Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1896-12-03


WI tW various judges and
clerke who count.
ed the votes and made the returns,
Nimocks, Henry McCorkle and Charlie
Montgomery. and Geo. ". Thatcher.
on behalf of Phil Leroy have filed con-
tests against C. F. Dlffenbacher, L. G.
Breeder, Mat Dick and FIG. Stroth-
man.
They charge Irregularities in con-
Quoting the election in Cheyenne town
ship; that after the polls were closed,
they were opened again, with but one
of the judges present, and three votes
received; that this judge entered the
booth with German" voters and urged
them to vote his way, without the pres
ence of any other judge or without his
being requested to do 50 by the voters;
that he gave out official ballots to par.
ties away from the polls; that Frank
Flicker was permitted inside and
around the booths with voters to in
struct them; that the polls were unlaw'
fully closed at noon; that three kegs of
beer were furnished by the contestees
and was drank within 40 rods of the
polling place, and that the election
board committed errors in counting the
votes.
In the second ward of Great Bend
they charge that J. B. Monical, W. A.
Harding, G. A. Stryker. G. E. Hull, j.
W. ST. Glare, G. A. Smith, J. D. De
Shaser, G. G. Shear, E. E Prentiss and
M. L. Watt were illegal voters.
That in Great Bend township Homer
Pelter and w. j. Elliott were Illegal
voters.
In Liberty township that two Ratz-
laff's and one Base were illegal voters.
They charge errors in the count in
several townships, and that the sue
cessful candidates sent beer and whis
key into Grant, Beaver, Wheatland.
Homestead, Cleveland and Cheyenne
townships, to influence voters.
Probate Judge McCorkle has named
d. j. Newton and J. II. Jennison to
sit with him as contest board, and
the date for hearing Nimock's tale of
woe is set for December 21st.
And so the fun has commenced, and
the voters of Barton county will have
additional reason to congratulate them
selves upon the fact that they elected
those contestors-to stay at home.
From what we can learn of the mat
ter it is our opinion that the dirty,
besmirched hand of one man is princi-
pally responsible for the contest pro-
ceedings, and the charges that are
made against the honesty and integrity
of large number of the citizens of this
county.
Henry McCorkle did not at any time
want to go into contest, but has ap
parently been urged into 1t by men
pretending to be his friends but who are
doing that which will forever bury him
would not make the charges himself,
but says he will ''stand his share of
the expenses if he is counted in." The
salary of county commissioner is not
big thing, but Charlie Montgomery is
in the muss. although we believe
against his good judgment.
1t is reported that some of the parties
to the contest have been told that ''they
owe it to their party" to take the fool
ish step, and if they did not do so they
would be forever damned by the repub-
,;can workers of the county.
The charges are groundless, and we
believe if fair Investigation is had
tneI will be proven so.
We are surprised to see how the con
test board is composed. Both of the
appointees have bitterly opposing the
contested candidates in the late cleo
tion, and they were especially opposed
to Mr. Diffenbacher. Mr.. Diffenbacher
asked that Mr. Osmond be selected as
one of the judges, but to this Nimocks
objeceed-and made his objection hold,
even after Judge McCorkle had prom