The morning call., 1893-03-08
JUGGLED BALLOTS.
The Mystery Referred to
the Grand Jury.
JUDGE HEBBARD'S LETTER.
Suspicious Confidence of Reads Par
tisans-They Know Just How
Many Votes He VIII Gain.

1t is now certain that the Grand Jury
Will Investigate the ballot frauds brought
TO light in the recordership contest now
pending before Judge Hebbard.
Before proceeding with the count yester-
day morning Mathew /. Sullivan offered to
the court an affidavit setting forth the facts
In connection with the frauds as developed
during the proceedings on Monday.
Mr.. Sullivan in his affidavit alleges that
the packages of ballots have not been
safely stored away since the official and be-
tween the several reeounts, and that they
nave been accessible to persons who might
desire TO tamper with them.
That many of the ballots show on their
lace that they have been tempered with,
being double crossed so as to nulIify the
vote for Glynn, such double crossings being
often obviously made with fresh Ink and
with different stamp than that used to
make al! other crosses on the ballot.
That 1t Is common rumOr among depu-
ues and others connected with the several
offices OF the new City Hall that on the re-
count Read Will surely win, and that many
young men who expect positions in the
Recorders Office should Read win are openly
Boosting that the contestant cannot lose,
and that they even name the number Of
votes that Read will gain on said recount.
sent the matter to the Grand Jury forth
with, together with its Recommendation that
the Grand Jury take immediate coguizance
of the same"
Judge Hebbard granted the request. and
the following letter will be sent 10 the
Grand Jury:
To the Honorable the Grand jury Of the City
and County of san Frdncisco--G ENTLEMEN:
L respectfully call your attention to The accom-
panying AFFIDAVIT of Mathew 1. Sullivan Esq,
attorney Tor respondent In the recount OF Read
vs. Glynn for County Recorder, now pending in
this court and department, and earnestly request
your thorousn examination into the subject mat
ter thereof.
In particular 1 call your attention to the pal
pable frauds committed in the Fourth Precinct
OF the Twenty eighth District. Your obedleut
servant, j. G. b. HEBBARD,
Judge Superior Court
The recount then proceeded. tie last few
precincts Of the Twenty-ninth district being
disposed of.
In connection with the counting of one of
these precincts a suspicious circumstance
was noted. The ballots were too numerous
TO be contained in Que envelope, so a sec
ond envelope had been used for the balance
OF the ballots. In one envelope six ballots
were found to have double crosses, in the
other not one, thus indicating that only the
first envelope had been Lampered with, the
other probably being inaccessible for some
reason.
This circumstance is considered as con-
clusively proving that the frauds have been
committed subsequently TO their leaving the
election booths.
Mr.. Sullivan states that he does not
believe that the frauds have been COM
mitted during the recount. He is of the
opinion that when Gynn withdrew his
watch upon the vaults of the registration
Office the conspirators found means of en-
terlng the safe and carrying off the ballots,
alter which they were stamped and then
returned 10 the safe the same night
The confidence with which Read partisans
assert that he will come out about 80 votes
ahead is considered significant evidence of
conspiracy.
With the exception of the last precincts
of the Ewenty-eighth District no suspicious
precincts were counted during the day. and
Read in consequence gained only two or
three votes