The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-11-09

for the Democrats and by agreement OF both
parties, although disqualified by the statute,
was sworn in as judge. 1t is new proposed oy
the Democrats to throw the precinct out on the
ground that il / could not act as inspector L
could not serve as Judge make this state
ment now, because / believe the proceedings at
tho polls were fair and i do not care to be IN
volved in anything that has for its purpose the
throwing out Of the vote merely TO secure par
tisan advantage
Rocker, Democratic candidate for coroner, had
been losing votes in several precincts, and
when the second of the Thirteenth was reached,
with the hopes of saving him from defeat, w.
| V. Rocker, brother, although not member OF
the board, moved to throw out its vote on the
| ground given in Mr.. Hord's statement The
| Republican candidate had q majority OF about
| one hundred and thirty in the precinct The
| protest was discussed at length, and then, by
vote OF the board, action was postponed until all
| other precincts had been canvassed.
The count of the Fourteenth ward showed
| few changes, but no one gained mate
! rally. The Democratic tricksters were
| considerably surprised when the second pre-
| cinct Of the Fifteenth was called and attorney
| W. A. Ketcham moved to throw out the whole
precinct for the same reason the Democrats
urged in regard to the second Of the Thirteenth.
| The Republicans in the ward selected Tim
| Splann as judge. The inspector refused to
| allow Splann TO serve on the board, and,
| as is charged, appointed man judge
| who was not a freebooter or property holder.
| The Democrats have a majority OF 1S3 In the
| precinct, and the board was therefore ready to
object to its being thrown out, although, az Mr..
ketcham showed, there was much better cause
| for such action than in the second precinct Oh
| the Thirteenth. By a unanimous vote the board
also postponed action this precinct until afte:
| the count was concluded in all the others
In the frat precinct of the Sixteenth ward
Tincher gained one vote, but no other changes
| were noted. The count Of the Seventeenth
and Eighteenth wards was concluded without
any hindrancs. In the second precinct of the
III Tnh II Exrini fnY
Reporter Of the Supreme Court. made
gain OF four. but the vote in both
/ the other precincts remained the same
When the second precinct of the Twenty
second ward was called, Frank McCray asked
Inspector Rosebrock if il not a fact that
| there was discrepancy between the poll books
and ballots. and il. when that was discovered,
| twenty ballots were not picked up off the floor
and put In the box. Inspector Rosebrock do
| MED that anything of the kind had happened.
| but affidavit WAS submitted showing that
there was q discrepancy, and that the box was
stuffed. Mr.. McCray protested against the vote
| of the precinct.
The crookedest work of the election was ex-
posed when the tally-sheet of the third precinct
| of the Twenty-tbird ward was reached. As
| soon as the inspector offered the sheet Mr..
ketcham stated that he was reliably informed
| that there was a discrepancy between the tally
| sheet and the poll-list Taking the sheet, Mr..
| ketcham examined it, and then said: al see the
list of names fools up 5Ol. Then l see that there
were cast for Thomas r.. Cobb. who heads the
Democratic electoral ticket Az votes. and for
| J. N. Shackelford, who heads the Republican
| electoral list. 1l2, making total of 524 votes
cast. 1t is absolutely matter of physical inn
| possibility for 5O7 men to vote 524 times and
| each man vote but once" Further, Mr..
| Ketcham said this board could not determine
| whether the Illegal vote in the middle Of
| the number or at one end. IL was certain he
said, that the 524 votes counted were not exist
ing votes
Inspector Vog. wanted to know what the
| tally-sheet showed, and the two sheets were
compared and the same discrepancy appeared on
| the taly-sh 1t was then suggested by In
| spector Coroaley that there might be duplica-
| ton Of the number opposite the names on the
| poll book, but an investigation made by Mr..
| Ketcham and Mr.. Corbsley showed that there
bad been none. Inspector Reivel, Of
the precinct was called ID, on for ,n an
not account for the number of
| votes unless it WAS the fault of the clerks. He
| said there was one double ticket and dodeer
| put in the box. Chairman Brown said he did
rot think the board wanted to do anything but
what was right. However, he did not see how
| the board could do otherwise than receive the
vote as it appeared on tho papers before it. To
| be sure there was a discrepancy shown. but the
board could not decide who was responsible for
| it.
Mr. Ketcham said it had been his good fortune
| TO examine a good many poll books and he had
| never seen one that showed more care than the
| one from this precinct He did not think the
| CLERKS could be charged with this discrepancy.
His opinion was that q court would throw out the
whole precinct unless the discrepancy could be
| explained. Being in the minority, he did not
pretend to say , What this board I'd, should
| returns be received, and that the vote be
| counted as it appeared The motion was sec
| onded by Frank Landers, and all the Demo
| cratic inspectors voted for it. Before the vote
was counted a written protest was filed, along
with an affidavit for Charles G.. Coulon, of No.
| 123 Remington street. who cited the following
| witnesses: Albert Leiber, l.. F. Zaiser, Henry
Becker, Fred Francke. Charles II. Rohl
| and Joseph lilly. The Republican candi-
dates present said privately that they
would ask the court to throw the precinct out.
| The Democratic majority there is just 300. and
if the vote is set aside il will elect several men
on the Republican ticket
| The inspectors of the first and second precincts
| OF the Twenty fourth ward were absent and
the precincts had TO be passed. The third Of
| the ward showed no, changes OF Importance.
/ The first and second Of the Twenty fifth ward
| showed small gains for the whole Democratic
ticket. The inspector in the third precinct was
| absent and was passed.
| At this iuncture the Democrats undertook to
| extricate themselves from the trap they had
| prepared for the Republicans with reference to
the second precinct OF the Thirteenth ward.
| Frank Landers moved that the former action
| with reference to the second Of tho Thirtsenth
| aud the second of the Fifteenth be recon
4 eluereQ, ana LDdL Tue vote Oh DOlu preCluCIS %
| now received and counted. The motion was
| heartily seconded by Hiram Miller, and was
| passed. The inspectors in both precincts had
| gone home for the night however, and the count
| had to be postponed.
| The count OF the eight precincts in Center
| township outside OF indianapolis was completed
| at midnight Wagner gained one vote in the
| precincts. There then six Indianapolis
| precints out and al the out townships of the
| county. The officers of the board thought the
official tally-sheet would not he footed
| Nh aud signed before noon to-day,
| DR.. Wagner at midnight had made q gain of
| eighteen by the count, and his election was
| practically assured by about fifty majority
| Mitchall had also gained about ten. all from the
| Prohibition and Labor vote but there was still q
belief that Tincher would be elected by a small
| majority. There seems TO be doubt about
| Hsdey's election as circuit judge, although he
had made no gains in this county
| There will be another protest filed
when the fourth precinct of Wayne town
ship is reached. There are afidavits 10 show
that INSPECTOR Miller, of that precinct, received
the votes Of thirty hopelessly insane persons.
and the board will be asked to throw
out the entire precinct The vote WILL of
course, be conntd By the board, and then the
contest will follow. Good attorneys in the
board claim that thers is ample ground to throw
out enough precincts 10 elect the entire Repub
lican ticket. and several OF the candidates will
press thefnatter.
Making the footings on the canvssssheet will
be tedious work. but just as soon as they can be
had, to-day. they will be given on a bulletin at
A.