Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1897-01-14
So State the Election Officers
in the Third Ward
Precinct.
AS Regards Senatorial Vote
on Candidates Sanford
and Fuller.
Interviews With Officers Of
Precinct Board-No Mis-
takes Made. ...
From Friday'S Daily.

being heard by the senate committee at
Bismarck. It is stated that the question
of the legality of Mr.. Sanford's election
will turn on whether the COMMITTEES
believes that the count was correct rs
made by the precinct board of the Third
ward of jamestown, or whether the
ballots have the same markings now as
they had when counted by the board.
It is unnecessary to say that it the
committee we're residents of jamestown
or Stutsman county no such question as
to the correctness of the election boards
count would be entertained.
Mr.. Joseph Mason, one of the judges
of the Third ward precinct board, was
again seen by an Alert reporter today, in
regard to the count of ballots in this
ward. He stated what he has before
frequently and publicly asserted, that
the count was correct as made by the
board He was asked:
"Do you remem Ter whether there were
IL ballots not marked for senator at all?"
Mr.. Mason replied: "There were some
ballots not marked for either senator. [
do not remember just how many. There
we're number of them"
He was also asked:
DO you remember whether there
we're 10 votes marked for both Fuller
and Sanford?"
He replied: ''There we're not 10 votes
for both senator's"
Mr.. Mason also stated that he had
voted in the Third ward for years; had
served on city election boards for many
years; and that this is the first time his
correctness or fairness as an election Of
ficer had ever been questioned.
In published interview Dec. 18th,
Mr.. Mason stated in substance what he
reiterates and declares above: viz that he
has been on election boards Of James
town for many years, and this is the
first time his work in connection with
the canvassing of votes has ever been
questioned. Mr.. Mason also stated that he
himself counted over or sbont two-thirds
Of. the vote in the Third ward, and there
we're no such mistakes as those which
have been discovered since.
Mr.. Mason observed that If hls ex-
perience on election boards, bis reputa-
tion for honesty and good character,
which he believed he possessed, was not
satisfactory evidence Of the correctness
Of the work in canvasslng the Third
ward vote, nothing he could cay now in
the press would make 1t such.
The other judge of this board, Anton
Lang, is a German who speaks and
writes English fairly we'll. but not sufi-
ciently we'll to bave facilitated the read
ing and announcing Of the vote from the
ballots. He stated today that his part
in the counting of the ballots was simply
to assist the inspector and Mr. Mason.
He stated:
II mostly helped fold up the ballots
and put them in the box. Joe Mason
did most of the counting and told off as
voted. Moses sat by and saw 1t was
done right. They counted the vote care
full and correct. I did not count or tell
off single vote. A ruler was put on the
ballot when they were counting.
Mr.. Mason read off most of the tickets.
I don't believe there we're any mistakes
The testimony OF r. B. Moses, inspect
or of Third ward precinct, taken before
notary public, substantiated Mr..
Mason's statement as to the correctness
of the count returned by the precinct
board. 1t ls part of the contest pro-
ceed,ngs and is before the committee for
their consideration
STATEMENT OF THE CLERKS.
The clerks of the election board were
Samuel Vandenberg and Henry Past.
These gentlemen we're also questioned
today and asked as to their knowledge
OF the correctness Of the count OF the
Third ward ballots made by the precinct
board. Mr. Vandenberg said:
"Myself and Harry Fast. the other
clerk, sat ut one table and We Tailed
with the result as announced by the
Judges. My tally corresponded exactly
with the vote announced by Mr.. Mason,
and Inspector Moses. don't believe any
thing was wrong. believe the count ss
made by the judges and inspector was
correct. Mr.. Mason, one OF the judges,
did most OF the counting. Tony Lang,
the other Judge, took little part in the
counting Of the ballots. Inspector
Moses and joseph Mason did the count