The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-12-11
THE RETURNING BOARD.

Although the board ADJOURNED wednesday
evening to meet at 10 o'clock Thursday morn
inc, it was fully quarter past II before all
the members came to the front, and short
delay thereafter before the meeting was called
10 order.
The president, Wells. called the board to
order, all members being present Mr.. Ca
yanac thereupon requested that the returns,
for the parish of st. Helena be brought in,
stating that he desired to show that erasures
had been made on the tally sheets, from
Wards /, 8, and 5 of that Parish.
1t was claimed in the protest entered We'd
nesday by Messrs. Zacharie and Cavanac,
that the returns had been 50 changed as to
take from Collins, Conservative candidate
for the House Of Representatives, forty votes,
and give to Floyd. Republican candidate,
forty-one votes.
The returns were produced, and by exam
ming the tally sheets with microscope it was
clearly to be seen that tallies had been erased
and others substituted, giving in some in
stances ten additional to Floyd. The com
piled statement Las also been changed to
agree with the doctored tally sheets. Mr..
Cavanac claimed that the returns had been
falsi6ed since they left the hands Of the officers
of the parish of st. Helena
Mr. Zacharie claimed it was to be presumed
that the same hand that changed these re-
turns, had also changed the duplicate returns
now fled in the parish, and thought that the
bringing forward these duplicates in evidence
would be useless
1t was proposed by Mr. Zacharie that the
Commissioners OF Election Of the parish be
sent for to testify as to the condition Of the
returns when they were forwarded, affirming
shat by this testimony it could be established
that the papers had been tempered with.
General Anderson said that if the board
could not arrive at q conclusion regarding
these returns by the evidence present, the
case would have to be referred to the Legis-
aature, as it would involve too much time to
examine witnesses, and would be taking a
course for which the board had no precedent
Mr.. Arroyo introduced a resolution pro-
viding that the returns on file in the parish
and witnesses be sent for.
This was amended at the suggestion Of MIR.
Lowell SO as to include the production Of the
ballot-boxes also
The motion was not seconded, however, but
the board ruled on the suggestion Of MI. An
derson that the returns be submitted to in
spection by the supervisors and commission
ers, and their af6davits with reference thereto
be filed; also, if found necessary, the ballot
boxes be produced.
then taken up. The vote Of the parish stands:
Moncure 457, Dubuclet 1875.
No trouble occurred here, and the returns
as canvassed were ordered compiled.
The returns from Webster parish we're
thereafter taken up, canvassed, and, as in the
case Of Washington parish no trouble occur
ring were ordered compiled. The vote
stands Moncure 1888, Dubuclet III.
VIM PARISH,
the last on the list. was then in order, and
when the returns were produced, Lowell, Of
counsel for the Republicans, objected to the
canvassing of them, affirming that the cleo
ton held there was null and void. In proof
Of this, he declared in the first place that
there had been no legal registration, because
J. B. Reidheimer, who was appointed to that
position, never qualified; that Charles S. Ran
dali, who was subsequently appointed and
duly commissioned as supervisor in the place
of Reidheimer, was forced to leave the parish
by threats of violence, hence, those who pur-
ported to have been registered were not legally
qualified electors and that for this reason the
parish must be thrown out.
He produced certificates from Secretary Of
State Deslonde, showing that Reidheimer had
Eever qualified as supervisor, and that Ban
dali had been appointed and commissioned
about the LIST Of October.
Mr.. Whitaker replied that this was doubt
less all very clever but the returns were
there in perfect form, that they distinctly
showed the sense of the people Of that
parish. that they were duly signed by the
Commissioners Of Election, who acted through
out the parish, and further, that the voters Of
IKE parish had been properly and legally reg
istered.
The Board canvassed the returns, but as
with many other parishes, laid the matter
aver to come'up in its regular order among
the contested, as in the the case of the parish
of St. Helena, where it was put forth that if
the Board could not agree on the evidence
which would be brought forward, the work of
adjusting the difficulty would be thrust upon
the Legislature.
It is apparent now that the Legislature will
have many of these contested cases to deal
with, possibly the majority, for the board is |
anxious to avoid action upon them, and if it
ispossible to evade the duty they will do it.
In the Legislature there is refuge, and to the
Legislature many Of these disputed cases will
90.
In Tho di-o,,rs;o,, which nccurred Yesterday