Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1879-07-16
Who Stole the Ballots 2


Rs-ortef By B. F. SehlUsisr.
The pTim--v sgi-. bat c-sa cut of L..
stealing Of the ballots oi the regular el,c
tion in the spring Of 1879, was resumed be
fore Squire Loudon, at 10 O'Clock yester
day.
Lawyers Lyons and Parker for plaintiffs
and Lawyer Stone for defendants.
The first witness called was fl. S. ScholI
Examined by Parker.-f live in this town
l voted at the two spring elections; heart
that the ballots of the February election
had been taken out; don't know when
heard il, in the forenoon Of the specia
election don't know who did it; knov
nothing of it excerpt what heard.
Answer to question by Lyons.-l had NJ
knowledge of my own or acquired that th'
box had been tampered with.
Answer to questions by Stone.-I have NJ
knowledge as to Who tampered with the box
| never accused the board of the breaking
of the box and stealing of the ballots.
Mr.. Jacobs was the next witness.
Examined by Parker.-I reside in town
| am a member of the bar; | voted at th'
two elections in the spring; learned tha
the box was broken open and the ballot
stolen, on the morning of the special cleo
ton; | did not open the box. have no knowi
edge of who did never advised any one a
to how one should proceed in the matter
| never told Musser that it is no indictabl'
offense to open the box.
Answer to questions by Lyons.-I certain
" say that never was in the Court Hous'
10 take the ballots never counseled an,
one on the question; have no knowledge
Answer to question by Stone.-I neve
accused the board.
Henry Watts was the next witness.
Examined by Parker.-I live in town;
have been voter since 1876; ! voted a
both the spring elections; l heard stree
talk about the taking of the ballots; hear,
il on the special election; l have no knowl
edge how, or by whom il was done;
I heard no one say that they would like to SCI
/ the ballots.
Answer 10 questions by Lyons.-No ont
tod me about the opening of the box
was in the REGISTERS office during the Feb
ruary court. know no one who took th'
ballots.
Dr.. Banks was the next witness.
! Examined by Parker.-I reside in Mlifiin
town; vote in Miiiintown; voted at the
February aud March elections; i heard oil
the day of the special election, about or
/ O'Clock, of the theft of the ballots; tina
was the first knowledge | had of it it wa
| the first know ledge had of where the boz
was kept; have no knowledge, directly o.
/ indirectly. of the matter; | don't remem
4 ber that heard of any individual who de
clared that they would like to see the CO:
tents Of the box.
Answer to questions by Iyons.-No on
has communicated TO me that he knew wh'
/ opened the box; have no knowledge oil
| the question of the opening of the box
either of my own or acquired.
Joseph Dcering came into the office, an'
was immediately seized and made witnes
of.
Examined by ParSer.-I reside At Walnut
six miles from MihIintown; l was not her
at the February election; | was here oitel
between the I Fcbrudry and March elections
four or five times a week, averaging fou
times a week; visited The Court Hous
twice 4 week was in the kegister's r''
nearly every time came 10 town; | hay
heard people talk Of the February election
| can't cay that l heard people wish tha
they could know all about the contents o
the box; did not open the box; / neve
saw the box; never saw the tickets. If yo
ask me how some people in our townsiri
vote, can tell.
Answer to questions by LyOns.-l can re
how people vote by sitting about the polin
place, by seeing the numbers ot the ticket
and noting the names of the voters. W
are refOrmers in Deale.
Dr. Crawford was the next witness.
Examined by Pdrker-I reside in town
was in town and voted at the two sprin
elections. heard on the morning OF tn
special election that the boxes had bee
tampered With; have no knowledge {
when orsby whom the box was opened. \
person ever informed me as to how other
mad voted.
Answer to question by Lyons.-I have n
knowledge whatever as to the question
the theft, excepting rumors.
Answer to questions by Stone.-1 hay
no reason to suspect the board. When
learned tLat the ballots had been distHrbe'
| pronounced the act an outrage, and sal
the parties should be punished.
Robert Parker was called, but, as he W.
not present to respond, officer Noble va
sent on the mission to bring him in. Mear
while Rev. Mr.. Van Fossen dropped in, an
: some one suggested that ne be summoned
and put on the witness stand, and adde
that sometimes "these good fellows" kno
a great deal. "Ah, yes ~ said lawyer Pa
: kur, .sthat reminds me Of little incldei
n which | figured when going TO school I
Academia, and will tell it while we al
waiting for the witness to come in. Oh
: Saturday evening without having any intel
: tion of doing mischief, ] fastened gra
of corn to a string. and whirled 1t abou
bov like. by and by tired of the whil
and threw the toy to the ground; but, no
rible to relate, chicken, that happened
be near aud saw the grain of corn as 1t ie
chicken like ran up and swallowed it.
course the string was not swallowed, and
dragged on the ground. Professor Dar
Wilson then conducted Academia schod
He IS a first class disciplinarian, and imm
diat-ly proceeded to the effort to find o
who had been guilty of cruelty to Z
Q chicken. The next morning the school W
- examined. was the last boy in the lol
row of boys, and every one was asked as
the trick that had been played upon t
chicken. No one knew Of it. Nearer al
j. nearer the question came to me. At Ia