Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1889-10-19
KNOWN LAST SATURDAY.
Claims that the Returning
Boards Decision Was
Three Days Old.
Interest i'm Election Affairs I'm
abated-All Awaiting the
Hearing.
From Wednesday Daily.

made yesterday. After each impromptu
returning board haIreviewed the situation
and disposed Of the difficulties to it's entire
satisfaction; after each s~eltconstituttd at.
torneyin the case had made his exhaustive
argument and cited his ~indisputable au.
tborities; after a u~nrecoznized district
court had passed upon the cause shown by
the phantom board Of canvassers-after
all had been said aud done there remained
the disagreeable fact that nothing had been
or could be accomplished. This restraint
did not tend to diminish excitement NOR
weaken the interest manifested on all
sides. 1t tended rather to chafe the feel
ings OF the Democrats and make them the
better aware that their rights in the prem.
Uses had been trampled under foot by par.
tisan spirit.
No images OF the persons responsible for
the present condition Of things were burned
in efigy, but there were several rather
spicy meetings between one member OF the
board, Mr.. Jack, and candidates on the
ticket whose interests the county commits
sioHer did not espouse. Mr.. Penrose was
at one time engaged in an animated street
conversation with Mr.. Jack and openly
asserted in his unwilling presence and re-
luctaDt hearing that the decision of the
canvassing board majority was arrived at
last Saturday in Helena; that the throw
ing out OF the returns from the Thirty
fourth precinct was agreed upon at that
time, and that the dictates of the party
leaders, not the canvassers' convictions OF
right n justice, were obeyed when the
votes from the disputed precinct were
thrown out. j "A. Murray took a hand in the
conversation and, announcing his belief
that money talked, offered to bet $1,000
to $500 or $4,000 to $4,000 that the
Republican leaders in Helena knew, as long
ago as last Saturday, what the decision OF
the returning board would be. Mr.. Jack
was annoyed by the talk and by the crowd
that gathered around him and the others.
and got away as ooD as he could to escape
further annoyance. That he left the city
at 3 O'Clock yesterday afternoon was not
because of his ruling as chairman OF the
canvassing board; he arranged, some weeks
ago, to take an eastern trip. He was not
panied, however, to get away for q time
from q place made unpleasant by the dis
favor With which his official acts were re-
ceived.
1t was talked in a good many places
yesterda , in standardization OF the charge
that the decision OF the canvassing board
was arrived at before Monday, that one OF
Mr.. Jacks employees met a Democratic
friend in the p~ostoffice last Saturday after.
noon, and said to hime~ xultantly: We've
got you'll" The friend could not see it in
that light and asked him on what he based
his claim. The Republican commissioners
hired man, Republican by contact, said:
1.-THE Thirty-fourth precinct will be thrown
out" or words to that effect. The employees
remarks may have been inspired by the
knowledge Of the fact that many afidavits
had been obtained from Murderer Bernard
and others, but that view Of the case is
not accepted by men Of the opposing po-
litical faith.
Still another point urged as an indica- |
ton that the decision of the board was
contemplated before the canyass began is
found in the fact that Chairman Jack re-
fused to appoint County Clerk Booth to a
position on the board although that off.
cial was eligible n the most available
official at the time. Mr.. Booth. it is I'M
derstood, offered his services and was
fatty refused.
The Republicans have laid SO much stress
IDOL the afidavits filed by them in refer
ence to alleged fraud at the Tunnel pre-.
cinct that they have entirely lost sight OF
the counter-afidavits fled by the Demo.
Gratis on the same points. " lillian O'Rea-
gan, one OF the judges at that precinct,
filed a Republican affidavit to the effect
that he had locked the door, nailed papers
on the window and made the count in Sc
cret: that the ballot box was removed at
IL o'clock that night from the regular poll
ing place to a house next door. In one OF
his many sworn at .tements O'Reagan says
that the polling place was a tent. Thus he
--- ---o-n ALak 10 1nn1nl fho
door OF the tent and nailed papers on the
windows OF the tent. In a subsequent aft
davit O'Reagan destroys the effect Of his
other sworn statements by deposing and
saving as follows:
THAT he was one OF the judges ap-
pointed by the county commissioners, etc.;
that prior to the opening Of the polls OF
said election he was duly qualified and
sworn; that the polls were opened at 8
O'Clock q. m. and kept continuously open
until 6 O'Clock p. m; that during all SAID
hours the afiant was personally pres.
emit and engaged in the performance
OF his duties as one OF the
Judges; that said election was, from begin
ming to end, conducted in a public, open
and peaceable manner without intimida'
ton, fraud or undue influence on the part
OF any one; that the polling place OF said
precinct was in o. tent; that, after the clos
lUR Vi III JULIE NhCANhO OA d"Ns~
ceeded with the count and canvass OF the
vote there cast, and continued the same in
the SAID tent until about IL O'Clock p. m.
at which time, on account OF the colo, tne
Judges removed into a frame building
wherein there was a stove, said frame build
ing Immediately adjoining the tent; that
there the count was continued and 1uliy
completely that adi2nt was personally
present during said entire count and can
vass and that it was made by and in the
presence uf all the judges OF said precinct
and was done fairly and correctly ana
without any fraud, bias or undue influence,
and that the tally sheet and returns rom
said precinct scontain a fair, full and cor
rect report OF the votes and ballots cast
thereat." :,
The Republicans have lost sight, too, OF
the afidayit OF Thomas O'Keeffe, one OF
the Judges OF the precinct in question. MT.
O'Keeffe's testimony was: ,
THAT he was by the judges appointed
one of the clerks, ETC., and that ne was uuiy
Qualified and sworn in; that he was at the
boiling place throughout the day, and
while the votes were being counted; that
the election was conducted from beginning
TO end in a public, open and iair manne.'
that after the polls were closed ne requeso-
ed W. A. Pennycook, one OF the Judges, 10
make out the tally list and certificates Tor
the reason that he is q workingman un,
skilled i'm the use OF the PEN; that after said
Pennycook had complied with the request,
the afiant compared the ally nsC anu
certificate with the number OF votes potled
and fully approved them and found them
to be correct, and that he signed and at
tested the same"
Mr.. Keefe. Of the firm OF Green q heeie,
contractors at the Tunnel precinct, was IN
the city yesterday. He expressed himself
yery forcibly upon the action oil the board
OF canvasssrs and seemed to regard much
that has been said and lone as q personal
affront to himself. He was particularly
emphatic in declaring that the election had
been honestly conducted at the precinct,
that no one voted there who had not u
right so to do, that those who did vote
was benestlv conducted and fairly countet !.
He was 90 much incepsed at COMMISSIONS
Jacks action that he withdrew his trade
from the business house Of which the COM
missioner is the head and 'front.'.