El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1896-12-09
MERRY WAR;"
l.. 6. Gaal Camps on Armendariz s
Trail

&c. Gaal, of Ysleta, through his
counsel, LEV Davis, served notice last
evening on County Commissioner Juan
Armendariz, of contest for the latter's
seat as county commissioner, the con
test being based on the February re
districting of the county by the COM
missioners' court. Mr.. Gaal. as is
already known, claims to be the legally
elected commissioner from the new
third commissioners precinct. The
contestant says:
That the old precinct No. 3, as
existing prior to the said order and
decree, was rediculously small in
wealth, intelligence and population, as
compared with any of the other
precincts, and was what is known as
| FL Paso cOunty's rotten burrough.' )
the inha bitants of which. mostly, being
unacquainted with the English lam
guage and largely unacquainted with
the needs, wants and requirements of
progressive and vigorous American
municipality and community. That it
is notorious that said old precinct No.
5, formerly called ''Socorro,'2 was the
pocket burrough and principality of
said conte5tee, who has for period of
time extending back a decade and q
half been repeatedly elected as it's
commissioner without an interim.
That said cOntestee does not speak the
English language and that he cannot
understand the proceedings of the
commissioners court. That for the
purpose of changing the old regime
and ending this petty barony and the
obvious unfairnesS and inequality in
the former division of said county in
response to an overwhelming public
sentiment said order and decree was
passed with the full desire and intent
to put it in force at said election. That
said precinct No. 3 was enlarged by
adding to it large portion of the cid
and former precinct No. ,, including
the town aud citizens of Ysleta, form
erly the county seat of said Ell Paso
county, thereby creating precinct
with about five times the wealth and !
three times the population of said old |
precinct No. 3,
That said order and decree was |
originally submitted to the commits |
sioners court without any expressed |
provision as to its going into effect: |
but the fear being expressed by one or |
more of the comm issioners that the |
effect of it might be to change the |
constituent members of the commission
ers court as then organized, the |
provision in said order and decree as
to the time of the election was then |
inserted, believing and intending
thereby that said commissioners would
SSCd pc VIC buCN Una LLCO VI
legislating themselves out OF office and
creating an immediate vacancy.
That all said 2l3 votes for contes-
tant cast in said election, stated on the
ballots that they were in favor of con-
testant for county commissioner of
precinct No. 3, but the officers of said
election at voting precinct OF Ysleta
to wit: the judges and clerks thereof,
incorrectly, falsely and il
egally counted and estimated the
same for contestant for commissioner of
precinct No. , of Ell Paso county, Texas,
and in their official returns the man
gers of the election in said voting
precinct so falsely, enormously and
stated and certified to the
county Judge and county clerk OF said
county.
THAT after the election the county
commissioners court canvassed the re-
,urns, and false count and estimates
herein shown. and counted said Isl
-Otes received by contestant from
Isleta voting precinct for contestant
commissioner of precinct No. ,.
Mr.. Gaal incidentally observes that
he speaks and reads the English Ian
guage. H. c. Myles has served ST
nilar notice of contest on Commission
~ J. J. Smith of Ysleta, so there is
un ahead.