The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-10-30
MORE FRAUD DISCOVERED,
The Ballots in the First Precinct OF
Sim Coy's Ward Cannot Be Found.
Ten More Votes Counted in the Sixteenth
Ward than We're Poled-A Temporary
Injunction Granted by Judge Ayres.

Beginning with the Twelfth ward, the recount
ing commissioners resumed their work yester-
day morning. This ward completed, without
incident or wrangle, they passed on to the Six
teenth ward, those intervening having been
counted in the canvass Of the Second alder
manic district votes. Nothing occurred until
the Second precinct of the Sixteenth was reached,
when, on the string Of ballots were discovered
ten straight Democratic tickets that had not been
folded. Comparing them with the number OF
names on the ol-book, it was found that the
ballots had never been voted or, if they had, the
voters names were not recorded III this pre-
cinct the official canvassers counted 100 votes in
the aegregate-1H for Cottrell and 46 for
Denny. The commissioners, in their re-
count, found this correct, not counting
the ten ballots on the string in excess of
names on the poll-book Over the protest Of
Commissioner Dryer the majority decided to
count these ten extra ballots for Cottrell, thus
giving him 154 votes in place of 144, and increas
ing the aggregate vote to 200 without ten names
on the poll-book to show that they had been
legally cast. This. with the gain of ten in the
First precinct of the Fifth ward the day before,
which the Republicans admit was fair, increased
Cottrel's vote by twenty, which, with other
minor gains for him, up to o'clock yesterday
afternoon, reduced Denny's majority to twenty
eight 1t remained at that figure until 6 o'clock,
when the usual adjournment for supper took
place, after the Twenty first ward vote had been
completed
Robert Catterson, one of the judges in the
Second precinct of the Sixteenth ward, says his
memorandum of the count on election night.
agrees with the official canvass-lA for Cottrell.
46 for Denny. He does not explain the presence
of the ten extra ballots, which are
of different size, paper and type from
the regular tickets. He insists upon the cor
rectness of his figures and the incorrectness of
the commissioners recount The Republican
clerk, George J.. Hit says he does not know
where the ten extra ballots came from. They
were not on the string at the close of the count.
The discrepancy in the First precinct of the
Fifth ward occurred on al error exactly the re-
verse of that in the Sixteenth ward. There
were ten more ballots on the string and ten more
names on the pollbook than both Republican and
Democratic tallies accounted for. 1t is claimed
by Ross Hawkins that both clerks failed to tally
those votes when they were called out.
When the commissioners came to the first
precinct of the Eighteenth ward, the bag was
unseaied, and out came the poll-book and tally
sheet but no ballots. This is Sim Coy's ward,
and when the ballot bag turned up he assumed
an air of astonishment The majority of the
commissioners accepted the returns
the tally -sheet-Cottrell, pol; Denny, 9l-but
rot before they had summoned before the board
w. w. Kerr, the Democratic Judge in that pre-
cinet. He stated that he was very careful in
watching the count; that not a ticket came out
of the box that he failed to see and count, and
each was carefully strung. He thought they
We're put in the bag but was not certain. How
ho1 L how a,r <hn hoe
box. Chris Stein, one of the witnesses of the
count on election night said to reporter that
the ballots were thrown loosely in the box and
not sealed in the bag. When the commissioners
came to count them, however, the ballots were
altogether missing.
Harry Adams asked Sim Coy if he knew any
thing of the ballots. Simeon replied in the neg
ative when Adams said: "That settles it," at
which Coy, for the first time in his life blushed
fiery red. But with all this, the proceedings
went on with no outbreaks on the part of the
Democrats They were as meek as lambs, and
regulated their behavior according to the strict
est rules of propriety.
During the afternoon, Coy represented that
he had been told by man VINO saw man on
the night of election slip the First precinct,
Eighteenth ward, ballots out of their bag and
take them to his house. Coy refused to
give the name of his informant or that of the
dence as to transactions in that precinct OH the
night of the election shows that, in addition to
Inspector George w. Hill, the judges and clerks,
Christ Stein, Willard Miles and DIR. Moore were
among those witnessing the count When it
was about half through, Sim Coy came in and
stood behind w. W. Kerr. When the ballots
were strung and the footings completed. Jacob
Sholl, Republican clerk, saw that the bag was
sealed. He supposed that the ballots were in
there, but criticised the manner in which the
sealing had been done. The neck of the
bag had been twisted careessly, and a
small amount of wax put on.
Said he: "If had done the sealing would have
neatly folded the mouth of the bag into space
wards heavily sealed it." The Democratic Judge
replied: '"rhat will do The bag is secure. "
If Sim Coy's information is correct the ballots
were ''monkeyed out of the bag, as he expressed
it. just about that time But to this is opposed
the evidence of Chris Stein, who saw the ballots
lying loosely in the box
PETlTIoNING FOR AN INJUNCTION.
Yesterday legal proceedings were perfected by
the Republicans looking to permanent injunc-
ton against the commissioners to keep them
from filing the certificate of the result of the re-
cent recount. In the afternoon petition for a
restraining order was filed in the clerks Office
and notice served on the defendants to appear
before Judge Ayres at 8 o'clock last
evening, when the matter would be heard
The petitioner is James S. Pritchard
and the defendants Sterling r. Holt, Albert f.
Ayres Charles Dryer, commissioners, Moses G.
McLain, clerk of the Marion County Circuit
Court, and William l. Ripley, After setting
forth the fact of his candidacy and that of Rip
ley for alderman in the Second district, the re-
suit of the official canvass on which petitioner
received eight majority, the petition of Ripley
for recount of votes, and the appointment and
qualification of the commissioners, the allega
tons are made They were: That as prelimi
nary to recounting said votes of the Second al
dermanic district, the commissioners unani-
mousy agreed that after the tickets of each pre-
cinct had been counted they should be replaced
In the bags, the bags resealed and placed In the
ballot boxes, Charles Dryer, Republican commits
sioner holding one key to said boxes and
Sterling r. Holt. Democratic commissioner
the other key. 1t is alleged that this process of
counting was carried out and the same agree
count. Pritchard the petitioner, received 1921