Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-06-14
REPUBLICAN PR1aARY FRAUDS.
A Stormy Session OF the Investigating Com
mittoe-Great Noise and small


a SeOfKOy session OF 600 Investigating Conn
mittse-Grest Noise and small
Result.
The committee Of investigation appoint
ed by the board of return judges of the
late Republican primary election re-assm-
bled at O'Clock Saturday afternoon as per
j. w. johnson, esq, counsel for \. j.
Eberly, who contests the nomination of
T. ]. Davis as district attorney, was not
present, and after waiting for him for
some time, the chairman of the committee
said there being no business before the
committee motion to adjourn would he
in order. 1t was decided, however, to give
about half-past two he put in an appear
ance.
The committee passed resolution that
they would listen to no more speeches, but
would proceed to hear evidence Of the
alleged frauds at the primary election.
John H. Fry, president of the board of
return judges, was sworn, and on being
shown the return papers of the Third
ward, Columbia, identified them as the
returns received by him when the judges
met in convention. He said he received
them from the return judge of the ward,
but on cross-examination said he received
one of the papers from Samuel A. Croft.
After the board adjourned he kept the
papers in his Office for day or two and
then had them locked up in the vault of
the L. S. revenue office.
Mr.. johnson produced two affidavits
which he proposed to read.
Mr.. Davis objected to the acceptance of
atfidavits as testimony, and demanded
that the affiants be brought before the
committee SO that they might be cross
examined as to their testimony
The committee decided that they
would take the affidavits, read them, and
then decide whether they would receive
them rs testimony.
Mr.. johnson insisted ON reading the
af1idavits himself and refused to place
them in the hands of the committee, de-
claring that he would not part with them
until he had copies of them made.
The committee would not allow them to
be read until they knew what they con-
tained, and Mr.. Davis also claimed the
right to see them before they were offered
in evidence.
Mr.. johnson refused to let either the
committee or Davis see them until after
he had read them to the committee. Great
confusion ensued and the most insult
ing epithets were banded between
counsel, and Johnson finally withdrew the
atfidavits, charging the committee with a
determination to decide this case against
him without hearing the testimony, but
assuring them if they did not hear it,
there was another tribunal that would.
The committee said they were ready to
hear any direct testimony that Mr.. John
son had to offer.
Levi Sensenig was then called and
sworn. He testified that he knew Mil
ton Mishler, judge of election of the
Third ward, Columbia he saw him in
Lancaster on the Sunday night after the
primary election; he saw him filling up
return papers.
Another scene of turmoil followed. Mr..
Davis and Mr.. Cochran objected to the
reception of this testimony, as it was cal
culated to prejudice criminal case now
pending against Mr.. Mishler, and said the
case when tried will fully develop all the
facts in the present case.
Percy Schock, of the committee, offered a
resolution to the effect that inasmuch as a
criminal charge for tampering with the
primary election return is now pending in
court against Milton Mishler, the further
consideration of the Third ward Columbia
case be postponed.
The resolution was adopted by the COM
mittee after long speeches had been made
by johnson, Cochran and Davis-Messrs.
Cast, Huber, Redsecker and Schock vot-
ing aye, and Messrs. Swope and White
no.
John II. Fry was recalled and shown the
returns of the Third ward, city. Chairman
Huber asked him whether said return
papers had been in his custody ever since
the adjournment of the board of return
judges, and he answered that they had
been in his custody all the time, first in
his Office and finally in the vault of the rev.
enue Office On crOss-examination he adj
mitted that other persons had access to
them and that A. J. Eberly had taken
away the poll-book and kept it a whole
day.
Chairman Huber declared that he had
positive knowledge Of the fact that not
only the return papers but the ballOt-box
of the Third ward had been in possession
of these contestants since the adj djOurnment
of the return judges. and had been hawked
all over the town with a view of manufac-
turing testimony in this case.
Mr.. johnson now offered as evidence an
affidavit to the effect that the vote of the
Third ward, city, had been falsely re-
turned.
Davis and Cochran opposed the offer,
until they and the committee had had an
opportunity of examining the affidavit and
being made acquainted with its contents,
and the committee sustained them.
johnson, however held fast to his afiida-
Wit, insisted ON reading it, and said he would
hand it to the committee as soon as he had
time to make a copy of it.
Amid the greatest noise and confusion,
and against the protest of the committee
and the opposing counsel, johnson COM
menced reading the paper, which, among
other matters, declares that VIM. ID. Wea-
yer received IA votes instead of s as re-
turned, and that A. J. Eberly received 73