precincts of the
city of New Orleans all of the COM
missioners were favorable to Senator
Overton."
Fraud Committed"
The committee held that fraud had
been committed, saying:
1T is the view of the committee that
fraud was perpetrated in boxes in New
Orleans through the dummy candidate
device, but the committee was unable
to determine the extent of such fraud
or what would have been the result in
such boxes had not such fraud oc-
| Cured If all of the boxes in which
| the dummy candidate device was en-
ployed or where dummies were entered
or in which fraud was shown be thrown
out and disregarded, Senator Overton
would have on the face of the returns
a majority of 1882.
The committee said that when Sena-
tor Overton became a candidate for
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