The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-11-08

vasscrS until they again turned up at 2:4o O'Clock
Friday morning. About of Thursday
Bernhamer called for the returns Of this pre-
cinct They were given him by Counselman.
and Bernhamer, without suggestion from any
member of the board. his own assumption,
handed them back to the inspector with the COM
ment: "These returns are informal. They have
the certificate on she first instead of the last
page, ana cannot be canvassed until they are
corrected. Counseman took them. and, leaving
the room, was seen there no more until all the
returns of the city and county had been canyassed
: except those in question and the fourth precinct
of Wayne township.
Sim Coy had been away from the board all
day, and until after midnight The first man ne APP
preached was John Schley, who had been
throughout keeping a table of the returns
they were canvassed. Coy remained but mo-
ment here and then passed to the other side of
the room. where sat Albert Ayres and County
Commissioner Sahm Within fifteen min
utes he and Henry Spaan were in earn
es5 consultation in the wash-room attached
to the Circuit Court room. The judges private
Office and entrance TO the place where the canvass
were filled with groups of Democrats,
with here and there Republican Out of this
crowd Coy and Span were afterwards missed
1t was half or three-quarters of an hour after,
near o'clock, that Republican approached
another of his party faith, saying, Coy and
Span are together in a room adjoining the cor
Journal reporter proved the truth of this state
ment They had room used for
part of the county library Ten or
fifteen minutes after this. the reporter, accom-
panied by friend made another inspection Of
the place where the consultation of Coy and his
favorite attorney was going on. This disturbed
the little boss, who, opening the door slightly
looked into the darkness of the corridor and
then quickly closed and locked the door again.
Within five minutes Span, evidently restless
under the belief that he and Coy had been traced
to cover. came ont and meeting the two men
midway of the hall. made a common place re-
mark Coy, a minute or two afterward, joined
the party, and conversation between the four
was kept up for some time, the Democratic por-
ton Of the group showing au uneasiness and a
desire to be alone However. they did not re-
turn to the room, and when the party separated
Coy returned to the place where the canvassing
was being conducted. The corridor being clear
of unwelcome watchers, Span also came into
the Circuit Court room about the time the board
was engaged on the last returns.
1t vas not long after this until the second pre-
cinct. Fourth ward, papers were demanded by
Bernhamer. Couuselman walked down from
the extreme rear of the room, and. as he did so.
he appeared somewhat excited He approached
the judges desk, where Bernhamer sat- with
downcast eyes, as if afraid to face the crowd,
and, turning his left side to the desk threw the
returns onto it. Captain Many took the tally
sheet, and Bernhamer passed the certificates to
Clerk McLain, with the request to read, as his
voice had given out Counseman all the time.
looked intentlv at the tally-sheet in the keeping
at once marked the scratched talies on
Twins vote. He did not say anything until
this vote was reached. and then quickly called
Bernhamer's attention to the alterations Bern
hamer who, receiving the returns, did not
think 1t was worth while to remind the board
that they had been sent away for a correction,
in the form of the certificate, said loudly: 1--WE
can't do anything more than read what is before
US 1t has been decided that the tallies shall
rule
s.Rut va, WON'T Tor thot ,aeo y co;d fylarly Mo
Lain. 1.-The change is too fragrant"
II can't help that" replied Bernhamer: I'VE
must take the vote as 1t appears on the tally
sheet" During this time, and until he was al
lowed to go, when the returns were completed,
Counselman kept Lis eyes steadily on the sheet.
His face of scarlet hue, and when spoken
to he gave his replies in low and hesitatng
tone. showing agitation and confusion. Span
stood near the desk and beside Counselman. TO
whom he said. in undertone: "Answer moth
ing" But Counselman had already said the re-
turns had been out of his possession, and that he
did not get them again until 10 o'clock on Thurs
day morning From whom did you get them?"
asked John B. Elan.
Il got them from the Republican clerk"
"What is his nameg and to this Counselman
STILL with his eyes on the tally sheet, made no
reply. The question was repeated, and still he
did not answer, and under the bulldozings
methods of Bernhamer the changed vote was
recorded Counselman, when relieved, at once
left the room. Democrats even Coy and Spaan
do not deny tho returns were changed, and the
only excuse offered is that Republicans in the
past have been guilty of doing the same thing
An interest is felt in the discovery of the man
to whom Lorenz Schmidt gave his returns, those
of the first precinct of the Twenty third ward,
while he went to his building association meet
ing. Mr.. Schmidt so firmly believes that the re-
turns came back to him altered that he certified
to the official footings under protest. He still
refuses to name the man with whom he left the
papers, and says he will not do so unless the
grand jury forces him to that end. 1t is believed
that the man has important official connection at
the courthouse, and is an intimate friend of
Schmidt who regarded him, until this alteration
occurred, as an honest man.
The official footings were hardly dry until Dr.
Morrison applied to the county clerk for his GER
tifcate of election as coroner. This was, of
course. refused but Albert Ayres has so little
opinion of the honesty OF his majority that he
has not applied for his certificate. But behind
Ayres is the whisky power. Leading represent
atves of the Liquor League. greatly excited. were
present at the canvass OF votes, and some bets
were made by them, while the count was in
progress that Ayres would be elected. Ayres
Notwithstanding the claims of his Democratic
friends AS TO his conscientousness will hold on
until the law forces him to release of all claim
to the criminal iudgeship.
Yesterday the executive committee appointed
at the meeting of citizens on Friday night pre-
pared the following:
To the Citizens Committee of o ne Hundred:
Gentlemen--You have been selected by the under
signed designated for that purpose at the citizens
meeting held at the courthouse on last Friday even
ing We have chosen you to serve on this committee,
believing that you all in hearty sympathy with
cry proper effort to secure fair ballot honest
count and return and report of every popular
election held in our city and county. Rumors from
credible sources of glaring frauds having been COM
mitted in connection with the returns at the election
held last Tuesday led to the call of citz last
Friday evening. No good citizen afford to be in
different to such charge against the fair name and
fame OF our community. 1t is no
easy task to select from a population
of one hundred thousand inhabitants one hundred
exactly suited to the purpose designed-the fer
reting out and Furnishing OF frauds upon the ballot
II has been purpose and endeavor to gentle
men who are in sympathy with every just effort to
cure q fair ballot, correct count and truthful
turn III every election; to select welknown citizens
of all political parties, and men who are believed to
be patriots attached to principle of just govern
request that each one of you, named below will at
tend the meeting Tuesday evening Nny O al Su-