The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1896-07-10
PoTTsY1LLE LETTER.


PorrsvtLLE, July 10.
Mr. Whitehouse caused some surprise
yesterday in the Lyon Dunn contest by at
tempting to divert the proceedings into an
inquiry as to bribery. He asked a witness if
he had been offered, or had received, any
money to work and vote for Judge Lyon and
supplemented the question with statement to
the court that Judge Lyon may not have
offered any money aud he did not think he
did. but he could prove by two witnesses that
the witness on the stand was offered 500 to
work for Lyon The question was stricken
out
MIR Berger stated that inasmuch as court
will adjourn after this week until the middle
of August the contestant wished to get hold
of az many voting and ballot check lists as
possible, which were locked up in the ballot
boxes. For this reason subpoenas have been
issued for the Judges Of Election Of several
districts 50 rs to prove the boxes. He also
said that they desired TO do this on Friday,
and asked that Kline township witnesses be
discharged from their subpoenas. Court
made the order and then adjourned until 10
this morning
This morning Mr. Berger said he was ready
to call their witnesses and Jacob c. Metz
Judge of Election of the Second ward of
Ashland, was called to show that the ballot
and voting check lists had not been returned
to the Prothonotary's office as required by
law, but that they were sealed up in the
ballot box.
Mr. Whaen argued that the fact of contes-
tant's desire to obtain the papers is not sulfi-
cent authority for the opening of the ballot
boxes, as such is exercising the highest pre-
rogative and should be resorted to only when
absolutely necessary.
Mr. SChalck also protested against this
mode of procedure and Mr.. Whalen quoted
from the Act of May 1895, in reference to
the registry list and said that the original
I l..AN
dence than the lists which the contestant
desires to obtain from the ballot boxes.
Court asked a question whether it would
not be well to rely on the word Of counsel.
| This brought Mr.. Schalck to his feet and he
said that this case must be tried just like any
other trial and emphatically objected to re-
| lying on the word of counsel for the other
side.
Mr.. Whalen said that the contestant
wanted the lists SO as to prepare ad-
ditonal bills of particulars during the vaca-
| tiOn and to present them when court con
venes in August or September, and again in
sisted that the best evidence of registration
was the original registry book. Right here
Mr.. Whitehouse said to court that for his ar
gument he would ask court a question, which
was, Are your HOnors trying a case, OF
getting one ready for trial ?'
Mr. Whalen said that contestant had at
tached l2O election districts out of l43 in the
county. ne court ONerruleu uue ODJcCtluu
and directed that the ballot box be brought
in and opened, to ascertain whether the
aflidavits Of non-registered votes were in the
box and to have them placed in their proper
place in the PrOthOnotary's office. The box
of the 2nd ward of Ashland was brought il
and identified by Mr.. Metz, and the paper'
were found.
Mr.. Berger wanted to have the box opened
in order to find any other papers that ough
by law TO be on record. This was not allowed
and court said the box should be opened and
directed the Judge of Election to take ou
the aiidavits of new registered voters Thi
was done and Mr.. Berger spying some Elec
tion officers oaths in the pile of papers
wanted to have them put ON record, Cour
overruled this offer
j. II. Pritchard was next called. He saiC
he was Judge of Election of the Fourth ware
Of Ashland. That he placed the aiiidavits OF
non-registered voters in the bag and took i
home along with the box, and gave the boz
to the collectors when they came for it, bu
retained the bag. He said the reason 1t
kept it was that at the time there was II,
Justice of the Peace to keep it and he wa
directed by Mr.. Rentz to take care of it, A
1l;30 a. IN the box of that ward was brough
in and witness identified it.