The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-01-05
PLAN AGREED TO.
How the Contest May Be
Carried On.
APPEAL TO LEGISLATORS.
Will Be Asked to Pass a Law
Governing 1t.
R. /. WHELAN AND HIS DEPUTIES.
They Hold a Meeting in Judge Wall
:: Iace's Courtroom and Are Given
Their Instructions.

executive committee submitted a report at
the meeting which was not wholly salts
factory.
The legal committee had bean appointed
Tor the consideration of a contest as viewed
by lawyers with regari to possibilities. 1t
was the committees duty TO study the
question and submit a report concerning
THE various legal aspects of the proposed
recount Of votes for Governor, whether
such a proceeding could be conducted
within the law, etc.
The committee reported that it could not
recommend a contest on purely legal
grounds, and so the matter was referred to
the executive committee.
At the meeting yesterday 1t was taken
up for discussion. The sentiment was
that a contest should be held and some
means should be devised toward that end.
There was only one dissenting vote-that
of Abe Ruef, who previously presented
R report against any action tending toward
procuring a recount through the Legisla-
ture.
The conclusion was quickly reached,
however, when the executive committee
found a way out by determining to have a
new law passed changing the method of de-
terminiug by the Legislature how the vote
for Governor was cast. BY this means it
is believed that the difficulties encountered
by the legalcoDmittee. which had only ex-
listing laws in mind, may be avoided.
d. NJ. Burns has gone to Sacramento IN
the interest Of the proposed amendment.
This is The report which the special CON-
nitiee submitted and which was adopted:
To the Honorable Executive Committee of
the Republican State Central Committee OF
the state Of California; On
The 10th day of December, 1894. resolution
was adopted that committee of seven be ap.
pointed ''to institute proceedings 10 contest
the election OF James d. Budd tor Governor Of
The State of California, by u recount OF The bal.
lots or other proceedings, etc." ana with par
ticular references TO the election as conducted
and held i'll the city and county OF San Fran
cisco.
Inc committee appointed nnder this resolu-
iion now submits to you this report OF Its action
I'D TO this time.
The committee submits the following state
meut Of facts in reference 10 the late election
in the city and county of San Francisco, and
the returns made 10 the Board OF Erection Com
miSsiOners, ana the action OF said board there
on. to-Wt:
From the records it positively appears that
IN siXtysiX precincts Of the city and county OF
san Francisco the pOll-lists were unsigned;
that In twenty-five precincts thereof the tally
lists were unsigned; thai In many precincts
The returns were neither certified nor In any
way identified; that In sixteen precincts thereof
the poll-liSIs we're missing; that in eleven pre-
ciucts there is discrepancy between the mum.
Der OF voters voting, as shown by the pOll-llStS,
and the number OF votes counted. as shown by
the talIy-lIsts; that out of total OF 293 pre-.
clnctS In said city The returns from 11S
were irregular or detective; that many
of tile taly-sheets clearly showed erasures.
iuterlineationS and changes; that the tally-sheet
10 the Tenth Precinct OF the Thirty filth AS
sembly District was decided 10 be fraudulent
by the Board of Election Commissioners,
and the vote for Assemblyman changed. and
yet these returns were canyassed and the vote
counted for Governor, which appeared thereon;
that no returns for the State ticket were re-
Jecled; that citations were issued by the
Board OF Election Commissioners, ordering the
officers who had failed 10 sign returns 10 appear
and certify TO the same; that pursuant to resO-
luton Of said board eight recalcltrant precinct
election officers were arrested and Imprisoned,
aud that Immediately thereafter most OF the
cited officers IN The other eghty.Seyen pre-
cincts from which unsigned returns had been
received lost no time Ia appearing before said
board and certifying the returns.
From o,ber sources and evidence IL appears
that prior 10 the exercise OF coerclve Influence
by said board many OF the election officers IN
eighty-eigbt precincts refused 10 sign said re-
turns on the ground that the same were incor-
rect; and that at the time OF the canvass by
said board, when compelled 10 sign the same,
many Of the election officers, both Democratic
and Republican, publicly declared that they
could not Identify the returns which they then
certified as those from their respective pre-.
cInets; that many Of said returns were not
marked with the number OF the pi eclnct from
which they came.
II also appears that in calling the votes for
Governor tie inspector In f1fty.lour precincts
called off The number Instead of the name
of the party voted for; that threats OF
violence we're Frequently used when COM
plants were made as 10 lhe manner OF count
ing tue vote; that in some Instances, as appears
on'their face tie returns were tempered with
after the count was completed; that so-called
political boss in San Francisco said 10 numbers
of people Oh the night OF the election that he
had agreed to give Mr.. Budd 1000 plurality in
Ihe TWeuIy-eightn and Twenty-ntnth Assembly
Districts Gar Flap, ana he would complete hts
contract; that in districts where The voting
POPULATION was substantially of the same char
aeter the percentage of Mr.. Budd's vote in.
creased from Is per cent In one precinct to
300 peT cent in an adjoining precinct; that on
the water front and the Tar Flat districts of
the city the counting OF the vote in many in
stances seemed To be looked upon by the
officers OF election as farce, and they made 1t
q drunken orgy; that such election boards In
many Instances used the money collected at
the polls for orphans 10 buy whisky, and In
many OF the polling places the precinct officers
were intoxicated.
It's matter Of common report in San Fran.
cisco that the precinct election officers were
largely composed or unreliable men; that many
of Them we're appointed TO act and acted Ia pre-
cincts where they did not live and where they
were unknown.
1t is a significant fact that In about $50 pre-.
cincts OF said city the Democratic inspec Ors-ip-
chief simultaneously directed the Republican
inspectors To lake charge OF the second shift in
counting. and when these officers returned
most OF the ballots for State officers were
counted; that the original inspector, who by
viltu of his Office controls the precinct board
was in every precinct Of said city Demo.
crat; that in sIxty-sX precincts these in
speetors, prior to the opening of the polls
substituted mer OF their own selection in
the place OF duly appolnte ed Republican officers
That IN about $50 out OF 293 precincts the
State ballot was called bysihe Democratic in
spector; and that in many instances when citl-
Zens attempted TO Inspect the ballot, when
read, they were ordered 10 get out or be kicked
out OF the booth. That on many of the tally
lists the Iallies appear to have been writtrn
uniformly and all Oh one occasion, and not
irregularly as such tally marks ordinarily ap.
pear when considerable period of time
elapses between the making Of any two success.
sIve TALES. That in SeVenty-four precincts
from which the poll lists or tally lists were re-
turned unsigned or uncertited the aggregate
vote was:
FOR MI E1tee.. .4454
Thus giving TO Mr.. Budd majority over Mr..
Estee therein vi over $500 votes That in
nearly all OF those precincts where Mr.. Estee
was credited with a plurality, or large vote The
returns were properly signed aud certified
From these facts IL lnanfestly appears 10
your committee that fraud OF the grossesl ma.
ture was, by precOncerted action, boldly per
peirated in the conduct of the late election I'm
said city and. 10 compiling the returns thereof
nI,tfiO aIf