The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-11-11
WE MAY SAVE SOMETHING
Wishard's Election Is Conceded and
that of Vonnegut Is Probable.
Rest of the County Ticket Is Probably Gone
Slow Work in Canvassing the Re.
turns-Democratic Hilarity.
cANvAsslNG THE RETURNS.
1t Is a Slow job. and VIII Not BE Finishe


1t Is q Slow job, and Will Not BE Finished
Until This Afternoon.
The off cial count of the ballots cast in
Marion county on Tuesday was commenced
yesterday morning at 10 o'clock By the re-
turning board, which met in the Circuit
Court room. in the courthouse. The re-
turning board consists of the inspectors of
the POS precincts In the county, with the
clerk of the county as its clerk. 1t was
called to order by John r. Wilson,
and proceeded at once TO the eIec.
ton of presiding officer, }. G.
McCollougb, IAN attorney, being chosen.
Mr.. Wilson. having other duties. asked
that Deputy Balls might represent him at
the count and it was accedcd TO. George
Buskirk was appointed to assist in taking
the figures down, and john Schley was as
signed the 0nerous task of calling OH. Two
men were given places as Watchers. ana
w. 4. Ketcham looked after the interests
of the Republican side of the fence Coun-
ty Chairman Moores was present Dunn the
greater part of the day and aroused the Ire
of some OF the petty Democratic politicians
because he insisted that things be run
as they onght IN one or two instances, and
kept n close eve on the tally sheets. 1t
was particularly of Albert Sahm, who
was not content with growing about 1t 10
the discontinue of those working near
vented his spleen to such an extent that
w. w. Spencer shut him up with this re-
mark:
"Oh. let him alone. 1t is only the kick
of o dying rat"
1t was voted to begin the count with the
out precincts. and when it had be-
gun hundred dissen sions little
things rose. The ignorance of some of the
Democratic inspectors. as regarded their
duties as such officers became apparent,
and was appalling. to say tho least. For
instance. L. Z. Harlan, a well-known at
torney, WAS inspector of Precinct j. War
rem township, and when his tally-sheets
were opened it was found that they had
not been signed by any of the precincts
election board. When asked about it he
said that he supposed they had been signed
all right. But" said Mr.. Ketcham
who was protesting on the vote OF the pre-
cinct being recorded without the sigma
lures, did you also suppose that
some one had signed all right for you as
Inspector i. was poser to which Mr.
Harlan aid not attempt 70 reply, and the
returns be laid aside until the proper sig
natures could be obtained. In sew
eral instances discrepancy of
vote one way or the other would appear
between the tally-sheets and poll-books,
but they were always adjusted with uni
form fairness. Several times a precinct
inspector had sealed all of his
sheets and books in the sack
winch Is retufuabIe Co the clerk
and left himself nothing With which to ap-
pear before the board for the count. IL
was voted to open these sacks then and
there over the protest of Benjamin Osborn
and other Republicans.
The returning board once convened can
not adjourn until the count is completed.
1t Is an arduons task and slow one,
as only about six precincts an hour
were called off. at which rate the
board will not have finished until
some time this afternoon. The men
worked in relays. and the sing-song.
monotonous chant of figures was kept up
without intermisslon all through the night.
The Democratic politician, with his
Rloating smile and red rooster, was om-
nipressnt. 1t is probably proper to give
SaInt-Sinner Coy first place in the list of
them. He came in with the self-satsfed
Coy smile on his face, and at once dove in
to an earnest conversation with Albert
Sahm. Then he relapsed into an easy at
tltude and compared the figures as read
with some in little black
book which he drew from an
inside pocket. John Kern. Otto Frenzel,
Julius ReInecke, Joel Baker and many
other Democratic candidates were present,
watching how they ran. as were one or two
Republicans. Everybody smoked, and
when it got too thick to see, the page of
the courtroom was made TO hustle it out
of the windows. When it thnned human
figures could be seen sitting around, gasp
ing like fish out water.