Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-07-20

them can compare with the lnIant Whlun
now manages the municipal ahalrs. Inc
latter youngster, although less than three
weeks old, is prodigy. Its prodigious-
ness was not known till Wednesday night
when it met for the alleged purpose OF
hearing and determining the Maguigan'
Griffin election contest. 1t was contest
in name only; in reality it was disgrace
full farce and downright robbery. The
Council chamber was thronsed. Inc late
Council was well represented, all OF It's
members, except Messrs. Benson and
Thomas, being present.
Council did not convene until SD
o'clock. All the members responding to
roll call. In explaining the object OF the
! meeting President Perkins stated that July
/ 18th, at D. M, had been selected as the
| time and the Council chamber the place for
hearing and determining the contest
Immediately after roll call Mr.. Smith |
moved that Mr.. Griffin be allowed coun- |
sell The motion was defeated by party |
vote.
Mr.. Meaney moved that all the witnesses |
retire until their names were called, which
motion was adopted.
By request of Mr.. Griffin the names of
the witnesses were called and when the
parties responded they were requested to
retire All did not respond to the call OF
their names and all did not leave the
chamber.
ON motion OF Mr.. Smith the bailiff was
directed to see that the witnesses remained
In the clerks office.
Mr.. Wainwright offered three resolu-
tons That no attorney be allowed the
privilege Of the floor that the city solicitor
ask the questions, and that Mr.. Griffin, or
a member hom he might name, have the
privilege of examining witnesses.
Mr. Donoho moved that the resolutions
be laid on the table. The motion was de-
feated by party vote.
Mr.. Meaney amended the last resolution
by moving that the words ANY council
man be Substituted for the words Mr..
Griffin or member whom he might
name" The amendment was defeated by
party vote.
Mr.. Griffin-The resolution abridges the
rights of the minority members.
Mr.. Ratledge-We do not want to stay
here all night.
Mr.. Meaney-The other side has an at
torney and It is nothing more than proper
that each member should have the right
TO ask questions.
President Perkins-the city solicitor rep
resents Council and he will bring out Mr..
Griffin's case as strongly as Mr.. Maguigan's.
The resolutions were adopted by rarty
vote.
Next the petition of contest and the law
respecting contests were read.
The petitioner, Francis Maguigan, rep
resented that he had been citizen of this
State and resident of this city for IS years
previous to June Sd last that he had re
sided in the Third ward for seven years
that he was and is u freebooter. that hi
was the Republican candidate for council
man from the Third ward June Sd last
that according to the official canvass hi
received 30S votes, that Mr.. Griffin was tn,
Democratic candidate, that the latter, &C
cording to the official canvass, received 80
votes, that Mr.. Griffin was declared electeC
and that he Mr.. Maguigan) desired to con
test Mr.. Griffin's election. He claimet
that 80 illegIlly-stamped ballots were re
ceived by the inspectors of the Second dis
trict. Twenty-seven of these ballots, h
declared, were stamped nowhere except il
the square to the left of the name of MI
Norton, the Democratic candidate 70
mayor, and the other three ballots wer
stamped nowhere except in the square
the left of the name of DR.. Shortlldge, tn
Republican candidate for mayor. Tn
counting of these 80 ballots, he contendeC
was a violation of law. He asserted this
q of the ballots were counted for NJ
Griffin and three for himself. He also a
legged that the ballot of James McGint
had been received, despite the protest
one of the inspectors. This vote, he b
lieved, was counted for Mr.. Griffin. I'll
petition closed with the claim that the p
titioner had received 300 legal votes al
Mr.. Griffin only 296.
Mr.. Wainwright moved that witness
City Solicitor Elliott am not In We
enviable position. | do not know II
witnesses nor the testimony to be broug
out. ask the two parties to furnish I
what information they have so that c.
examine the witnesses in the briefest tiT
possible. The first witness was called a
o'clock. Clerk Jersey shouted the mai
of Lewis X. House and somebody yell
from the door of the clerk S office: "Do'
stairs; De back in minute"
Next James 5. Dobb, president of I
Department of Elections, was called, a
Squire Monaghan administered the oa
Mr.. Dobb produced the registration boo
the talley sheets, &C., of the Second {
trict OF the Third ward. The city solici
began to question the witness and
Dobb, after referring TO his books sta
that James McGinty lived at No. $40 W
Second street when he registered and
No. LOG Adams street when he voted
The city solicitor had been studyin
paper which had been sent to him
Philip Q. Churehman and the quest
he asked were typewriter thereon.
Mr.. Griffin--Is the city solicitor ask
questions of his own or typewriter a
tons prepared by members of the OF
side2
CITY Solicitor Elliott--I asked for
formation and. got this from Mr.. Tyre
you see. | can only ask questions WI
affect the issues of this case.
Mr.. O'Neill--It looks one-sided. II Ia
like the Democratic side is being ignor
City Solicitor Elliott--l intend to ash
questions put to me BY the other side.
President Perkins-The discussion is
of order; no motion is pending.
1.-THE city solicitor started to ask
.Dobb whether Mr.. McGinty had obta
q transfer when Mt. Griffin moved
Mr.. Churchman be admitted to the
for the purpose Of asking his quest
himself, but the motion was not eI
tanned.
Referring again to the books Mr..
stated that two of them showed that
McGinty voted and the other two did
He referred to the poll list and said it
tanned Mr.. McGinty's name. In conclu
sQ he referred TO the talley sheets and
Mr.. Griffin received So votes in the SCI
district and Mr.. Maguigan 3d.
Clerk Hersey testified that he haC
ceiYed the returns OF the election in
tors and clerks.
Mr.. Griffin-What do you propo;
prove by our clerk?
President Perkins-All the certifi
were filed with him.
Referring to the returns Mr.. Hersey
Mr.. Griffin received So votes in the SO
district and 324 in the whole ward
Mr.. Maguigan " in the district and
4 the whole ward.
Mayor Shortlidge referred to the
tificates which had been received b,
predecessor and announced that MT.
I'm received 96 votes in the Second di
and Mr.. Maguigan 81. He also gave