The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-02-06
scHLENTZ I URY CAsl
Testimony Heart esterduy Before
Alderman .Nillar.
ACCUSED IN A VERY BAD PLACE
lio Admitted That lie Cannot Read or
Write and Had No Exact knO~I-
edge Of What Was in the AZ
fidavit lie Sw0rc To.

ftdavtt lie SwOrc To.
The hearing in the case of Henry
Schlentz. charged with perjury in
swearing out a warrant accusing. Henry
Simrell of irregularities while acting on
the election board in the First district
of the Twentieth ward. was re-opened
before Alderman Millar yesterday
morning. 1t continued from 10 O'Clock
a. m. tn go y. m. with an intermission
of an hour and half for dinner and
was attended throughout by an audi
ence which filled the office to overflow
ing. AS the case progressed It became
very evident that the prosecution was
making out "a strong case and the as
sumed nochalance of the defendant and
his instigatorS which was so apparent
at first. gave way to a noticeable feel
ing of nervousness and alarm. jor
Everett Warren conducted the prOsecu-
tiOn and George NJ. Watson, Of the firm
of Watson 4 Zimmerman, appeared for
the defense.
A host of reputable witnesses called
by the prosecution testified that there
were no irregularities at the poll and
of the few placed on the stand by the
defense Schlentz himself was.the, only
one who swore positively of having any
direct knowledge that croOkedness took
place He also weakened on cfosS-eXs
animation and by his own admissions
explained away the greater part OF the
alleged irregularities. One thing
brought out by Mr.. Warren which
caused a smile to play over the faces
OF the spectators. and which brought
the defendants attorney to his feetWlth
string of futile objections. was that
Schlentx can neither read nor write anu
consequently did not know what was
on the affidavit he sw0re to. except as
he was told and further that he did not
engage Mr.. Watson to defend hihi' ana
had no knowledge OF who his attorney
was to be until directed to Mr.. Wat
sons Office.
What the Testimony Showed.
The Testimony offered by the prose-
cution tended to show that matters
We're so arranged that everyvoter could
see the election board and the ballot
box and that his ballot was tailed and
placed in the box and that Il fair count
WAS made before witnesses. 1t was
also brought out that Schlentz admit
ted after the election that "a fair count
had been made.
Reuben Martin. William Williams.
Edward Hummer. Thomas Grifiiths. Ed
ward j. OCOnnor, y. G.. Hewitt. Lloyd
ID. Hill, Charles Andrews, John Bran
vile, William James. Herman Shaffer.
James Herman, John Y. Richards, Grif-
fifth Richards, Joseph =. Harvey, Jo-
seph Roberts and John Jenkins swore
that they had attended the election,
saw no Irregularities. heard no chal-
lenges made by SchlentZ and that
everything was carried on peacefully
and i'm an orderly way.
Julian CooOer, the successful dele
gate, was present at the poll from 3.45
o'clock till the election was over. One
vote was rejected to his knowledge.
hut he did not remember whose it was.
Schlentz and himself, at the request of
Hon. Alex r. Connell. witnessed the
count of the votes. The votes We're
counted in their presence and they
could see everything that was going
on. He did not see Mr.. Simrell going
out with the box but saw him coming
back. So far as he knew mo tickets
were taken from the box and no rules
of the party were broken. On cross
examination, i'm answer to Mr.. Wat
sons question. he stated that he heard
Mr.. Schlentz make some remark about
taking the ballot box out of the room,
but he saw nothing wrong In that. He
denied any knowledge of SchlentZ hav-
ing said II have nothing against you.
but will settle with Simrell later"
Mr.. Jones. who was Mr.. Simrell's col
league on the election board, was re-
called by Mr.. Watson and stated that
they had rejected the vote of Joseph
Ruane and his ballot was not placed
In the box.
Schlentz Placed on the Stand.
The defense opened at II o'clock by
putting Schlentz on the stand. He re-
iterated his alleged perjury contained
in the affidavit and described the irreg
sAs.- IL l. ,l..s. t,