The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-11-23
Errors Discovered by the
Recount Elect Messrs.
Jacob, Mul1in and
WOlbert.
REPUBLICANS MUCH WORRIED
They Claim Their Loss Will Be
Only One Assemblyman-Are
Stevens and 0'Don-
nell In2
Serious Abuses in the Action OF
the Election officers Which
May Lead 10 Indictments.

Thanks to an error in footing up the
returns of the First district of the
Fourth ward of Hoboken. the Demo-
Gratis discovered last night at the re-
count of the Assembly vote a clean gain
of 100 votes, and that, they jubilantiy
say. means that Frederick C. Wolbert.
Joseph P Mullin and Thomas Jacob are
elected.
The sheet taken out OF the box gave
the total of Democratic votes to be .l6s;
but when the vote was called off ths
tally clerks found that, instead of l6S, 1t
should have been 26S. 1t was clearly
clerical error, and not due to any monkey
business Nevertheless, it means that
three Republicans who have, since the
announcement by the Board of Canvass
ers that they were elected Assemblymen,
been growing over their opponents, will
fall outside the breastworks.
AS one may easily imagine, there was
joy among the Democrats last night,
and corresponding weeping, wailing and
cussing by the other fellows.
The discovery of this error made both
parties work with renewed energy, and
even when the hands of the big clock
in the court room pointed to eleven
o'ciock, they wished to go on; but JUS
tfce LippirSott, whose impartial and
splendid conduct during this recount has
enforced respect from everybody con-
nected with it, ordered work to cease un-
til half-past eight o'clock this morning.
SOMEBODY WILL CATCH IT.
To the most careless observer at this
recount the stupidity and culpable negli-
gence of election officers were distinctly
frso ord xxyf1i1 16
Justice Iippincott has not, in his opin-
ion, discovered any real evidence of
fraud, he has noted criminal negligence,
and he told News reporter this
morning that he will call the attention
of the next Grand Jury to these cases.
Principal among these is the conduct
of those thick-headed individuals in care
of the box of the Fifth precinct of the
First district, Who strung 167 ballots on
the string without being enclosed in the
official envelopes. They unquestionably
will find themselves in the uncomfort-
able position of occupying the attention
of the Grand Inquest.
A VEXED QUESTION.
Another matter to which Justice Lip
pincott has paid some attention and
which, at the close of the recount, will
give rise to lengthy arguments from
counsel on both sides, is the question of
unmilled ballots.
Last night almost every ballot from
the boxes of the Township of North Ber-
gen had no mill mark. and if the Court
decides according to the strict letter of
the ballot act, that township will be
disfranchised. A large number of un-
mlled ballots were also discovered in
certain precincts of the Second district.
81 have not yet determined what to
do about these said Justice Lippincott,
discussing the matter with News" re-
porter; sit seems to me that it is per-
fectly plain the milling machine must be
out of order. I don't think it was in
territorial. You know that in the Fifth
and Sixth districts. in some precincts
where the vote was unusually heavy,
and the boxes were stuffed as full as
would hold, the officers were obliged to
use cigar box, and, of couse, the votes
placed therein were not milled''
Justice Lippincott is careful to define
his position in the recount as ministerial
rather than judicial.
my duty is" he said Simply that of
an election officer to supervise the re-
count
when do you think you will be ready
to announce the vote?" asked the re-
porter
''Well, we finished one hundred boxes
or thegeabouts last night, and the remain
ing thirty-two we can easily finish at
an early hour this evening. will be
able, I think. to read the result shortly
afterwards"
At,;.- Ti1ctjoo i,Aripaotf ie
Clerk E. Gritten. who has his recount
sheets in apple pie order. His work dur
ing the past two days has been most
arduous, and he. like his distinguished
Chief, has laid under deep obligations
all those interested in the recount.
TODAY'S PROCEEDINGS.
With the additional assistance of Com
missioners Isaac Romaine and Herman
Stout, the work of finishing the boxes
of Hoboken and the outlying townships
was begun promptly at ha1f-past eight.
The business of re-counting the votes
Of the townships was stopped temporar-
ilv because the officers could not find
the key for one of the boxes from Wee
hawken
Break it open," said Justice Lippin-
rott. and one of the officers procured a
ehisel and smashed combination, lock
and all. The count was resumed and
only a few changes have been made.
Very little differences were discovered
up to the adjournment for luncheon,
which took place at half past one O'Clock.
This afternoon the commissioners be-
Iieve they will finish the entire recount
and before evening the result win be
made known.
The Republican counsel figuring UP
his morning deny that Messrs. VOL
bert, Muliin and Jacob are all elected by
reason of the error of 100 in the Hoboken
oox They say that it might elect Jacob
and knock out Drake; but that is all
On the other hand the Democratic caleu-
ators are perfectly convinced that il
means three additional Assemblymen
Tonight will settle that dispute beyond
he possibility Of a doubt.
ANXIOUS REPUBLICANS.
It was exceedingly amusing to watch
The faces of certain Republican candi-