The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-05-20
FOR AND AGAINST.
The Lawyers Have Their Last Say
in the Stuhr-McDonald Contest.
Special to the Jersey oity Nelos.

TRENTON, May 20, 1S90.-The argument
in the Stuhr- Mcdonald contest was con-
tinued yesterday afternoon. Mr.. Dough
erty was followed by Judge Garretson,
who began by demolishing the flimsy ar
guments of young Dougherty. He then
proceeded to say
"At the inception of this Investigation
l did not suppose that it was contest
over the seat Of Senator Mcdonald. For
the first time ] hear the assertion made
this afternoon that Stuhr received a ma
jority of the honest vote.
Mr.. Mcdonald comes to the Senate with
a majority of over 5000, which, on re-
coun5 remains at 1900 You cannot say
because there is fraud in one district
there are frauds in others.
my opponent says we estimate that
the fraudulent names registered number
10000 Where is the evidence of that?
There is no evidence to show that this
was a conspiracy to elect Mcdonald by
fraudulent means
''The poll books were made by not over
intelligent men. The names of some Of
the voters were very difficult TO spell
from the pronunciation. You yourselves
heard some of them and will guarantee
if you take the stenographer's notes of
the testimony given on the investigation
them down correctly"
GoPsILL OR ToPsILL.
The judge then Illustrated how absurd
some of the so called fraudulent names
on the poll books were found. He in
stanced the name of William Topsill on
opposite which was written in pencil
mot on registry Yet every one in the
district knew William Gopsill. who was
on the registry from the same number.
William Topsill was on the poll book.
He instanced the name of Hugh Coyle,
yFho was on the poll book as voting from
No. 95 Mercer street, and marked mot
on registry" Yet the judge said
he lived at No. 95 and knew that
Hugh Coyle lived next door at No. 93. He
replied to the allegation that the Jeffer-
sonian Democrats, as the Kern Kickers
styled themselves, were denied represen-
tation upon the election boards by saying
that they and the Republicans were one
in the election and therefore had repre-
sentation.
The evidence" he continued, "does
not show that Stuhr was elected Senator.
You can only say he was by showing that
he received more votes than Mcdonald.
Where is the evidence to that effecti"
The Judge quoted at length from
McCreary to show how entirely without
warrant, either in law or precedent, is
| the proposed plan of the committee to un-
remarks with carefully compiled table,
in which he proved that, allowing all the
| votes which the committee claimed were
| fraudulent to be thrown out Mr.. McDon-
aid had majority of the votes and was
| honestly elected.
MR.. HOFFMAN FOR STUHR.
| Ex Judge Hoffman followed in favor of
| Stuhr He said that he did not appear
! for Stuhr alone, but for the 1900 honest
| voters Of Hudson County. As soon as the
| vote Of Hudson County was announced
| last fall, it aroused suspicion and Mr..
McDonald,s majority was seen to be an
| impossible one. He said that it was the
1 result of a conspiracy which was begun
| two years ago when the Democrats-and
| when he usen the word Democrat in that
connection he said he did not mean the
| honest Democrats, Of which the Stat Q
| was full--repealed the sunset law, the
| personal registry law and the Jury COM
| mission law.
with no fear from Petit or Grand
| Juries.n he said, 'see with what charm
| ing facility the registry lists could be
| packed.' He paid his respects to Sheriff
Davis and the Democratic County Com
rnittee in all but complimentary terms
| and claimed that under the rule Nc
! Donald's vote was sufficiently tainted
| with fraud to be thrown ont. He de-
| voted the balance OF his remarks to re-
| iterating the statement that Stuhr was
elected by the honest vote of the county.
1 During the argument Senators Gard
| ner and Roe payed but little attention to
! the speakers and it was plain that their
| thoughts were far away. Senator
Adrian was the only one who followed
| the speakers closely and occasionally
| took notes. A prominent republican
member OF the Legislature told me last
| evening that the committee had made up
! its mind to unseat Mr.. Mcdonald.
*
ger conductors are tickled over an
| increace OF pay S8 to S.. as ner tay.