The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1891-12-17
THE CONTEST.
An Alleged Illegal Voter in
the Person of George
Gels.
Two Dueber Foremen Swear He
Was Not Entitled to Vote
And One Says He Voted the
Straight Democratic Ticket.
Gustave Beutelspacher Handled With
Hard Gloves
BY Attorney John j. Whitaore,
Who Fires Question After
Question
At the Fo remsn Who Dos Not Civ,
Direct Answers.
The Navarro Muddle Taken Up for Inves-
tisation.-Full Report OF the Testimony
ELECTED at the Contest.

contest commenced by William II. Row
len, Republican, against b. 4. Weybrecht,
Democrat, for the Office of Representative,
was begun late this afternoon in the Office
OF Day, Lynch & Day, before Justices Mad
ison Trail, of Alliance, and John Mont
gomery, of Osnaburg.
II will be remembered that at the late
election Mr.. Weybrecht was elected by o
plurality Of "a, but Mr.. Rowlen was not
satisfied with the returns and decided to
contest the election.
Mr.. John W. Crane of Alliance and Mr..
John j. Whitacre of Canton represent Mr..
Weybrecht, while Judge Day and Julius
Whiting, Jr., are looking after the inter
ests of Mr.. Rowlen.
Isaac b. Dangler of Massillon was the
first witness. He testified in substance
as follows: / am in the dry goods busi-
ness. 1 was one of the judges OF election
OF Massillon precinct, Perry township, at
the last election. l was present at the
counting Of the ballots. l saw all the bal
lots that we're cast, We finished the
count about 8 o'clock in the evening.
Judge Day asked, "Wbat do you know
about ticket marked for the Democratic
Governor and counted for the entire DEM
ocratic ticket?n
This question was objected to and then
Mr.. Dangler answered: "There was a
ticket marked with a blue lead pencil
above the rooster. Mr.. Paul said ii ought
to be counted as 1t showed the intention
of the voter. We counted 1t for every
man on the Democratic ticket. We laid
1t away and 1 marked it "counted." There
was another ticket which was marked
right in the body OF the rooster. This was
not counted"
Mr.. Dangler was cross examined by Mr..
Whitacre. He said "The ticket that WAS
counted looked as II it had been marked
with blue pencil"
The next witness was Edward j. Hamill.
He said: ~ live in Massillon; am boiler
maker. / was presiding Judge in Precinct
A, 3rd ward, Massillon, at the late cleo
tion.
Mr.. Hamill said that there were two
tickets which were marked In blue ink
and were not counted.
Clerk Coxen being called, produced the
tickets. 1t is claimed that both of these
should count for Rowlen instead Of Wey-
brecht.
At the hour of going TO press yesterday
afternoon, Mr.. Hamill was still telling
what he knew .bout the election contest,
commenced BY VIM. II. Rowlen against
B. Il. Weybrecbt. He continued:
l was present all day.
"You may state what you know about
certain Republican tickets cast at that
election that were not counted,n said
Judge Day.
There were two tickets marked in the
proper place with blue ink which We did
not count. The Democratic judges would
not hear to counting them. They were
straight Republican tickets. There was
no other reason given for not counting
these tickets except that the ink Was of q
blush color, Neither Of these ballots were
counted for any man on the Republican
ticket.
Clerk o. M. Coxen was next called. He
said: have In my possession ballots cast
at late election In Precinct A Third ward,
Massillon. The tickets were produced
and identified by Mr.. Hamili. They were
marked in proper manner, excepting
that blue ink was used and the marks at
the top of one Of the tickets did not look
much like cross. II is claimed that both
of these tickets should have been counted
for Mr.. Rowlen.
Mr.. /. H. Dsnpler was recalled. He
said: The tickets In Massillon precinct
were given to Mr.. Ertle. Mr.. Coxen then
said he had not received the tickets.
Mr.. Hamill was cross examined by Mr.
A. NIat 4 has
tickets were not counted than that they
are straight Republican tickets?n was
asked.
~ am sure they were not counted and
that they are straight Republican tickets"
was the answer.
He was shown one of the tickets and
said he would swear that II was O straight
Republican ticket when voted, but that
now it was not straight ticket. tThe
ticket shows that the ballot was marked
in front of the name of Leopold Biechele
for infirmary director.l
Mr.. Aamill said that in his his precinct
there were eight persons who voted for
Campbell for Governor and for no one
else, and that seven votes were for Nc
Kinley and for no one else.
Mr.. Dangler was examined by Mr..
Whitacre. He said the judges were pro-
vided with ink and lead pencils by the
County Board of Election. The lead PEN
ellis were put in the booths but no ink was
put there, do not think the tirket re-
ferred to was marked with ink, it looked
| like a blue lead pencil.
The next witness was L. Ensign, gro
| Ger of 1874 South Cherry street, chy. He
| said: acted as witness at the count in
Precinct b, Fourth ward, Canton. There
| were five tickets that were counted as
straight Democratic tickets that were
marked opposite the name of James L.
| Campbell, and one as straight X, ublican
| that was marked opposite the name VIM.
Mckinley. There were no other marks
unless II might be in front of the consti-
| tutional amendment. The flve tickets
were counted for Mr.. Weybrecht and the
one ticket was counted for MIR. Rowien.
| don't know what became of these tickets
| but understand they were destroyed
| There was one other ticket that was
| marked with blue pencil opposite the
name Republican ticket, that was moi
| counted.
Clerk o. M. Coxen was recalled and
| said that upon examination of the large
envelope that contained the poll book