Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1893-01-06

writ was issued, would 1t not have been
the part of wisdom for the lawyer to have
advised his friends to forego the trip to
Bismarck, submit to the inevitable and
count the votes2 How many people are
there in Emmons county who believe
that, if Mr.. Armstrong, the clerk Of the
board, had said to his two friends and
confidantes, "Gentlemen, you have no,
legal right to throw out these votes"
they would have gone contrary to his ad.
vice2
The "dlspasslonate discussion" as to
whether or not the pretinct should be
thrown out will make people smile who
were present on the day When the throw.
ing out was done.
Mr.. Armstrong, goes 90 to say "that
they are not now muliAh and contend
they had any authority fof dong as they
did" If this was 80, why did they per-
slst in going to Bismarck to show cause,
rather than count the votes3
/. The Forum interview further states
that they are willing 10 canvass the
returns from Selz prseinct whenever
JudgesRose or any jddge says they
should do so." Nobody;woald be likely
to dispute this deep and1earned assertion.
Most any one would obey the pcremptory
mandamus of court when the alterna.
tive was an enforced residence within the
walls of the county jail. "
The auditor also talked to the Commo
wealth regarding the attempted bribery
He referred to 1t very gently, however,
calling it forfeit" in two places IN his
interview. He says 1t was not by his
knowledge or authority that the money
was paid. He also stated that he under
stood the money had been paid back by
the person who had it .''in forfeit"
While pretty nearly everybody in the
county has been denonncing the attempt
to brlbe voters, we see nothing of the
kind in the above interviews Mr.. Arm
strong says that the money which he un.
derstood was paid was so paid without
his knowledge and tousept. In other
words. that the tifty dollars given by
Van Beck in exchange for seventy five
votes, and afterward pulled back by the
string attached. were free will offering
OF love by the latter. Most men with
any claim to honesty or an atom Of ad-
niration for squaro, deal would not like
to have friend go afound the county Of
fcring money TO election officers In fact, i,
there are men who xould wax exceeding
wroth at such a friendly exploit, and
would speak to the friend regarding it in
very plain terms. But, on the contrary,
Mr.. Armstrong takes the trouble to in
form the Fargo papers how innocent and
lamblike was the returning board, q
which the main who put up fifty dollars
toward the fund which the auditor de-
scribes as being 'in forfeit" down IN Selz
precinct was member,
Grant for the sake of argument that
Mr.. Armstrong knew nothing Of Van
Beek's effort in his behalf. and there are
two problems which it is equally difficult
to understand. The money was paid over
ny Van Beck to John Miller on the aftcr-
noon of Saturday, Nov. 4-the last Sat-
urday before election. Mr.. Armstrong
went down from the Williamsport coun.
try Friday evening; he stayed at the
house of Mr.. Rowerdink Friday night.
Next morning he went on to Van Beck 8
store, from which place In the afternoon
of the same day number of gentlemen
mounted the Doodle car and sped away
toward the east to have financial trausuc.
tions with Inspector Miller, in Sclz pre-
cinct. And what the people of this county
can hardly understand Is this: First, how
it was that Mr.. Armstrong could be at
Van Beek's store while preparations for
the trip to Selz were being made, without
having suspicion that something unusual
was about to take place. Second, did
Van Beck. with knowledge Of what lie
was about to do in Armstrong; interest,
fail to whisper in the lattcr's ear that he
would soon undertake great things among
his Russian neighbors?