New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-14
ODDS AND ENDS OF POLITICS
DEFECTIVE BALLOTS WERE NUMEROUS.
MANY SPOILED DY MEN WHO TRIED TO VOTE FOR
CHARLES sTECKLER.

DEFECTIVE BALLOTS WE'RE NUMEROUS.
MANY SPOILED ny MEN WHO TRIED TO VOTE FOR
CHARLES sTECKLER.
Tho canvass Of the votes of November In four AS
sembly districts OF the thirtyhve were passed upon
Yesterday by the Board of Aldermen acting as a
Board of County Canvassers. While nothing was
brought out likely TO affect the result as an
nounced 1t became evident that an unusual num-
Der OF defective ballots resulted from the mex
perience of the voters with the new blanket bal
lot and that many OF the ballots returned as de-
fective were lawful and should have been counted
The law however as contained In section 1884 OF
the Laws OF 1895. compels the Board OF County
Canvassers TO accept as final on the demand OF any
citizen the police returns declared on the night OF
the election. The election returns are made In
tr;pcate one copy going to the Bureau of Elec-
tions In the Police Department. one to the County
clerk and one the chief clerk OF the Board CT
Aldermen The last two returns supposed to
he identical with those made public on election
nigh, and filed in the Police Department Discov-
cries OF errors caused by the rejection OF ballots
as defective subsequently found to be valid stand
en- all show OF correction under the law cited.
So many defective ballots were found in the Id
metric, returns which were believed to be lawful
that tho inspectors OF the various election districts
v-are sent for TO appear to-day 10 make explana-
lions In many instances the sample ballots were
not attached TO the returns. as the law requires
! over two hundred defective paipls were returned
in the Ist District. three hundred In the Id
and over four hundred and fifty In the lid dis
trict.
Many of the bIunders were caused by voters who
| nlaced their crossmarks in two different circles
as though attempting TO cast two straight ballots
Many others occurred in connection with the Sn-
preme Court Judgeshp vote Some electors sought
The under the device OF the cannon, "hlch was
! the independent County OrganiZations party en-
/ III, TIa Stock
on the ballot and therefore a legal vote could not
he cast for their candidates unless the cross was
pIaced in front of the candidates name In the LIST
! district l9j defective Supreme Court ballots were
I returned Ten OF these should nave been counted
for Steckler In the lid District. seventy OF the
ballots returned defective contained votes Tor
the protest of Charles Secker that the order for
| the lid District inspectors 10 appear before the
The nymber Of detective Supreme Court ballots
returned in the lid District was 81, and In the lid
Abraham Gruber counsel for Charles b. Page.
Republican. who is elected Senator In the with
district on the face Of the election night returns
OYER Thomas c. O'Sullivan. said yesterday that in
his opinion the Tammany Aldermen had engaged In
a scheme to give the certificate or election 10 OSu-
III these fellows carry, out their plot" said
| Gruber, hercey. Il will have every one OF them
Charles Watson. lawyer, Of No, 2s4 Broadway. APP
reared before the Board OF County Canvassers yes
ierday and claimed to be elected an Alderman from
the XIvth District He contendsd that the new
constitution. which went into effect January ],
abridged the of the thirty Aldermen elected in
| November 1894 so that they expire December 81,
1896 and a board Of thrty-hve Aldermen, one
for each new Assembly district should be elected in
| November 1895. Two Of Watson's friends In the
| Second Election District OF the XlNth Assembly,
| District cast ballots for him for Alderman These
ballots appear upon the return OF that election dis
trict on the strength of this return Watson de-
mands a certificate of election.
Az the Consolidation act provides the election or
thirty-ono Aldermen only. and no change has since
been made in the method of choosing them either
nv statute or the constitution II Is not PROBABLE
that any attention will he paid to Watson
DEPUTY County Clerk Scuy said that the totals OF
the various districts counted would not be tooeu up
until to-day. 49,. .-ox,,x,, .,o
steckl, rs-Independent County Organiza ton-,nled
proics. against the count In the seventh, feN-
enth Tv,entvsixth and Thirtieth election districts
which respectively showed difference OF liz, 70
4; and 10 votes between the returns OF the election
jnenoc ors and the ballots said to have been cast
| The inspectors ordered to appear to-day ana
pXDlain.