Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-03-19
FOUR RCONTESTEDSEATS
House to Take Up the Election
 Cases This Week.
A QUORUM WILL BE DEMANDED.

The Senate Has Before It Only Routine
 Breckinridge to Make Long Defense
 HImseIf-win Go on the stand First.
 WASHINGTON, March 19.-As soon as the sundry civil appropriation bill is disposed of, which will probably be done tonight, the house will take up the four contested election cases which are pending the O'Neill-Joy case from the Eleventh Mis- souri district, the Williams-Settle case from the Fifth North Carolina, the Eng lish-Hilborn case from the Third Califor- mia and the Wheatley-Cobb case from the Fifth Alabama.
 The O'Neill-Jo oy and the English-Hilborn cases, which were both decided against the sitting members (Republicans) by strict party votes in the committee on elections, are the most important and will require the major portion of the time. In both these cases the result of the election in November, 1892, was exceedingly close. There were two counts in the O'Neill-Joy election the recount giving Joy, Repub- lican, 67 plurality. O'Neill being beaten on the face of the returns, he instituted the contest on the ground that the Mis- souri election law had not been complied with, it having been shown that some of the Joy ballots had not been numbered and initialed as required by that law.
 The case before the committee hinged upon the determination of the question as to whether the Missouri election law in this particular should be regarded as man. datory or simply directory. The members of the committee wavered for some time, but finally decided by a strict party vote that the law was mandatory and that its I 1Noay OlNe -n6 Ic decision gave the seat to O'Neill, Demo- crat,
 English Charges Fraud.
 In the English-Hilborn case the result was also very close, English receiving 13,- 130 on the face of the returns against Hil- born's 13, 160. English's contest rested on the claim that in one precinct the returns had been manipulated beyond doubt, and his attorneys charged that while Hilborn was not responsible for he had been the beneficiary of that manipulation. At the close of the case Hilborn's attorneys still claimed his election by single vote, but the Democrats of the committee decided in favor of English.
 In the Williams-Settle case the contest ant alleged that the sitting member had been elected by the bulldozing and intimi- dation of negro voters by the Repu blicans, but most of the Democrats of the commit tee refused to sustain his contention. Mir. Woodward, Democrat, however, dissented from the decision of his colleagues.
 In the Wheatley-Cobb case the commit tee unanimously decided against the con testant, who was Populist, and his case can have no standing in the house what ever.
 If the contested election cases are dispos- ed of this week, which is hardly probable, as the Republicans will doubtless insist upon the presence of a Democratic quorum to unseat their colleagues, the house will proceed with the consideration of either the Military academy or consular and diplo- matic appropriation bills.
 The present week will, so far as the cal endar reveals, be devoted by the senate to routine business of no general interest. It is probable That the Qualifications appro- priation bill will be reported from the com mittee, and if it should be it will probably be taken up for discussion and put upon its passage.
 For the rest there will be an effort to dis pose of the government printing site, the Russian thistle appropriation and the Me Garrahan bills and of large number of special bills on the calendar.