The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-12-18
THE GRAB FOR OFFICE.
Results of the Late Char
ter Election.
The Contest Befyrc the CanyaSsrrS-Law,
Logic and Laughable TeStimOny-lnter.
esting Legal Points - Frauds
Making the Election a Farce.

put up J0D" WITHOUT Scrhple anu put ncau Oh
any one who might be pointed out as Objectionable
by any favorlte "leader." The halls and corridors
were well lined. and near the chamber Of the Board
OF Aldermen was q large and excited crowd OF
lads" pushing, standing on tlptoes and attempting
to get peep into the chamber, which was filled to
repletion. There were city and county officials,
small politicians, friends OF the candidates who
have been elected and Of those who were will
lug to have been elected. Learned coun-
sci. old and young, chronic soreheads and
Quizzical shrews, clerks reporters and others.
The OF this peculiar gathering was that the
Committee on Protests Of the Board OF Canvassers
were IN session for the purpose OF taking testimony
in relation the protests which had been present ed
TO the Board. Alderman Farley. chairman OF the
committee, together with his associates Aldermen
Moore and Ward, occupied seats ut the Presidents
desk and at eleven O'Clock order was called by the
chairman, and when comparative order was Oh
tanned
THE PROTEST or FLORENCE sCANNEI.
was called up. The protest was against the retu rms
from several districts OF the Eighteenth ward
Abraham II, Lawrence. Jr., appeared as counsel for
Mr.. John NesDt tscannel's 0pponent). and, after
few Introductory remarks. introduced the following
documeut:-
70 THE COMMITTEE on PROTESTS OF BOARD OF
The undersigned hereby protests against the calling of wit
Of hs s s Ss os o m s
district or % any q e election districts OF the
posed, OF The following grounds
nS there no bet the
o. said dlrc, and those on file with the Clerk OF the
said City canyassers any % go behind
T1raTha the power the Board Of City canvossers in
the
Of the strict which should have been inserted
By the 'i Board
s hs sss @ out they are to be
to nas By by BY am
only eaSse ,htg canvass 10 be correctly ststsd.
ear by the 5saSs s,EsSsa
by those ME in the office of the Clerk OF the Common
said district al the election held on The III day Of pecemoer
1859 and that the decision OF the district canvassers who
gate in favor of the undersigned.
srthlhat the COMMITTEES on Protests of tho Board OF
ties who be called Witnesses to impeach the returns
the district that such oats administered,
will not be binding upon the parties taking the same
viii indictment Tor perjury be sustained such
seeenThat the undersigned appears by the
question and is entitled to a certificate Of such election
M IT. tho remedy me Of esnE
test before the Board of Aldermen the right OF the party hold
the Hoard Aldermen contest being judges of
eee'ons and of their members have the
to oce and behind the certificate of election and
examine Witnesses rs 10 Tue real tacts o. tnt case
A,nuThat the Board OF tAeir
do act jndcialy but Enthusiastically in cauvassng the
gThe undersigned therefore, asks that the protests OF
election as Alderman or the Fourteenth Adermanic district
sns y Ss to me VINO JoH NEss 70
the venerable and placid looking JOIN McKEoN
arose. counsel for Scannei, and said, in
peculiarly mid but torciDe manncr-Ihere is great
deal OF truth In the law laid down by my learned
friend, but 1t ~ inappcaDe Ill the present case We
will admit that inc district canvasscrs nave
"a lfln
only cause their canvass to be correctly stated
That IL precisely what we want. We want TO nave
the returns correctly stated. what want to pre-
sent - true statement OF the vote. No certificates
gwen by any Board can elect man 10 position: 10
Il the votes oil the people. tLouo applause by che
crowd In the obby)
The CHAIENAS--Ihere must be none of that or
the sergeant alarms Will be directed TO clear the
lobby.
Mr. McKEoN-IfI can have anv influence with tho
persons IN the lobby would ask that there should
be no applause nor any tokens Of disaoproDation
Mr. LAwRENCE--I have no objection to the crowd
appanding what you may say
Mr.. MCkEoN--Well, we think there should be some
respect Tor the place we are ill., Mr. McKeun then
read from the election laws the section empowering
the canvassers to send to the district canvasscrs the
returns made by them, IN order that they may make
SUCH corrections the facts or the mas require
After some legal sparring the CHAIRMAN stated
that IL might he better as toe committee felt some
doubt III regard TO its authority, for counsel sub
mt such documents as they might have bearing On
the case to the committee, anu committee would
consult counsel in regard TO tue matter twas sub
sequenly decided however, 10 go on with the case.
Mr.. Mckeon called up evidence to show that
THE RETURNS WERE FRAUDULENT
from the original returns as made OH the night OF
election. +. Boyer Smith and r. r. Sculy. who acted
~ poi clerks IN the Fifteenth district the Eight
zenith ward were each called and testified In regard
to the manner IN which the votes were canvassed,
TALES kept ana returns maze our. the tally list
from Police headquarters was produced and recog-
nized rs In the handwriting OF DIR. Scully. Tnls
shows % for scanned and 1913 Tor Nesblt The re-
turns In possession OF the Board OF Cansassets
showed Is6 ioc Nesblt and GO ior scanned. and
neither OF the poll clerks could recognize the hand
writing The pol clerks botn saw the canvassers
signed by the canyasser5.
Frank W. Angel and Andrew +. Donnelly, poll
clerks In The sixteenth district Of The Eighteenth
ward, tesuned that The correct return, rs written
out on the nigat OF ele:tlon showed That Scanuel
had received lib votes and Ncsbit seventy four,
while the returns IA made 10 the Board showed ll3
Tor Nesbt aud seveniyfour Tor scanned. Police
officers 1. N. Lyon, Fannng Carney ana Brennan
testified to having heard tac totals called or as
stated oy the above mentioned Witnesses returned
TO police headquarters
At the conclusion OF the testimony the Board took
vIousy stated that the COMMITTEES would report to
the Board ON the case tooay After recess the room
was II possible more crowded than before.
THE CASE OF SEGER AGAINST GuSrzER
a. candidates for Alderman IN the Tenth Aldermanc
district seventeenth ward was called up. MIR.
Guntzer on the count before the Board OF Can.
vassers was found 10 have majority OF eight votes:
hut 1t was claimed tai Seger had been deIrauucd m
regard TO the number Of votes Ia tue rwenty-nlntn
district OF the seventeenth ward. MIR. Eugene
Durnin aud Senator Dreamer appeared as counsel
for seger. and very young barrster, of the Hebrew
persuasion twho evideuty thought that by looking
nercely nc would appear Intelligent together win
the chief OF soreneads (who cannot close his mouth
OWING perhaps TO some nasal affection the tignt
ness VI MS cum whlskerH), appeared for Guntzer.
hr. Charles A. Stldlet, noH clerk Of the Twenty
ninth district OF the Seventeenth ward testified thar
he Kept the tally or the votes IN that district ana
that the rne count was Guntzer 81 Seger ~ instead
OF Guntzer 100 seger ~, rs returned 10 the Board
INC 80. ,. ~ counsel qnl1xea very much on the