The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-11-29
The Nineteen Ballots Reported
from Centre District Fall.
SOME PECULIAR DECISIONS MADE.
a Resolution Right in Line with the
Law, offered by Mr.. McGregor, is
Rejected. Centre District is. COM
'pleted in the Reverse order--Few
Incidents o fInterest Yesterday.


counted, the count consuming the time
antil nearly noon, when the board took
a recess until l p. m.
Precinct 2 on the recount showed a
gain of two votes for the Democratic
legislative ticket, which left s. G. Smith,
Republican, but three of a majority
over NJ. j. 0'Kane. Democrat.
There were twelve votes counted to
which exceptions are taken by n
side or the other. There are now quite
enough Of these exceptions on file to
make a decidedly sweeping change n
way or the other, ii they are ever re-
viewed and the ballots excepted to re-
counted.
Mr.. McGregor at the morning session
yesterday offered the following resolu-
ton:
"Resolr,d, That hereafter in this re.
count the following rule will be OBJ.
served:
when we find a ballot with three Of
the tickets scratched, by cancelling the
head OF the tickets; or by an y at or
near the top; or by q perpendicular
line commencing at or near the top and
extending down the tickets, part OF the
way or all the way; or by q line through
the names of all the candidates on the
three tickets, and the fourth ticket with
no scratching on it, it is the opinion OF
this board that it was the intention Of
the voterto vote the ticket n OF scratched,
aud it will be so counted by us"
TIE RULE RGJEcTED.
This was simply in accordance with
the law, which says a voter may scratch
in certain ways specified, "or in any
other manne indicating his intention
not TO vote the ticket" Nevertheless,
after a brief discussion MI. McGregor's
resolution was rejected by a vote OF five
to four.
In the afternoon precinct II of
Webster was taken up, and the count
proceeded with monotony for most OF
the time. Ono ballot was found which
had been scratched" with a knife, and
had several fancy holes cut in it. 1t
was not counted for anybody.
1t took only fifteen minutes to count
this precinct, and it showed no change
except on Congress, where Doyener lost
two.
Centre, precinct four was next taken
In this precinct Pendleton, Franz
helm and McColloch lost one each.
The count was without especially inter-
esting incident.
In precinct three OF Centre n ticket
was found marked mot counted" 1t
had the Republican ticket clean and a
big X from the top to the bottom OF
all three other tickets. 1t was counted
for the Republican candidates, and
Mr.. Russell excepted. Another ticket
marked mot counted" was counted for
Franzheim only. Exception was made
for all the Republican candidates but
Moffat. Still another not counted by
the election commissioners was counted
for ali the Democratic candidates, and
excepted to.
Nine or ten exceptions were fled in
each OF these precincts. and they were
about equally divided between the two
sides.
AGAINST THE LAW.
1t is pretty evident from the way bal
lots run in streaks as they ONE off the
string that the judges in counting So
lect the ballots. For instance, there
will be possibly a score of straight
Democratic ballots, then perhaps a
dozen straight Republican, then half a
dozen mixed tickets. Then the same
phenomenon will be repeated. At the
end, in nearly every case, the Prohibi-
ton tickets are punched. 1t is q moral
certainty that the votes were not cast
in such blocks. The ballots should be
counted as they are taken from the
box, and not assorted for the convent
ence of the tally clerks.
Once yesterday afternoon a ticket was
counted for all the Republicans but
Smith, and for 0'Kane. Mr.. Russell
misunderstood, and said: II except OIL
behalf OF Mr.. o'Kane."
~ Join in the exception" said MIR.
Smith. at was counted for O'Kane."
"All right" said Nj. Russell; 81 W
you one"
Precinct three showed a loss OF l
for Dovoner, a gain Of . for Tarr and
/ for Hervey, and o gain OF 2 for
all the Democratic and 3 for all the
Republican candidates for the house of
delegates. This cut Smiths majority
over 0'Kane to two.
Franzheim was swelled from 100 to
103, and Moflat from 52t o 81.
Centre No. 9 wasneXt attacked.
Dovener lost 4, Hervey l and each
Republican legislative candidate l, as
did also Franzheim and Moffat.
Mr.. Smith had just one majority over
O'Kane when the precinct was finished.
THOSE DISPUTED BALLOTS.
The next precinct counted, No. l OF
Centre, was plain sailing, until the last
of the string was reached, where nine.
teen tickets were found rolled up to-
gether, labeled. Nineteen ballots which
the commissioners could not determine
how the voter wanted to vote"
"Well," said MI. Gruse, well de-
termine for him. What do you say?"
All agreed. The first ticket was as
straight and regular q Republican ticket
rs ever seen, and was SO counted. The
next was as good for tho other side, and
was recorded. The next was marked
with pencil, but wa counted. After
this nearly every ticket was excepted to,
but all but one were counted, at least
partially.
This knocked the figures silly, as
shown below:
Candidate Old Count Recount.
Pendleton ,.,"...., ...........,,.. 10 i5
DOveneF .,.,...,....,............ 70 Us
TAR IL ~
HeTvey," ......,....",...."....,. vs. Us
BrocRurier ......... ................. ia l2i
Imhotf. .,,................. ..... Ill l9