St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-01-30
THE RECOUNT WENT.
O'Brien an Easy Winner in
the Washington County
Contest.
Seven Republicans Join Four
teen Democrats and Elev-
en- Alliance Men,
While Three Farmers Cast
Their Ballots for the PriS-
on City Lawyer.
Lengthy Explanations Made
by Senator's Before the
Voting Commeneed.5

1t is now Senator James s. O'Brien,
or will be at 10 o'clock this morning
when the Saltwater lumberman takes
the oath of Office and settles down III
the seat SO far held by Hon. j. N.
Searles.
The Washington county contest occu-
pied the attention of the senate from
eaIly morning until nearly o'clock last
evening, the speeches being rather nu-
merous and somewhat lengthy on both
sides. Politics to a certain extent dis
appeared in the contest, several strong
speeches in favor of MIR. O'Brien being
made by Republicans. The vote. when
it was taken, showed that no less
than seven Republicans = Senators
Dean, of Ramsey; Davis, OF Mic
ollet; Canestorp, of Grant; Eaton,
of Wright; Peterson, of Brown; Allen,
of Carlton, and Smith, Of LIE Sheur,
breaking away from the Republican
side and voting for Mr.. O'Brien. On
the other hand, three OF the Alliance
senators, Dedon, Crate and Sevatson,
voted for Mr.. Searles. The fusion
strength was twenty-eight, but on this
ballot the seven Republicans who came
to the aid of O'Brien raised his vote to
thlrty-two, and left the opposition with
but twenty-one, only eighteen OF which
are Republicans.
The fact that party politics was lost
sight of to certain extent, is one of the
gratifying things In connection with
thecOntest, and demonstrates that there
are seven Republican senators VINO can
not be whipped in line to do an injustice
simply because the cry is set up that
some ones senatorial chances may be
dampened by doing the just thing.
The contest, after the attorneys had
been heard, soon resolved itself into
discussion in regard to the Marine bal
lot box. The partisans OF Mr.: Searles
insisted that the recount could not De
received as evidence, while the other
side claimed that the refusal to not re-
eeive it would be virtual repeal of the
right to a recount in every case. The
Marine ballot box had been more care
fully guarded than ninety-nine out OF
hundred ballot boxes in the country dis
tricts of the state. Around this point
the discussion ragged all afternoon until
the vote was taken, resulting in VIC
tory for O'Brien by vote OF 81 TO Il.
After the usual opening exercises yes
terday morning, the senators settled
down to half-hour business session be-
fore taking up the election case. SEN
ator Days resolution changing rule,
fifty-fiye of the senate, allowing the
members Of the house the privilege OF
admission to the senate chamber with
out cards, came up and was voted down
after a statement by the lieutenant
governor to the effect that he had al
ready supplied the representatives with
tickets. Senator March next intro
duced Senate File No 1913, being the
new city charter OF Minneapolis. Sen
ator, Morse wanted the charter ordered
printed aud Senators Day, Davis and
Leavitt objected, while Senators Don,
nelly. Stevens and Sanborn favored
printing, Owing to the fact that the
motion to takeup the election case
took precedence and was adopted,
no vote was taken on this
matter. The election case came up and
Mr. Searles, the sitting member pro-
ceeded to argue his own case. He care
fully reviewed the case from beginning
to end as only skilled lawyer could do,
presenting his case in the best possible
light. He laid especial stress upon the
insecurity of the ballot box, and quoted
authorities fayoring the rejection OF
the evidence furnished by this ballot
box. When he closed at IL 80 there
were few points left untouched by him.
Congressman Castle Talks.
at the conclusion of Mr.. Searles'
speech Congressman-elect James n.
Castle stepped forward, and commenced
his argument for the contestant. He
reviewed the case. saying:
have no doubt that, having heard
the evidence in this case, no argument
can change the mind OF any senator
here. The system of recounting was
adopted at the same time ballOtlng was
first adopted. The recount of Denmark
showed a mistake of one in four where
the vote was small, while the change
made by the recount i'll Marine was only
one in seven.
Here the congreSsman-elec turned his
attention to the claim of Mr.. Seare that
the ballot box had been tampered with.
1t was shown in a conclusive manner
that stickers to the number of seventy
five had been furnished voters III Mr..
O'Brien's interest. The mistakes i'll the
counting of the votes received by the
different candidates were mentioned,
and the age and incapacity of hammers.
the principal judge. referred TO. When
the Saltwater statesman finished the
senate took recess till 2:3O.
In the Afternoon.
The senate chamber was crowded
with visitors yesterday afternoon when
the lieutenant governor called the Mill
nesota house of lords together. Local
politicians unable to secure seats on the
floor filed the galleries, making stand
ing room at premium. The partisanS
on both sides were confident, and there
were rumor5 OF various kinds in circu-
lation. The friends of Mr.. Searle were
especially active, claiming that combi-
nation had been effected with certain
Alliance senators that would win him
the day. but subsequent events demon
strated that they voted about as they
saw things, and combinations didn't
count.
After calling the senators to order,
Gov. Ives announced that under the
statute all members desiring to explain
their votes must do SO before the voting
commenced. After this explanation by
the presiding officer, Gen. Sanborn took
the floor and made an argument Oh the
legal points involved In the case. He
claimed that the only question in the
case was whether or not the ballots re-
counted were the ones originally
counted. He took up the testimony of
the judges, especially that of hammers.
If the original count was wrong. the
Ramsey senator claimed that hammers
did it knowingly, and an hour should
not be allowed to pass before his
arrest. He claimed that the ballot
box was entitled to come in and be
counted. Leaving out this, Gen. San
born thought there was reason To sup