The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-12-04
AND GET AN OFFICE TO WHICH THEY
HAVE NO CLAIM.
An Absurd and Ludicrous Contest which will
bring Ridicule upon its Authors and
turn out to be Farce.
STATE NFHLINOIS.

County OF Rock ISLAND, 3d.
Of the December Term A. d. 1878, of the |
County Court of said County.
To the Honorable Samuel $. Guyer, Judge OF said
Court:
Your petitioner, John II. Cleland, res
pectfully represents to your honor that he |
now is and for more than twenty years
last past, has been citizen Of the United |
States, and a resident of said county, and
that he is of the age of forty-one years
That on the fourth az day OF Novem,
Der, A. d. 1878, there was an election held
in said county in pursuance OF the laws OF
said State, for the purpose OF choosing,
among other officers, one Treasurer for said
county.
That at the said election your petitioner
was candidate before the electors OF said
county for said office of Treasurer.
That one Samuel Porter was, at said
election. also candidate before said cleo
tors, for the said same Office. That the
said Porter at said election received of the
votes east in said county, for said Office OF
Treasurer fifteen hundred and ninety-two
(l5q2) votes and that your petitioner re
ceiyed of the votes cast in said county at
said election for the said office of Treasur-
er. fifteen hundred and seventy nine (l579l
votes, and that no votes were cast at said
election, for candidates for said office OF
Treasurer, for any other person or persons
than your petitioner and said Porter
I Your petitioner shows there were regis
/ tered upon the Registry of Electors of the
! town of Buffalo Prairie, oneof the election
districts of said county of said election, and
entitled to vote at said election, in said
town, the whole number of two hundred
and forty persons, and your petitioner fur
/ Their shows that OF the said whole number
of persons 50 registered and entitled 10
vote at said election, in said town, only the
number of one hundred and fifteen persons
had actually cast their votes thereat up to
the time of closing the polls in said town
as hereinafter stated. And that the whole
number of votes cast in said town of But
falo Prairie, at said election in said town
only the number of one hundred and IF
teen persons had actually cast their votes
thereat up TO the time of closing the polls,
in said town as heretofore stated. And that
the whole number of votes cast in the said
town of Buffalo Prairie, at said election
for candidate for the said office of Treasur-
er we're one hundred aud thirteen (ll3)
votes whereof the said Porter received
seYenty-nne (I9) votes, and your petition
er received thirty-four 81 votes, and your
petitioner shows that he is informed anu
fully believes and charges the fact to be
that the Judges of election in said town OF
Buffalo Prairie acting as Judges of the
election held as aforesaid, did neglect and
failed to continue open the polls of the
said election in said town until seven
0 clock in the afternoon OF the said "A
fourth day of November, A. ID. 1873, but
did knowingly and willfully close the same
before the hour of six (6) O'Clock in the
afternoon of said day. And diG between
the hours of five (5) and six 49, o'clock il
the afternoon Of said day, for the purpose
, of giving their illegal proceedings the
r semblance Of regularity, knowingly and
willfully run forward the hands or indi
Gators on the clock by them used for fixing
r the time of closing the polls at said election
] SO as to make IL show that the time theI
+ was more than one hour later than it il
fact then was, and did therefore close the
polls of said election tO-wit: more thar
one hour before the legal time of closing
. the same, contrary to the statute in sucf
I case provided, and in fraud of your peti
TONER rights in the premises. And you
petitioner AYERS that the returns of saiC
T election from the said town of Buffal,
T Prairie ought to be cast out and rejected
from the count of the vote in said county fn
candidates for the said office of Treasurer
by reason of the Irregularities and frau(
0 of the said Judges Of election as aforesaid
) and the consequent uncertainty and doub
: thereby cast upon the result of said cleo
, ton in said town as to the said office o
Treasurer.
And your petitioner shows that castin!
: out and not counting the vote so cast il
o said town Of Buffalo Prairie, for candidate
. for said office of Treasurer, he received o
the votes cast in said county, at said cleo
ton, for candidates for the said office q
r Treasurer a majority of thirty-two (32
p votes.
, Your petitioner prays that said SamuC
Porter be made party defendant to thi
petition, and that he be required IN max
N answer hereto, but not upon oath, his oat
being hereby waived, that process of sum
, mons issue against him out of this honora
Is Bile court as by the statute in such cas-
b: provided. That upon a hearing hereC
the said returns from the said town G
Buffalo Prairie be rejected from the couu
: of the vote in said county for candidate
d for the said Office of Treasurer and tina
D. your petitioner may be by the judgment {
I this court declared elected to the said offic
: of Treasurer, john r. CLELAND,
= VIM. H. GEsT, his Attorney
t. STATE OF ILLINOIS
u, COUNTY OF Rock ISLAND, 81
I On this third day of December, A. |
- 1873, personally appeared before me job
10 V. Cook. County Clerk of said county, j. oh
e. II. Cleland whose name is signed to the fore
going petition and who being by me first dull
4 sworn, says that the matters and things i
=. said petition set forth are true in substanc
= and in fact, except as to the matters Their,
r in stated on information and belief, and &
lie to these he believes them to be true.
,e JNo II. CLELAND.
- Sworn to and subscribed before me tn
" Sd day of December, A. ID. 1878, by tn
said John II. Cleland.
L. 81 JOHN Y. Cook. Clerk