El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1896-12-17
ARMENDARIZ' ANSWER TO GAAL.
His Counsel Make up Breezy Answer
to Which Defendant Signs his Name.

| County Commissioner Juan Armen.
dariz filed his reply last night, OF
rather his counsel .did for him, after
they had written up a document that
like wife, is highly important if true.
| Distin guished counsel read the docu-
ment to ArmendariZ en- espanol, and it
tickled him so that the old gentleman
| well nigh burst the buttons off his
| vest and demOralized his neck tie.
Juan in his exhilaration really forgot
| all about the unkiG6 cuts made earlier
! in the day by Commissioner Courches
and Robinson on the purchase of the
| poor farm. Yes, the answer prepared by
too skillful counsel tickled him mighti-
ly, so it did.
In the answer contestant especially
answers that the or1er of Ee Druary,
1891, was in full force, and not the new
order, on the election of November 3,
1896: that contestee was duly qualified
and was a resident of the real and legal
precinct No. 3, but l. G.. Gaal is not and
was not, and did not receive any legal
votes for mmissioner of said precinct
No. 3, that he only received in precinct
No. } thirty-twO votes all told, and
that each of them was Illegal, while
contestee received 119 votes therein.
Said 81 votes for contestant were illegal
in this, viz: Those casting them were
not citizens or legal voters of said
,
said contestant Gaal was not and is not
a resident citizen of said precinct,
county or state, and is not qualified
under the laws to hold Office: and that
contestee is duly inducted into said
Office in a legal manner.
Further on, contestee declares that
said new order was not valid, legal
and voluntary one Of the majority of
the commissioners court, but said
,lc,, L. Nf
duress in this that w. J. Harris, one of
the commissioners, was charged or
accused by j. A. Smith, H. B. Stevens
and r. F. Campbell and others with |
being directly or indirectly interested
in a claim or account for road work, |
which claim had been presented to the |
commissioners court and allowed, aid |
the payment thereof temporarily en-
joined by said J. A. Smith, ct al, who, |
acting in collusion and concert with |
others, stated in substance to said |
Harris that unless he, said Harris, !
" ould consent to vote for an order re-
precincting said county so that the |
central street of the city of Ell Paso |
should be the dividing line between |
precincts Nos. l and ,, they would |
cause him, said Harris, much trouble
and would cause him to be indicted on
account of his interests in said road |
bill, would have him prosecuted and
would endeavor to convict him upon
said accusation.
To which demand said Harris, as
contestant understands aud charges,
by reason of said threats and duress
and Influenced by pr omises of favor
and concessions and the dismissal OF
said injunction suit consented, but
here was nothing said about the time
said order was to take effect, and when
'aid Smiths attorney prepared and
presented the order, said Harris con-
suited his attorneys and was advised
oy them that the order could not be-
,ome operative till after the election,
November 3, 1896, &c, and that the
lext commissioners court should they
leem it proper, could repeal the order.
And with that understanding and in
entiOn he, the said Harris. voted for
aid order and f. E. Hunter then
county Judge and Chas. F. Slack, com
also voted for it. While
,ontestee and the other commissioner
To:ed against it. Wherefore, &c,
,ontestee claims said order IS illegal
md invalid. &c, &c. But especially
he land SO forth -