St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-07-14
LAWYERS DO THE TALKING.
No Evidence Taken in the Contest Of
Croonqufst and Kenney.
MT. O'Br1en, for Mr.. Kenney, Enters q
MISUNDERSTANDING Replies.

The contested election case of AID. Ken
hey by MI Croonqust came up last even
lng before the council committee appointed
" take testimony. Aid. Starkey, Dowlan,
weber and Cullen of the committee seated
themselves about the reporters table in
'ne council chamber, Aid. Petsch being
aoeeht. There were also present Aid.
1HN;e 4 ana O'Conror, Mr.. Croonquist and
Ivy Ivy Aetorhey Murray, while few specta-
ooto e'laggled III to listen to the tongue
S9Parring OF c. d. O'Brien and Thomas T.
T41auhlieroy, who were ATTORNEYS for Aid.
Nenhey and Mr.. Croonouist. Respectively
ana caused considerable sport If seemed
~ 20 questlon of argument and not of testi-
inohy. MI; O'Brien opened with demurrer.
he saiI he had motion to make that
iinsnI DISPOSE OF the whole matter He
oaiu llio statute provides that a notice be
petition filed by Mr.. Croononist did ny art
show facts which, even if admitted To he
True, would change the result Tberefore
there was no need of taking testimony az
IL would avail nothing, and he moved that
Inc committee decline to take any testi
nlohy anu report that fact to the council.
he proceeded to read the petition of Mr..
Croonqulst and to rule them out seriation.
one OF the grounds being that nothing was
charged against Mr.. Kenney. but the
charges of fraud were against the Judges
OF election. As to the allegation thar
kenney's ballots contained certain
cuts and devices, which We're contrary to
law, such as Democratic ticket" etc.
MT; oBrlen said this applied to all the
pallots Id the city, and if one alderman
was unseate e all must be- and that that
portion OF the statute had never been re-
gafaed anyway. He held that if the allie
CATION that the judges of election We're mott
properly qualified was held to be true. then
there was no election anyway. He Thought
the allegation that certain men NOT citizens
were allowed to vote was not sufficiently
aehhlte 10 allow of any testimony being
TAKEN under 1t. He thought the committee
was not justified in taking testimony.
"hlch, When taken. and the public money
expended III taking it would prove nothing.
THE OTHER SIDE.
MI. fanntleroy said he disagreed with
every point raised by MI. O'Brien. If the
committee had no Jurisdiction. then how
was the question ever to be brought uD.
The statute distinctly said the council must
determine these questions of contested cleo
tlons, and that gave the committee iurisdic-
tlon. III any one allegation was true. the
committee was obliged to hear it. The pc
tltlon was drawn exactly similar to the one
presented by Aid. Dowlan, and he (Mr.
fauntleroy) intended to fight this case out
II he grew gray in doing it, Mr.. O'Brien's
statement that no allegation was made as to
these men voted who were said to vote lille
gally, counted for nothing as nobody pre-
tended to know how they voted. as thew
were guaranteed a secret ballot by The con-
Sutution. An interruption by Mr.. O'Brien
lea MI. Fauntleroy to offer to sit down and
let MN make all the speeches he wanted to,
but ne 1.-THE speaker wanted chance also.
But just want you to get right" said
Mr.. O'Brien.
and want you to get right; that's what
am talking for replied Mr. Fauntleroy.
but am not going to be held I'D as an
idiot" repeated Mr. O'Brien.
II thought Mr.. O'Brien would not like to
take MS own vermifuge," continued Mr..
Fauntleroy, while laugh went around at
Mr.. O'Brien's expense, who made no further
interruption.
Mr. Fauntleroy said that if the truth of
any one allegation would unseat MIR.
Kenny, then the investigation must be
made. He read the statute concerning
contested election cases, and stated that if
the committee conceded with Mr.. O'Brien's
sugar coated theory, then any investigation
whatever would be prevented. He had
only received notice of this meeting at
noon, and it was impossible to get witnesses
to be present, but if the committee would
name an hour for taking testimony, then.
as Pompey said to Caesar 1--WE will meet
him at Phillippl."
MIR. O'BRIEN REPLIES.
Mr.. O'Brien said this was merely a mat
ter of business with him, simply a desire
to do piece of work we'll when he had it
TO do. 1t had got to be common in munici-
pal elections to allege frauds, he could with
the modern convenences of a stenographer
and typewriter furnish such things by the
square yard. He continued very Sarcastic
ally in the line OF his former argument.
that the petition was insufficient. In clos
ing he said that in old times, before st.
Paul got to be city of $50, 600 inhabitants.
II any Scandinayians had alleged that ali
fraudulent Swedish votes were cast for his
Irish competitor, he would have got
laughed at good deal, or that when man
named OBrien was running for alderman
all the Sullivans and Murphys were voting
for gentleman by the name of Croonouist.
After some quite consultation of the COM
mittee with City Attorney Murray, an adj
journment was taken to further consider
Mr.. OBrien's motion. the next meeting to
be held at the call of the chairman.