The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-06-24
JENNETT-0WENS CON TEST
FOR GALVESTON SHERIFFALTY,
The Fine Work of Ballot-box Crooks
Staring Court and Country Out OF
CONFERENCE.-THE are the
Ballot-bOx Suffers?

@GALvEsToN, June 23.-The Jennett-
Owens shrievalty contest was resumed
In the District Court yesterday, the
sick juror being able to be presekt.
The Sixth Ward poll box occupied the
attention of tho jury during the day.
s. B. Noble, presiding officer OF the
Sixth Ward poll, could not recognize
the box brought in as being the one he
had helped seal ;at least it was not in the |
came condition; it looked as though it
had been tempered with.
Mr.. Nelson, another judge at that
poll, failed to identify tho condition Of
the box as psing tho same as when
sealed and locked. The mysterious
Was finally opened and tho votes
cOuRted, resulting in the jury throw
ing out 80 scratched ballots (Sll the
names for sheriff being scratched) and
six ballots having two names for
sheriff.
! On cross.examination Mr.. Noble
swore positively that there were not
originally 80 yotss ia the box sc aSch-
cd entirely for sheriff.
The Eighth Ward box was also open
ed and l6 ballots fhrowr out. AS each
box is opened the variety and extent
Of the frauds perpotratsd are exposed
to the gaze of the public.
An equal number of frauds seem to
haye been committed in the apparent
interest of both contestant and con-
testee.
When the contest hogan, Owens, who
holds the office, had q plurality on the
face OF the returns oi4O votes. At one
Iime during the contest Jennett had
an apparent majority ofsome 200 votes.
At the adjournment Of court last night
Jennott had a majority Of only three
votes, with several boxes yet 10 be
opened.
The conseJt has become the one topic
OF compensation il the city.
Tho proceedings in The Jenno5t.
Owens contest to-day was something
of rep9oition of yestoraay's work.
The Second Ward poll box was
opened and the jury cast out eight bal
lots that were scratched or Otherwise
irregular.
Some queer methods Of deing bust.
ness were divulged by testimony
d touching the Fifth Ward box. Ed
ward Ryan, presiding officer Of the
Fifth Ward poll, 5wore that he had the
box in his charge during the count and
the next day after the election; that on
: Thursday night following the
! November election he deliy.
l cred the box to County ClerA
! Wren, at Aliens book store. Wheu
I he delivered the box it was wrapped
in several yards OF red tape and Sc
7 curely sealed. When this box wa,
Q produced to-day it had no rod tGpt
. sealed around il and no seals about III,
. lock. Other evidences that it had beeI
% tempered with we're plainly discern
BILE.
County Clerk Wren was called anC
-. cOrroborsted Ryan's statement, tina
;, the box was delivered 20 him at Al
Il LENS book store, but Mr.. Wren said Ia
Y left the box at the book store all nigh
and sent his errand boy around for /
the next day.
" The humble errSnd boy Was thel
produced aud sWore the box was jus
Z. as he found it at the bookstore. 1t hat
al no red tape on il when he gotit.
Mr.. Allsn, proprietor OF the book
e, store, swOre no one had fNrcibly enter
At ed his store during the time ne he'll
Nj the box,
Thus the law seems unable to de-
/. tect the perpetrators of the fraud
q Thirteen votes were thrown out b
M the jury in tho Fifth Ward box.
Upon the adjournment OF court r.
r night Owens, the cOntestee, was :
IS. votes ahead, Heretofore during IN
V, entire procedure Jenuett has bee
~ ahead, az one time nearly 200 vote.
but Owens has gradually reduced tha
o. majority and to-day, amidst great re
.l- ioicipgof his friends, he passed hi
as adversary in the remarkable race.