The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-02-12
THE COMMITTEE AT WORK
Details OF the Startling Discoveries
Made Yesterday Afternoon.
SpectaI to the Jerseu ON Neaue.


TRENTON, Feb. IL, 1S90.-The centre of
committee room off the Senate Chamber,
iu which Senators Gardner, Roe and
Adrain, the Committee on Elec tions, be
gan the investigation into the election OF
Senator Mcdonald. The little room was
uncomfortably crowded when the
committee, the reporters, the long array
of counsel and the elaborate
retinue Of special sergeant-at-arms had
entered. But when the Irregularities
discovered in the first box became noised
abroad, the crowds that swarmed to the
room made the atmosphere simply un-
bearable.
Senator Gardner sat at the head of a
small table with Senator Adrain at his
right and Stenographer Gnichtel at
his left Next to the stenographer
was Senator Roe and opposite to him was
Mr.. William H. Corbin, The irrepressi-
Bile Dougherty was all over, and finally
settled down between Messrs. Adrain anb
Gardner. At another table adjoining the
first, sat Mr.. Vredenberg and ex-Judge
Garretson, counsel for Mr. Mcdonald
The proceedings began with the testi-
mony Of Mr.. Scott that he received the
ballot box of the First precinct of the
First district, at IL. IA a. m. on November
8, 1889, and it had been in his possession
ever since.
SPECIMEN POLL BOOK.
When the poll book was taken out of
the box it was found not to be numbered,
that only waving line had been made TO
designate sheets, and it had no certificate
to certify how many votes We're in the
box
Judge Garretson discovered what was
evidently meant to be certificate in lead
pencil on the inside of the front cover
signed by J. Moschell Judge, Thomas
Fallon, Clerk; J. Thomas O'R0urke and
Jim Hart Inspectors
When the irregularities were brought
to light the face of Senator Gardner was
sight to see. The satisfaction which an
unexpected advantage always begets
beamed all over his counteDance, and the
manner in which he bit his long droop-
ing mustache to keep from breaking out
into a smile of triumph was highly
amusing.
JOKER BENEATH THE DIGNITY.
Two folded ballots were found caught
in the corners Of the box. They were
s'jokers." The committee rejected the
name 'sjoker'' as being beneath the Dig
nity of the upper chamber and substi-
tuted the word ''police," because they
bore the words, For increase of police
pay"
One hundred and forty-six of these
police ballots were found in the box
They bore different milling from the
others and established the fact that they
had passed through q machine different
from that which milled the others. They
were marked with complete circle,
while others bore a distinct eclipse. 1t
did not occur to the committee to try the
box before them and decide which were
the regular ballots
The recount differs from The returns
only in giving Stuhr one more vote.
PHOTOGRAPHIC THE BALLOTS.
The committee took u recess and the
Republican members went away happy
When they returned in the afternoon
their exhileration fell several degrees.
The stuffy committee room was more
crowded than ever on account of u cam
era. which took up a great deal of room,
and which had been brought up by a local
artist 10 photograph some of the wicked
s'police" ballots.
4 Several experiments in that direction
failed, and the start was fairly Knocked
out OF the local artist when Mr.. Adrain
said:--s
My dear sir you'd better take that ma
chine right home.n
When the photographer recovered his
equinamity he wanted to take the ballots
TO his 'studies.t and Photograph them
there.
The committee was willing and the
man was about to start on when City
Clerk Scott interfered.
He said that he mad been served with
an order in the suit Of Roche against
Bruggemann, commanding him not To
let the ballots 20 out OF his posseasion
The matter was tlnally arranged by per-
mittlng the artist" TO take away the
ballots upon q receipt for them being
given TO Mr., Scott by the committee.
THE sKcoND PRReINcr noX,
There was great deal OF trouble In get