The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-11-16

ooihSo Ava ootSh AuhVu w AOSVivS
majority of tho votes Of the coun-
ty for County Treasurer, and in
accordance with previous threats
of his friends, O "muss" was the
consequence. Wilful, stubborn
and selfish to the extreme, in his
disposition, James NJ. Foster has
grown to almost utterly disregard
the rights and interests of the peo-
pie at large. and any crossing him
in his aims and purposes is the
signal for trouble to those who OPP
pose him; no matter how clearly
they may be in the right and he in
the wrong. We do not make this
statement out of personal feeling,
but because it is fact which we
believe the people of Lake county
should know. In this case as in
the county seat matter, the course
pursued by Mr.. Foster has been u
detriment to the community.
When the hour for the conven-
ing of the Board, last Tuesday, ar
rived, Vim Wood, the canvasser
from this township, and David j.
Randall, from Chase, were not pres
cnt. AS regards the first named,
we have it from various sources
that Mr.. Wood and ID. G. Warner
left town before daylight Tuesday
morning for the purpose of going
over into some of the lumber camps,
south of town, and obtaining aft
davits to the effect that the ones
who made the affidavits voted illc-
gally at the recent election here,
and that they voted for VIM A.
Deurcss. They did not return till
evening, and we are informed that
they obtained aflidavits to the cf-
feet above stated. Jas. Nj. Foster
was in Baldwin Tuesday morning
and went east on the carly train;
returning on the freight ut ten
o'clock a. m. We learn that he
went to Chase; and this coupled
with the fact that David j. Randall
did not come up or send up the re-
turns of Chase township as plainly
required by law, gives us strong
reason for suspicion that Mr.. Fos-
tcr's trip was not without n pur-
pose, and that the returns were in
tentionally Withheld for the purpose
of delaying the canvass and gain
ing time. For the puposc Of show
ing the people that there was little
or no excuse for the non-appear-
ance of Chase and Pleasant Plains
township returns at the proper
time, we quote the following law:
"Ifcither of the inspectors appointed
to attend the county canvass shall be
unable To attend such canvass OH the
day appointed, he shall on or before
that day cause to he delivered ut the
Office Of the county clerk the original
statement of all votes given In his
township or ward, which statement
said clerk shall lay before said canvass
ers."
The returns not being in, OF
course the canvassers could moi
proceed, and adjourned till the
following day, sending special
messenger after the Chase returns.
This doubled the expense of the
canvass; but unfortunately the pco.
pie have to pay the bills, instead
of Wa Wood, James NJ. Foster and
ID. G. Warner. AS usual, ID. c.
Warner was interested in the
side opposed to the people who
have supported him in his mis-
cradle career in Lake county,
and lis legal talent q was not
available to the canvassers, except
those who desired to see the defeat
of Mr.. William A. Dcuress. The
effort of Foster and his symrathis-
crs was to have the returns of this
township referred back to the in
spcctors, for the purpose, we are
informed, of having them perform
the illegal act of throwing out GER
tain alleged illegal votes for Dcu-
ress. The motion failed to carry,
at last, and the vote was declared
as given in tho official table else
where published.
Never before, in all of our cxpcr-
icnce, have VIC witnessed such
work. Judging from numerous
statements of convcrsations,wc have
no doubt but that it was the settled
purpose ofFoster and Wood, to en-
dcavor to break the election, i'm
case they were not elected to the
Offices they sought. Such asser-
tons, left to stand by themselves,
unsupported by ally others, are
equivalent to an inference that
it made no difference as to
illegal votes, providing they we're