Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-11-07
THE sENATORSHIP.
4 Knotty Point to be Solved-ProbabIe
Error In Clay.

Interest in local political matters,
yesterday, was about equally divided
between the big Democratic jollilca-
tiOn, set down for tonight, and par
ticulars of the arrangements for which
can be found elsewhere, and the very
close race made between Judge j. ].
Jacob and Hon. \. +. Whitaker for
the State Senate in this district. Revised
figures from the counties OF Hancock
and Brooke. received during the
day, gave Mr.. Whitaker 2Oi
majority in Hancock, while Judge
Jacob had IS majority in Brooke.
Adding the l25 majority for Judge
Jacob in Ohio. to the IS in Brooke. gave
him 203 with which to meet the 2Oi for
Whitaker in Hancock, and left him in
the minority by one vote. While this
remarkable state of affairs was being
discussed around tOwn-and it created
a good deal of diScussion-what looks
very much like an error Of ten votes in
favor of the Democratic ticket came to
light in Clay district OF this county.
1t seems that the canvaSserS in Clay
separated the straight tickets from the
scratched, after the manner OF election
officers. and then counted them ten at a
time. While working on Democratic
straight tickets, Mr.. W. +. Peterson,
one of the canvaSserS, picked up bunch
of ten, and while holding them discus
sion started about vote. Everybody
became absorbed in this for Il moment.
and afterwards, Mr.. Peterson, thinking
he had called out the ten votes, handed
them over to be placed on the string.
Some one asked: "Did you count that
bunch?" Yes" said Mr.. Peterson,
''it's all right" and the count went on.
These, at least, are the circumstances. as
related yesterday by gentleman pres
ent
Yesterday a REGISTER reporter took
the Clay poll book, and found the totaI
number Of voters listed was 1896. The
total number of votes east for Supreme
Judge was LOIS. or Is less than the
total: the total number for Congress
man l,09O, or l6 less than the total, and
the total number cast for Senator was
l,02l. or Il less than the total.
For the purposes of comparison, the
reporter picked up the tally sheet fol
Webster, where there were 1903 votes
east, and found there was difference o
but votes as compared with the three
highest offices; in Union, where ther'
were Lisa votes cast. there was but hal
a dozen difference, and in the Scc0nC
ward poll, where 702 votes were cast
the difference was but . to 5. Thi'
would seem to indicate that the differ
ence Of Is, lG and - in Clay is toe
much, and that the error as regards tn
ten tickets is probable, as that woul'
reduce the Inference TO 5, u and 5y0tcS
figures which would correspond wit
the other wards.
When the Board of Commissioner
come to go over the returns on Monda
a recount of Clay will be asked for. an,
the question as 10 the ten votes will b.
settled. In this ward there are also tw'
ballots entered in the tally sheet a
Whitaker" and one entered as "Ja
cob" If these are allowed, and the ter
straight Democratic tickets should turn
up. the result will be to elect Judge
Jacob Senator by majority, and Mr.
John II. Hall County Commissioner by
one majority.
Anent this question of the Senator
ship, 1t was also reported from Wells
burg, yesterday that there was absolute
proof that Republican money had been
used up there to secure votes, and that
twelve or thirteen votes had been SC
purchased. This matter will also be
looked into in due season.