Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1879-04-16
Who Stole the Ballots ?
Reported by B. +. Schtcsier.

1t is an action against the election board "a
find out who stole the ballots and election n
papers that were put in the box that was
used at the February election.
Lawyers, Parker, Lyons, and Stone were
present, TO conduct the case for the respec.
tive parties.
David Watts was the first witness called
He said-I have lived in Nltfiintown about
twelve years. l voted at the February
election, at the polling place in town. On
the morning of the contesting election |
heard that the blllot-box had been broken
open; that was the first knowledge that |
had of the robbery of the tox. 1 saw the
box At the Court House, at the February
election. | never saw the box after tb =.
vote had been put in; l saw list OF names
OF men who voted; Robert Parker showed
1t TO me; think he got il in the Prothon-
o;ary's office; he said it was a copy as fled
in the office; don't know whether il had
those who voted on age, or on tax, marked 1;
don't reccllrct that | saw the word age on
the list When the election contest was
talked of he said We would examine il, the
list; twas in book similar to the one
that Squire Parker had. saw the Fame OF
James Robinson; il was talked that he was
not legal voter, on account OF age he
was said 10 he an Illegal voter; | remember
that was said OF himi | do not remember
that the word age was opposite his name.
Mcclellan and taikt d OF the right of Rob-
iDson 10 vote; i do not remember telling
Mcclellan that the word age was opposite
Robinson's Lame. l don't know that told
him so; if | told hin, must have got 1t
from some one; that is, must have heard
il from some ore, l did not see il on the
paper; if l said so | don't know where |
got the information from. Robert Parker
told me who he surmised vottG. / do not
know how people voted; l never saw a list
do not know how the box was opened !;
have no suspicious. little list OF Illegal
voters was made out; Squire Parker had it !;
it was in Robert Parker's handwriting
had il il my hands and looked over the
book. Squire Parker said he got the list IN
the Prothonotary's office. No one tod me
now people voted at the February election.
WIS in the office freqneEtlyi was in the
vault in the winter previous 70 the election
in February; l did not know where the box
was kept; / never saw any OF the ballots
j may have seen box similar to the ballot
box, on the morning of the last election.
l have said nothing that will irnpeach the
board have no suspicious against them.
j never saw the contents of the box. / said
would like To look into the box; was 50
surprised al the result - the February elec-
ton that said would like to look into the
box; said so on the morning after the
election. In Showers shop | said | am
surprised at the result of the election. and
that I'd give $500 to see in the box, if
| did not feel so poor. l heard others say
that they would like to look into the box,
but never assed any one to look into it.
cannot now name any one who said that
they would give something to look into the
box. l was surprised that Parker was
beiteni it was tie vote, which thought
was equal t. defeat. ] knew the boxes
we're in Mr.. Musser's charge. People
surmised how some people voted. | know
how they made the surmised list they
sat down and ramed such AMI such
people as would vote this or that way. |
voted for Parker; Ibid not yote the straight
Democratic ticket; never asked anybody
how TO vote.
Al. Patterson was sworn. He said-I
an member of the bar. / have the privi-
leges OF the Offices in the Court House.
don't remember that was in the vault of
the Registers office between the spring
were kept IN the vault | knew that they
were there by reason of the order of Court.
On the morning of tie March election
first learned of the opening of the box. /
have no recollection of being asked as TO
the law against such outrages as the open
ing of scaled ballot-boxes. heard rumors
as TO how people voted. haze no knowl-
edge, suspicion, or belief as 10 how, or by
knowledge | would cheerfully disclose 1t.
have not been consulted as to the penalty
for breaking the box open; | said ! would
help ferret it ont. No one sald to ne,
what they would testify to. Mr.. Musser
spoke of who had been in the Office; l rec
ollect him mentioning Judge Elders name,
and the name of Mr.. Parker and myself as
having been in the office between the two
elections. approve of the efforts to find
or discover the guilty parties. 1 do not
know how any one voted excepting myself
did not vote the whole Republican ticket.
John Heck was sworn He said voted
at the two spring elections. | do not know
where the box was Kept; did not see the
box before the elcCtion, or at any time be-
tween the elections; have never been in
the vault; no one told me how such ana
such people voted never saw list of
voters. do not know anything about the
opening of the box; / heard general talk
about il; have been in the outside room
of the Registers office; have never been
IN the vault; L voted at tne MATCH eieetiou
don't know that / offered to bet that the
robbery of the box would never be found
out; it may be said that it will be like the
firing Of the town, which has never been
found out; hardly know why said so.
Brodie Crawford was sworn. lie said
vo.sd at tae two elections in the spring;
do not now know where the boxes were
kept; l never saw the box between the
elections. Mr.. Books was the first person
who told me OF the opening of the box
that was on the day Of the second election
l heard surlnises as to how people voted
never heard Of list of voters; l ueve'
heard of any one that wanted to look into
the boz. L gave DO advice, and never de-
clared it TO be no offense TO break open the
box. heard parties say how others voted