The Topeka state journal., 1897-07-10
Polls Opened at 1 P. NJ. and
Close at Seven.
The Probable County Officers
of Shawnee County
NOW BEING CHOSEN.
Republican Nominations Equiv
alent to An Election
In Most Cases in This County
Vote Not Heavy.

The Republican nomination for coun-
ty offices will be made today in Shaw
nee county.
The polls opened at / p. m. today and
close at p. IN. and the rest of the night
will be consumed in counting votes and
tabulating returns. If the results are
close it will not be known before Mon
day who the nominees will be.
The greatest interest is being taken
in the fight for sheriff. There are five
candidates and the factions are so much
divided that it is impossible to tell what
the result will be. 1t is generally con-
ceded that Porter Cook is one of the
leaders.
Men of good political Judgment
predict Cooks nomination, though there
are many who claim that Riley Ayers
will secure the prize. Cook has a liv-
cry stable which is headquarters for
farmers, and his acquaintance with that
class will give him a large vote.
Mr.. Ayers is a farmer at Silver Lake
and he may divide Cooks strength.
The other candidates are Frank Eli
son, John Gardiner and Arthur Mas
sey.
The fight for county clerk is one on
which the guessers are somewhat at
sea. John NJ. Wright, the present depu-
ty, is thought by many to be the win
ner. T. E. Pounds and F. c. Bowen are
also strong, and it may be that one of
them will win, though NJ. E. Stoker, the
other candidate, says he is confident.
1t is also difficult to pick the winner
from the long list of candidates for reg
lister of deeds. John Ritchie said this
afternoon that he feels confident of win
ming, bul Frank Stevens says he has
no fears of the result. J. w. Maxwell,
Capt. Titus, L T. Lockard and w. H.
Jenkins are also in the race.
The fight for the nomination of coun-
ty treasurer is between two candidates
H. NJ. Phillips and Miss Emma Wal
lace. The prejudice against women Of
flee holders which is always found, is
not absent in this case Capt. Phillips
is one of the most prominent Republl-
cans in Shawnee county and the chan
ces are undoubtedly in his favor.
John Rodgers will probably defeat B.
A. Bailey for the nomination for cOun-
ty surveyor. The fact that Bailey has
already held the office for three terms
will operate against him.
DR.. Westerfield and DR.. A. A. Raub
are the candidates for coroner. DR..
Westerfield has had but one term and
will probably be renominated.
The county commissioner in the city
district will be nominated today. The
two candidates are T. P. Rodgers and
J. H. Squires. Mr.. Rodgers is being
opposed on his record. The deal on the
court house bonds and the acts of the
board in the management of the work
on the new bridge are entering into
the contest.
Outside estimates place the number
of votes that will be cast today at 1000.
1t is probable that it will be nearer g.
900. The fact that the central COM
mittee has taken pains to make the
primary more exclusive than usual will
reduce the vote, and the fact that farm
ers are busy in their cornfields will also
operate in the same direction.
For the three offices which have the
greatest number of candidates 1,200
votes will probably be all that will be
necessary to nominate. Under the sys-
tenn used it does not require majority
of the votes.
The interest in the primary in Topeka
has not been great. There have been
a larger number of human VultureS,
who prey upon the candidates, than
usual but aside from them most of the
enthusiasm has been worked up by the
candidates themselves.