The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-03-14
SIX BOXES EXAMINED.
The Count Reveals Nothing to
Diseredit %Thompson's
Election.
specia1t to the Jersey City News.

'E wy
TRENTON, March IA, 1s94.-The six ballot
boxes in Wm.J .Thompson's district have been
opened and their contents counted. They have
revealed nothing which could cast a shadow
upon the Dukes title to his seat in the AS
sembly. It was half-past seven o'clock when
a small party of weary and disgusted-look-
ing men fled out of the Speakers room at
the rear end of the Assembly Chamber.
They were the members of the committee
who had been engaged since one o'clock
counting the ballots in the famous race
track precincts, where they voted once every
thirty seconds.
Mr.. Storrs sat at the head of the table and
counted the ballots, while Messrs. Olvaney
and Lewis kept tally.
Everything went along swimminglY until
Mr.. Storrs struck a balloJ that was consider
ably fayed about the edges. and which
bling it, as Assemblyman Olvaney ex-
pressed it. Mr.. Exton did not want it
counted. He thought it could be called a
marked ballot.
Mr.. Flynn declared that there was nothing
the matter with the ballot. 1t looked to him
as if some one had been eating crackers and
cheese at the time he handled the ballot.
Salinger joined Flynn, and wanted the bal
lot to 60.
Mr.. Storrs was in favor of counting, but
he said he could be voted down.
sLet's see whom the ballot is for" said Mr..
Lewis.
The suspected ticket was inspected and
found that it was for Jacob S. Lippincott,
Mr.. Thompson's political opponent. The
ballot was counted.
A PURGED BALLOT BOY.
Mr.. Wartman, counsel for Mr.. Lippincott,
objected to the admission of the ballot box
on the ground hat it was clouded with sus-
picion. This provoked Judge Rankin to
eloquence, and he said:-
"That box has purged itself of suspicion.
1t has been identified by the election officers
under oath, the City Clerk of Gloucester and
others. 1t is competent to be used now"
This little dialogue had no effect on the
count and it went merrily on. When it
was completed. Thompson's vote was s65 and
Thompson 966 and Lippincott the same.
There were 1,109 ballots in the box, together
with q small number of scattering ballots.
Fourteen double ballots were rejected and
eleven were held because the envelopes ap-
peared to have too much printing on them.
Mr.. Storrs tied up the seven in a package.
THOMPSON wATCHFUL.
Thompson, who had been watching Storrs
closely, suddenly broke out.
aCome, unhend those ballots; l insist that
they be counted openly before this com
mittee."
The ballots were counted and five were for
Thompson and two for Lippincott. In the
entire district Thompson lost six votes and
Lippincott two. Mr.. Flynn insisted upon
Mr.. Storrs explaining what was meant by all
the stories that the ballot box of the race
track precinct had been broken open and its
contents doctored. Mr.. Storrs tried to ex-
plain, and his explanation worked Flynn up.
.What object could the Democrats have
in doctering the returnsan he exclaimed.
Before the count was completed it was
known that the Democracy was beaten. The
race track district could not save the State.
So far as Thompson was concel ned, and you
say everything was lone in his interests, he
was elected beyond question. It is absurd
to think that he would take chances after
that. The race track district couldn't have
been twisted so as to help anyone"
"Well we'll let this restringing business
remain for further argument" said Mr..
Storrs. Mr.. Storrs subsequently said that
he was satisfied the ballots had been re-
strung.
The committee will hold its next meeting
Tuesday at Camden.