Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1896-12-10
WAS IT TAMPEREO WITH?
That Third Ward Ballot Box
Since the Board Counted
the Vote.
Auditor Vennum'S Testimony
Raises the lnquiry-Seal
Was Broken.
Two Kinds of Sealing Wax
Other Points in the
Testimony.

During the taking Of testimony in the
legislative contest case Monday after
noon and this morning, the matter OF
the Third ward ballots was extensively
gone into. This was the precinct in
which there was go large disparity be-
tween the returns made by the precinct
board of canvassers and the condition of
the ballots when examined. and it was
reasonable to look for some explsaati
OF the charge that the precinct board
made go great an error as to count
eighteen ballots wrong, against the
republican candidate, with majority of
republicans on the board. 1t was found
that the seal on the top OF the ballot
box had become broken ia some manner,
and the detailed testimony on this sub
ject Is given below.
Auditor John Vennum was on the
stand, and was asked on re cross exami
nation.
@. Was the sealing on the top of the
box in the same condition as when you
received it.?
a. It WAS, except for wear and tear;
we have TO file on top of each other,
which cracks them. Since answering,
I notice that the wax on the back of this
seal is broken
Q. What color is the wax now on the
seal?
A. 1t appears to be partly ced and
partly brown.
On re.assem bling the subject was
again taken up, Auditor VennuH being
on the stand, under redirect examine
tion by counsel for b. w. Fuller.
G. Mr.. Vennum, will you describe
the seal over the slit on the top OF the
Third ward ballot box, 40 it appeared to
you upon your direct examination, when
you for the first time opened the box?
A. 1t seemed to have been sealed
with paper over the slit, and wax around
it, the box being fiat.
O. Was the seal when you first
opened the box fastened tight to the lid !?
A. think so.
@. Describe the seal as 1t appeared
when your attention was called to it
upon your re.crosseIamination?
A. The back Of the seal, that is
from the front of the box, was
broken loose the entire length of the
slot.
@. At that time was the paper over
the slot raised or lifted up, or did 1t lie
fiat in place as before?
A. It laid fat.
Q. From the time you first produced
and opened the box, until the present,
where has 1t been kept?
A. In my Office vault.
Q. Have you kept this box since first
opening it, with the same care that you
did before opening it the first time?
A. Yes.
@. And do you think the seal OF this
box was broken in the way you described
by it's being so placed?
A. I think the seal has been broken
by opening the box and throwing the lid
back over the spring IN the top of the
box
The witness was then e-csossexamined
by Attorney Sanford.
@. How many clerks have you had
in your office since Nov. 4, 1896.
A. Two, until Nov. IA.
@. How many have had the combina-
ton to the safe?
A. No one has had the combination,
one clerk had the key to the inner door.
Q. Does that key give access to that
part of the official safe in which the bal
lot boxes are kept?
A. Yes, shut while the ballot boxes
were in the vault, the clerk had no key.
@. Does that statement apply up to
the present time?
A. Yes, sir.
@. Is not the handle on the Third
ward boilot box directly over the sealed
slit in the top OF the box?
"A. LES, OuG nOG 6GHIlOD6ry.
Q. What do you mean by not station
Rry?
A. The handle drops to the right or
left, go as not to protect the seal.
Q. How thick is the wood part Of the
handle?
A. One inch.
@. What is the distance from the top
Of the lid to the top Of the wax on the
box?
A. One qurster Of an inch.
@. How many seals have been brok.
en on the various ballot boxes from said
county now IN your hands, and spoken