The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-07-14
A RECOUNT In COURT.
What the Ballots Showed When
Examined Before Judge
Lippincoit.

At the trial of John P. Murray. Oscar
G. Stringham. Thomas E. Smith and Mar
tin ]. Flynn for ballot box frauds, before
Judge Lippincott yesterday afternoon,
Colonel w. S. Sharp, who had the mis-
fortune to be Sergeant-a5-Arms of the
Senate that investigated the election
frauds in this county, told the Court and
jury how he was made custodian Of the
ballot boxes by resolution Of the Senate.
He said that on June 80, of the present
year he delivered to Court Stenogrspher
John Nugent. at the request of Prosecu-
tor Winfield, a number of ballots, and the
registry and poll books and other docu-
ments connected with the elections in this
precinct. These documents were in bags
that were sealed, but by the direction of
the Prosecutor the seals were broken and
the ballots extracted from it.
John Nugent testified that he had a
general order from Judge Knapp 10 de-
mand and receive whatever election dOcu-
ments Prosecutor Winfield needed The
order was made general, so that che
necessity OF getting Judge knapp's sig
nature TO an order in each case would be
avoided. The order was dated October
"a, 1890, and was used in tie other cleo
tion cases that have been tried. He said
the poll book. registry list and ballots
We're turned over to the Prosecutor just
as he received them.
On cross examination it was discovered
that the order did not mention ballots,
but specified the poll book, registry and
statement. Mr.. Hudspeth on behalf of
the accused men objected to the ballots
being offered in evidences, intimating
that possibly they might have been tam
pered with.
Prosecutor Winfield refnted this theory
at once by declaring thar the ballots were
in precisely the same condition that they
were in when Colonel Sharp took them
from the sealed bags. The Court admit
ted the ballots as evidence.
AN EX-ALDERMAN's STORY.
Ex-Aldermau John Shawda swore that
his son Frank died October 21, 1889, and
that he told the Board Of Registry OF the
fact and directed the members to erase
his sons name from the list. Mr.. Win
field showed by the book that the dead
man was checked as having voted.
Louis Miller Of No. 2l9 Railroad avenue
testified that he voted once In the pre-
cinct, and the time was between eight
and nine o'clock In the morning. Mr..
Winfield exhibited the poll book and said
he was recorded as voting twice.
The Prosecutor at this point read of
the names of seventeen persons on the
DOH DOCK LndD QlQ HOt appear OA l4t
register, and four names on the register
checked as voted that did not appear on
the poll book. There was also found on
the poll book and not checked on the
register the names Of the Rev w. r.
Parmly and Henry NIese. The latter
was accredited with having voted twice.
Henry Hasse said that he owned house
No. 1917 Railroad avenue. He did not
know that Joseph Daryey lived there in
1882 Joseph was recorded as voter.
James Love, ex-City Collector, was the
next witness. He testified that he was at
the polls the greater portion of the time
on the election day ia question. The
cover Of the ballot box was reported out
OF order, he said, and for at least oue-half
hour the voting was done in another box.
From twenty or thirty ballots were cast
in the temporary box. After City Mar
shall Long repaired the regular box. the
ballots were taken from the temporary
receptacle and in the usual way run
through the head In the afternoon Mr.
Love detected a man voting who lived
ont OF the precinct. He lived mt No. 160
Mercer street, but was permitted 10 vote
by Murray. who had him recorded as iiv-
ing at No. 106 Mercer street. Mr.. Love
said that during the count OF the vote ne
called the attention of abe Board to two
errors, which the Board corrected
William Ziumerlee. post office clerk,