Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-06-12
THE PRIMARY FRAUDS
Meeting of the investigating Committee.

| @ACOSAhS OA tho AhSCSl1SAtAHS NOAAuAItOOs
| In response to the call of J. c. Swope, a
member of the committee, the committee
| of investigation of the late board of return
judge of the Republican primary election
met at the::orpbans' court room to hear
evidence of the alleged frauds at said cleo
| tiOn..
When the committee assembled in the
corridor of the court house they ascertained
that no provision had been made for secur-
ing the use of the orphans court room and
that it could not b9 had. The committee
then adjourned to Grant hall. All the
members were present except Mr.. Smith
of ConOy. This was a surprise to A. j.
Eberly, the cOntestent for the nomination
for district attorney as we'll as to his coun-
sci J. w. Johnson esq.,, who evidently ex-
pected to meet only the minority of the
committee, and to have everything their
own way.
ThOs J. Davis the nominee for district
attorney. demanded written statement of
the evidence on which the contestants
rely to prove frauds.
Mr.. johnson was not prepared to give a
written statement.
Mr.. Davis said an oral statement would
do, but Mr.. johnson was not prepared to
make one.
Mr.. Davis then demanded the affidavit
of twenty-five Republicans, as required by
the rules of the party, that frauds of suf-
ficient magnitude had been committed to
change the result of the election.
Mr.. johnson said he had not the affida-
Wit with him, but could get it, as it had
been prepared and sworn to-
A recess of fifteen minutes was taken to
enable Mr.. johnson to get the affidavit.
Onre-assembling the affidavit was pro-
duced. Mr.. johnson then offered the re-
turn paper and poll book of the Third
ward, Columbia, and would then offer tes-
timOny to prove that it was fraudulent
return that votes had been cast for Mr..
Eberly for district attorney that were not
recorded ON the return that the return
was fraudulent, had been signed in blank
by the election officers and forwarded to
Lancaster to be filled up.
Mr.. Davis was perfectly willing to have
the return put in evidence, or the votes in
the ballot box counted, and if any fraud
was discovered to have itcorrected, but he
was utterly opposed to going behind the
returns and taking the testimony of wit
nesses as to how they voted. Such con-
test would be interminable, and neither
he nor the committee could afford to spend
their time and money in going into such
an investigation, though Mr.. Eberly, who
had inherited $40, 900, might be able to do
so. He insisted that the contestant should
state the nature of the testimony he pro-
poses to offer, and that he be confined to
pointing out errors in the return.
T. B. Cochran, esq, appeared as coun-
sci for A. W. Snader, and incidentally for
Milton Mishler, judge of election of the
Third ward, Columbia. He insisted that
under the circumstances the committee
Of investigation had no authority to go
into an investigation of this case. Pierson !
NJ. Eberly has brought criminal suit
against Milton Mishler for falsifying the
returns, and the case will soon come up
before the criminal court. The evidence
before that tribunal will establish the
truth or falsity Of the complaint made
here and if this committee is to take any
action in the matter they would be acting
and their decision might
prejudice the case pending in court.
johnson replied at some length. The