The Yellowstone journal., 1894-10-29
NEW BAJIo4>.
\ slight Mistake in the Official Ballot for
This County Ncerasita;es the Issue
of a S.N Lot.

On Thursday last the supply Of official
ballots for this county was delivered to
the county clerk and by him sent out To
ihe various precincts where they were to
be used on election day. While the bal
lots were in the clerks Office, some one
discovered tina. the name of the demo
cratic nominee for joint representative
was wrongly printed on the ballot, his
name appearing thereon as James B.
Cuadit. when it should read James r
Condit Immediately there was hur-
rying 10 and FRO Of the democratic CO
horts and the editor Of the Courier be-
took himself to Billings to interview
Judge Milburn concerning the matter.
HIS honor at first informally decided that
so trivial an error could make any differ
ence. but later the case being presented
to him purely on legal grounds he
granted an order requiring the county
clerk to correct the error or show cause
why he should not. In compliance with
this order a new issue OF ballots is being
county clerk tomorrow. They will be
sent 10 the different precincts at once
with instructions to substitute them for
the ballots already furnished, and there
is no reason to believe that any misun-
derstanding will arise or that any addi-
tional expense will be incurred beyond
what may be necessary for special mes
sengers to the few precincts that cannot
be reached by mail and the trivial cost
OF printing the new ballots. These de-
Tails .re gone into because We expect
that the Courier will charge the mistake
in the first issue Of ballots as republi-
can scheme to defeat Mr.. Condit, and
will also seek to make political capital
against A. III. Sgcrdhger, the county
clerk, by asserting as its editor has al
ready done publicly that it will cost
the county over $1,000. As spike for
this gun the JoUE.L will state that the
county clerk gave to the official printer
the name Of Mr.. Condit just as Il rds
certified 10 him By the Secretdry Of state.
II was also certified to him by the dem
ocratic convention of this county and
Dawson county as James r.. but it is to
be presumed Che not being within reach
Of inquiry at this writingj that being in
doubt he chose to be guided by the
higher authority, TO wit; the certificate
of the .secretsry Of state. What
We wish the public to under
stand is that the mistake occur
red in the Office of the secretary OF state
(unless indeed the name was wrongly
reported from Dawson county to HIM
and that the county clerk of this county
had full authority for what he did. IL
there was time in which to argue the
question it is quite probable that the
Judge would decide that the mistake
was not Of such a nature as to necessi-
| tate new ballot.
The election law Of this state provides
that where the intention of voter can
be perceived by the judges the ballot
must be counted. and the statutes else.
| where distinctly assert that correctness
OF the middle name is not essential. The
judges order was an alternative one
| either TO correct the error by printing
new ballots or show cause why it should
not be done, but as it would take two
or three days to get the proceedings
through court the safer course was adop.
ted by the advice OF the county attorney
and new ballots are being printed. II
may be proper to add that 1.-THE whole
bill Of additional cost, messengers and
all, will probably not exceed 800. :.