Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-12-22
BENT ON AN OFFICE.
The Scat of R. B. Rood, Representative From
Parker County, to Be Contested In the
Twenty-Second Legislature.
Special to the Gazette.

| opecial 10 lne daZeIle.
WEATHERFoED, Ten, Dec. 21.-It
now appears that there will be a contest
for o seat IN the lower house OF the
Twenty-second Texas legislature, be-
longing to the member from this county.
Mr.. r. b. Hood. according to the re-
turns of the election, received q majority
of three votes, and was given n c%ertifi-
cate Of election by the proper officer. 4
fe " days since, while in attendance Mt
the law department of the State Uni
versity, he received a registered letter
with the name of H. s. Moran written
across the outside of the envelope. This
envelope contained what was doubtless
intended as q notice of contest by the
party whose name was on outside of en-
velope for the seat in the lower house.
The document starts off by saying
''take notice that the Undersigned will
contest you right to a seat in the
Twenty-second legislature, etc., but
there is no telling by the article who the
contestant is, as there is no one's name
signed to the document. The contestants
first charge or ground for contest is that
of contestee's special majority being only
three votes; second, that there were
thirteen Illegal votes cast for contestee
besides others that are not now known,
and calls for Investigation of same and
recount of actual ballot; that in precinct
No. 3. Westherford, officers of said pre-
cinct on several occasions forced bal
ances, and that votes that were actually
cast for contestant were lost to him;
that in precinct No. 4, Weatherford one
of the officers of the election giving his
name) who had falsely and msliciouslY
circulated false reports against con-
testant was permitted to serve as An Off
Ger after he, the contestant, had pro-
tested against his serving as en-
officer of the election, and that
said officer, while calling the names
of candidates voted for, did call our
votes which had actually been cast for
contestant for contestee. For all of
which he prays a recount of actual ballot
and investigation as to Irregularities in
holding election and illegal votes cast.
Contestant says in communication that
he has sent notice to Springtown, which
seems to be the legal notice. but thai he
sent the copy to Austin SO that contestee
might see it as quickly as possible. THE
GAZETTE correspondent has learned that
notice sent to S%pringtown was sent to
q friend of Mr.. Moran, with instructions
to serve 1t in person on Mr.. Hood g
brother on or before December 10 or it
would be too late. Moran s friend failed
to get the notice until December IL, and
seeing that he was too late returned the
papers to Mr.. Moran and did not serve
them at all. Mr.. Hood in his reply says
that he was not legally notified as re-
CURED by law, and, without Waving
question of notice, but insisting and re-
lying on same, denies that nine of
the thirteen voters named by con-
testant as being Illegal were illegal. and
shat four of the thirteen voters named
by contestan I as being illegal and voting
for contsstee did vote for contestant and
not for contestee as alleged, and that
the said four votes were illegal, and thai
one other voter, giving his anne q cit
izen of Jack county, did illegally vote
for contestant. Contestee denies that
were forced in precinct 3,
weatherford, as alleged by contestant
and calls for strict proof of same. Fur
Their that officers of Millsap had closed
the polls before 6 O'Clock p. m. as re-
CURED by law, and that voters who
would have voted for contestee II al
lowed to vote appeared and were not
permitted to vote, and he asks hat their
votes be counted for contestee. That
officers of precinct ., Weatherford,
wherein contestant received six votes |
majority, failed to make out and certify |
to triplicate eturn as required by law,
and that on the day the returns were
canvassed by the commissioners court
the presiding officer of said precinct was
called in by the court and permitted to
sign or certify to said returns without
warrant OF law, wherefore contestee
prays that said vote or ballot of said pre-
cinct be counted as nsught. |
As to allegations of con-
testaut as TO false n forced
alliances in precinct 3, W%eatherford,
contestee denies in toto and calls for |
strict proof of same, and claims they
were fair, honest and correct. AS to
contestants allegations n charges as |
TO one of the officers of precinct 4,
weatherford, having ounted votes cast
for contestant for contestee, contestee
answers that he denies same AM calls !
for strict proof. De also alleges that |
the charges grew out of a personal ell |
nifty between said officer and contestant, |
for which contestee is in no way respon- |
sible, and alleges that said count wes |
fair, honest ami correct.
Quite q little interest is beng taken in |
the affair. However, even some of Mt.