The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-11-13
THE RECOUNT FARCE
Monotonous and Insignifi-
cant Proceedings at
the Court House
Today.
THE CLERICAL ERROR PLEA
How the Virtuous Republicans
Explain the Irregular Votes
Credited to Their Side.
Democratic LiberalitY as to Ir-
regular Ballots Conirasted
by the Contestants
NarroWness.

IAe RepuDican CouteSldnlS AOi Lie
offices of Sheriff and Surrogate and their
friends did not get surfeit of encourage
ment from the recount so far as it pro-
gressed yesterday, and if something bet
ter does not pan out today the may aban-
don the contest. Some Of the Republican
leaders were willing to throw up the
sponge yesterday, but it was decided to
go on.
The First ward, which was considered
Heller's stronghold, was expected to de-
velop rich mine of errors, imperfect bal
lots. and perhaps fraud in the interest Of
the Democratic candidates. When, there
fore, the vote of the ward was counted
and the result showed that Heller had
gained 46, the Republicans didn't feel like
s;-ongratulating themselves and each other
with any particular degree of fervor.
The first and only serious discrepancy
discovered was in the First precinct of the
First ward. There It was discovered that
Baldwin was credited on the tally sheet
with fifty votes more than he was en-
titled to. The figures on the tally sheet
showed that he had 159 votes, while there
were only 109 ballots in the box with his
name. If this discrepancy had been in
Heller's favor it would have been drown
right fraud fraud of the most outrageous
character, but being in the interest of the
Republican candidate it was simply a
clerical error.
1--WE don't want many more like that
said Frank j. Higgins, quietly but earn
estly, when the error was discovered.
Il think we might as well stop now,''
remarked Assemblyman-elect KIink.
The canvass was continued until six
P. NJ, and when an adjournment was
taken then the vote of the First ward
and seven precincts of the Second ward
had been recounted. The work would be
very much facilitated if somebody in
authority would see that people who
assye=H9 business inside the railing were
Kept outside. The persons actually en-
gagged in the work are sufficient in num-
ber to fill up the inside space without the
assistance of persons who merely want TO
ask questions and show themselves to the
leaders. This applies to Republicans and
Democrats alike.
The ballots taken from the sixteen boxes
counted made some disclosures of ignor-
voters Some of them used colored ink
or colored pencil to scratch name
with. Many put pastors on the wrong
place. A few marked their ballots with
q cross or some other distinguishing mark
Several Democrats cut their ballots in
half ana pasted the bottom of the Demo-
cratic ticket to the top of the Republican
ticket and some of the ballots were torn
These defective ballots seem to be so
evenly divided that SO far as the recount
has gone the average number in each pre-
clnct II carried out to the end would not
change the result. There are some of them
which Justice Lippineott may allow, but
he VIII doubtless reject the majority of
them as Illegal The average time re-
CURED to count each box was two hours.
At that rate the work would not be COM
pieted in several days, so 1t was decided
yesterday evening to begin at nine O'Clock
this morning and continue until eleven
tonight with brief intermissions for meals
Three ballots which were disputed were
found in the Fifth Precinct, First Dis
frict. They were a sample of the other
defective ballots found. One had Lillis
paster with the title of his office printed
on it. Another had a strip of white pa
per pasted over the names of two candi-
dates for Freeholder The third had the
names of two Democratic Assembly can
dldates crossed out with red pencil. Two
disputed ballots were found in the Sixth
Precinct seven IN the Seventh and nine
in the Ninth. The recount of the First
Ward gives Baldwin 1.142, a loss of 81;
Heller, ,2,2l7, a net gain of so; Wanser,
1,3cl, gain of 10; Lillis, 2,047 a net loss
OF 81 Llilis loss was chiefly from defec-
tive ballots
In the Second Ward four disputed hal
lots Were found in the First precinct, seven
in the Third Precinct, six in the Fourth,
two in the Sixth and three in the Seventh
The Second and Fifth Precincts We're abb
soltptely correct and the election officers
were complimented. At the close of the
counting Heller's gain had been reduced
TO 46 and Lillis' loss increased TO 50.
This mornings session was as mon
ofonous as can be imagined. There was
a large crowd III the court room in which
the ballots were counted but as the hours
dragged on and nothing was heard but
the wearisome drawl of those who called
off the names the onlookers slowly faded
away Mr. Baldwin was among the FIRST
comers. He was accompanied by his
friend and legal adviser. ex-Assenbiv.na, :,
Nutzhorn. He was the only candidate in
terested VINO was present. There were
plenty of other leaders of both parties
on hand. however. Robert Davis passed
from table to table and watched the
dreary work with unperturbed counter,
ance. 1t was evident that the results thus
far obtained caused him no anxiety Col
Sam" Dickinson also walked about He
had his usual sarcastic smile with him
He had little to say about the recount.
and smiled deeper when asked what ne
thought Of it. Lawyer James Gordon,
who appeared for Messrs. BALDWIN and
Wanser, had so little to do that he finally
Went over to his Office. Mr. Allan L.
McDermott, who represents the Demo-
cratic candidate, was not present at all.
Alex Young. the Hoboken boy, who in
ouced the Popocratic machine to let
him rum for Congress, was an attentive
Wiunes5 OF the proceedings. So was Mar
tn Finck, Clerk of the Board of Finance,
who appeared to be the official scorer of
Inc Republicans.
The first gieam Of excitement was when
the Seventh precinct of the Third ward
was counted. There Wanser made a net
gain Of 10 votes The official figures gave
Alils z46 Whl.e the recount showed that
e had only 224 ballots in the box making
loss for Mr.. Lillis Of % votes. Wanser.
owever. lost three votes on the recount
taking his net gain only 1S votes There
yere five disputed ballots in the box. The
only excuse offered for this was the. one
(which Ike charity covers multitude of
ms. clerical error
z. The Second ward was completed with
this result
FOR SHERIFFA
HelleT-Officials 2,49l; recount. 24SO;
loss, II.
dwin-of1esal. sss; recount, ses;
1css, s.
Net gain for Baldwin, G.
FOR SURROGATE.
Il. ss N''''' ecoa''s' za's;
enser- oficial ssl; recount. ss1; loss. ..