The herald., 1897-11-06
VOTES STILL TO BE COUNTED
May TUMBLE THOSE HOPES TO
THE GROUND
In Anv Case the Courts Will Be
Called On to Decide the
Matter
Associated Press Special Wire.

leRlSldCuTG SLduOo ~
Democrats and one doubtful on the Of
flcial returns received UP to tonight.
with a dozen or more of SS close coun-
ties there have been no material changes
except in Wood county, which will be
claimed by both parties until the courts
PASS on the action of the supervisors
There have been no unusual proceed
tnes before the returning boards Of any
of the counties except that of WooG,
although both parties have had their
representatives and attorneys in their
county seats wherever the vote was
close.
Chairman McConnville of the Demo-
cratic state committee has not changed
his claims Of a Democratic majority on
Joint ballot, and will not do so until the
official returns of all the counties are IN
and show the final result to differ from
those he has at hand.
Chairman McConnville and others
from the Democratic state headquarters
went to Cincinnati to confer with John
r. Mclean and other party leaders re-
rarding the contests that are TO be
made in close counties.
Chairman Nash insists that the legls-
lature stands rs Republicans to 20 DEM
ocrats and that the majority on JOINT
ballot for senator will be not less than
five. He says he is satisfied tonight with
the situation in Wood county.
What he feared was that the official
count might wipe out the small Re-
publican plurality in that county. Since
the official tally sheets show plurality
Of 81 for the Republican representative,
Judge Nash says he is willing and ready
to have any court pass ON the case. lie
says the law provides that the members
of the boards OF election cannot go be-
hind the returns, and the supreme court
has held that they have no ministerial
powers whatever and cannot hear evil
dence or use their discretion in throw
ing out any votes. That is left to the
courts and to each branch of the legis-
lature in passing on the credentials OF its
members.
In Wood county today, Norris, the
Republican candidate for representa-
tive, filed a protest against the board
counting the vote OF Freedom town.
ship, because the ballots have been tall
lied in blocks of five. This precinct gave
Norris 151 and Mears, the Democratic
candidate for representative, 263. Ii the
vote of the township had been thrown
out it would have increased the plurali-
ty of Norris by 112 but it was counted.
The Republicans insist that Norris vii.
be declared elected in Wood county and
that the legislature stands IS to 20.
Today interest centers in the official
counting at Bowling Green of the vote
of Wood county. If Wood county
should finally be put in the Democratic
list by the official figures, the Legisla-
ture would stand "A Republicans to II
Democrats. While this is mathemati-
cal majority of three, it is constitu-
tional surplus of only one. 1t requires
73 votes, or a majority of all the 145
members, to elect Senator on joint
ballot. With only "A Representatives in
the Legislature, the death of Repub-
lican member or vacancy would leave
the bare majority, and if Wood county
should elect a Democrat there would be
startling developments at once IN at
least two other counties.
Hon. Charles r.. KurtZ, who was
chairman Of the Republican State Com
mittee in 1896 and 1895, says there is
nothing whatever in the talk about GER
tain Republican members of the Legis-
lature combining with the Democrats to
elect Governor Bushnell or any other
man as Senator in place of Senator
Hanna, who was indorsed by the Re-
publican State Convention for both the
short and full terms of Senator. Mr..
Kurtz says no Republican member
could afford to bolt the caucus nomina-
tion, and he does not believe that sim
gle Republican member could be found
who would go into such combine. AS
Chairman Kurtz was defeated for re-
election as chairman by Senator Hanna,
and admits he is unfriendly to the Sen
ator himself, this statement is believed
to be the last that will be heard Of the
combine against Hanna as the Republi-
can Senatorial nominee.
At Republican headquarters the re-
ports have never received any credit.
The managers state that if they are as
sured safe majority on joint ballot,
they have no doubt or concern as to
what that majority will do.
1t is learned here tonight that counsel
for both Democratic and Republican
committees met at Bowling Green to-
day to submit the Wood county case
at once to the circuit court and that the
lawyers on both sides went to Toledo
for that purpose. The court will be
asked to decide whether the election
board can go behind the returns. OF
course it will be left for proceedings in
contest in the house to decide whether
the vote of Center township shall be
counted.
A CONTEST BEGUN
TOLEDO, O., Nov. 5.-The close vote
in Wood county on the election of a
representative to the Legislature has
resulted in a contest which was begun
in the circuit court today. The official
count of the vote for representative
gives Norris, Republican, plurality of
81 over Mears, Democrat. Center town
ships vote, if thrown out, would give
Mears a plurality Of II votes. Mears
protested the vote of Center township
on the ground that the voters of the
township outside of Bowling Green went
out Of their precinct to vote. The ques-
tiou was argued before the supervisors.