News from 100 years ago
The following news items were taken from the Mail Tribune archives 100 years ago
July 31, 1922
TERRILL IS WINNER BY 305 VOTES
Charles E. Terrill, the two-time sheriff of Jackson County elected by the people, a 50-year resident of southern Oregon and the subject of a year of gossip and gossip, retained his official position Saturday in a recall election by a majority of 305. on DM Lowe, proclaimed during the campaign as a candidate and member of the Ku Klux Klan, although he denied the latter charge, in an affidavit in the closing hours of the bitterest political battle ever fought in the South of Oregon.
The unofficial count, of the full 56 precincts in Jackson County, gave the following totals:
Terrill …… 2,943
Lowe …… 2,638
These figures will probably change slightly in the official count, which starts tomorrow by the county clerk’s office but not enough to alter the result.
Rumors are flying
Ashland, recognized as the hotbed of the Klan, and where sentiment was strongest against the sheriff, gave Lowe a majority of 417, as expected, with nearly 50 percent of the votes cast going to the polls. Central Point also brought Lowe.
… These were the two main centers of Lowe’s strength.
At 10 o’clock it was learned that Sheriff Terrill had taken the day, and simultaneously rumors began to fly. In Ashland Sunday it was reported that Lowe was “only 12” behind, by a county official, and the favorite thread on the streets of Medford was that “Roxy Ann voted herself out.” In this precinct there are 150 votes registered and 145 cast. It was hinted at, but not directly accused, that “Lowe had been gypped” and, as gossip often does, traveled on fleet wings. Threats were made of a contest, such as was now between Governor Olcott and Hall.
The flagship precinct of the county from Terrill’s point of view was Sterling, where Mr. Lowe did not receive a single vote out of 20. This is the home of Mrs. Mary E. Kleinhammer, grand jury foreman before now in session . All the Applegate precincts were run by Terrill.
LOCAL AND STAFF
Yesterday afternoon, Hall’s attorneys provided Olcott’s legal representatives with a list of people in Marion County accused of voting illegally. The program calls for these people to be called to the stand. The most famous name on the list of those suspected of having voted illegally is that of George Putnam, editor of the Salem Capital Journal. – Portland, Oregon
According to reports in Medford, the charge against Putnam is only that of changing his registration from Democratic to Republican, an action upheld by the court as legal in a recent decision.
— Alyssa Corman; acorman@rosebudmedia.com
