The New York herald., 1878-02-24
THE PURDY-MORRlS CONTEST.

DISPUTED NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. BEFORE THE
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE.
Room No. 6l in the Ashland House was yesterday
occupied by the Legislative Committee before which
the for seat from the FIRST Assembly district
OF Westchester county Is progressing The contest.
ants are Messrs. Fordham Morris and Ambrose II.
Purdy. Mr. Purdy having been returned as elected,
and Mr. Morris claiming that correct return would
show that he had been elected by twentyfour major
ty instead OF Mr. Purdy having been elected by twelve
majority. Considerable attention has been attracted
TO tho and the facts have been detailed before
now by both parties Messrs George L. Terry,
OF Washington county; Hamilton Fish, Jr, OF New
York; J. b. s.rack, OF New York, and Graham, Of
Orange county, were the only members Of the com.
mttee present, Messrs Prescott Of Oneida; Kern. OF
Madison, and Piper Of Niagara, not putting in an ap
pearance
The committee met at ten A. NJ, but Mr.. Purdy hav.
ing engagement, adjournment was had until two
p AttwoP P. n. Mr. Purdy asked tor an adjourn
ment until Monday on account 0i the absence OF Mr..
Henry Smith, OF Albany. who had hitherto acted as
his counsel tho contest, but tho request being de-
ned alter some argument, he proessed his readiness
to conduct his own case and throughout the session
Morris was also present, but sat us one OF the few
spectators, ntruspg his case entirely t. Assistant
District Attorney Herring, and contented himself
with occasionally whispering TO him.
: Patrick Whelan OF Yonkers, who acted OF
the inspectors 1all, tho urst ~it
He was examined at great length IN regard to
the election return offered by Mr. Herring In evidence
and testified that was correct return he SAID that
he was Morris man, desiring Mr.. MOTIFS election II
1t could bo accomplished by honorable means; Oh
canvsssng the votes two ballots found sticking
together nnd destroy ed; his impression
that they were Mr. Purdy's ballots. go
Eyes, Isnow thcy wcre" sad Mr. Purdy. "Tney
were cast for me AMI you destroyer tnem"
A CLERICAL ERROR
Mr.. james b. Farrington, another OF the Yonkers
inspectors was next sworn and examined as TO the
.A~d. I'm had
recollection In regard to the double ballot whicn
Mr. Whelan had testified was dcs,royed the chairman
OF tho Board OF Inspectors, Mr. II. p Getty, kept the
tally tho votes were counted; on cross-examna.
ton he said he was republican.
Tho returns offered by Mr.. Herring, and 30 which
the witnesses wcro tcsiiying, contained statement
that Mr. Purdy received three hundred aud cgh 30S)
votes and Mr. Morris received zone hundred ana
eight tl9s" This obvious error OF either the words
figures was aftcrward corrected, and tho amended
statement was that Mr. Morris received "one hundred
ard ninety-eight V9Sl"
Mr. Getty, who was the next witness, testified that
the original discrepancy was clerical error, and was
not corrected until alter the original returns had been
sent TO the Board OF Supervisors aud returned ior
correction he had no recollection OF any votes for
Assembly having been destroyed. ON tho Redirect
result Of the election was Sos votes or Mr. Purdy anu
1913 TOR Mr. Morris.
"for whom did you vote at that electons" asked
Mr. Purdy.
81 decline to answer" said the witness
Mr. Purdy Insisted, and Mr. Herring said, ''The wit
answer the question not, as he chooses.
The witness still dcmurrcd, but on Mr. Purdy insist
Ing. apparently for the purpose Of showing that Mr.
Gety's sympath'cs were with MIR. Morris, no an
swcred. al voted Tor you sir" thereby raising laugh
al Mr.. Purdys expense, in which tho witness joined
heartily.
FURTHER TESTIMONY
Other witnesses examined IN reoronco TO the
routine work Of tho election Yonkers and then Mr.
William II. Dohcrty, one Of the Inspectors In the
Twcniytbird ward, testined that IN his poll vote
was destroyed account Of two ballots being stuc
togcthQr; he was not sure whether II was Purdy or
a Morris ballot that destroyed, but thought u
Morris ballot On crosse he SAID u was
a Purdy ballot; on one Of the tickets, he did not re-
member whether u was Tor Senator not, there was
moro bsllot cast Than the tally called for; ono
ticket each side was, therefore, put in hat and
policeman asked to draw one; tho one drawn
out was counted and the otncr destroyed.
Mr.. A. H. Dinsmorc testified that vote In the
Third district same ward rejected account Of
Ipformalty. Other Witnesses called tho same
effect and 10 appeared that II was Morris ballot that
was destroyed. Inspectors from the Fifth and Sixth
districts were also called nd testified to mo thrown
out OF ono irregular voo IN each district. In the
Sixth district " appeared that nineteen votes, slightly