The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-10-06
No. September Term, 1897.

EPHRAIM COLEMAN, CANDIDATE FOR
JURY COMMISSIONER
no. September Term, 1897.
on June -, 1857. n certificate of nomi-
nation was filed i'm the Commissioners
Office of Somerset county, signed 10y Har-
vey NJ. Berkley as presiding officer and
Jacob W. Peck and q. l.. Couutryman as
secretaries. setting forth that lat a meet
ing Of Committeeman OF Return Judges
of the County of Somerset, representing
the Republican party or policy of the
State of Pennsylvania, and being the body
duly authorized by the Republican party
or policy of the County of Somerset to
certify nominations for the offices named
below, held at the Court House in Somer-
set Borough on the 10Th day of June,
lSSi7," Manassas Shoemaker was nomi-
mated for Director of the Poor, and Eph-
RAIN Coleman for Jury Commissioner.
ON July 10, is9., a certificate of nomina-
ton was filed in the Commissioners Of
flee, setting forth that lat a meeting of
Return Judges of the County ofSomerset,
representing the Republican party or
policy of the State of Pennsylvania and
being the body duly authorized by the
Republican party or policy of the County
of Somerset 10 certify nominations for the
offices named below, held at the court
room in the Court House in the Borough
of Somerset on the 29ih dsy IF jane,
lsy7,'' John III. Shaifer was nominated for
Jury Commissioner, and Adam ;. Miller
for Director OF the Poor. This certificate
was signed by a. o. Beal as presiding Of
fieer, and by f. c. Welch, p. X. Moore,
J. A. Lambert and J. &. Emert as secre-
tsries.
Objections were filed To the first certifi-
cate on the lIth July, 1877, by Adam 5.
Miller and John III. Shsffer, and to the
second certificate on the 18th of July,
1877, by Manassas Shoemaker and Eph-
rain Coleman, and the issue, therefore,
is between the candidates named in the
respective certificates; if the objections to
either certificate prevail, the candidates
named therein can not have their names
printed on the official ballot. II the oh
jections to both certificates prevail there
will be no regularly nominated candi-
date for Director of the Poor and Jury
Commissioner at the coming election.
In order to properly determine the is
sue, we must look for the law of the case
TO the rules and regulations governing
the Republican primary elections of Som
erset County" The Act of June 2lst. p.
J.. 20. regulating primary elections, the
ballot law of 1893 and the Act of June =,
lSg7, all recognize the binding effect of
party rules and accord to them the force
of laws, and they have always been en-
forced by the courts as the law of the par
ty adopting them. The rules and regula-
tions governing the primary elections in
Somerset County have been in force for a
number of years, and we quote such por-
tions as apply to this case. Rule l3 pro-
vides that, 1.-THE duty of the Chairman
shall be to preside at meetings or conven-
tions of the County Committee, and pre-
side at meetings or conventions of Re-
turn Judges as president and with the ap
proval of the executive committee shall
appoint members Of the Republic par
" as Committeeman to I'LL vacancies, re-
move Committeeman for ineiiicieney or
disloyalty to the Republican party, Sc
cure the printing and distribution of tick
cts and election blanks, make assess
ments on candidates for nominations to
defray expenses for announcing candi-
dates for office, pay expenses of eonven-
tion of return judges" etc.
PARTY RULES INTERPRETER.
Rdle - provides that each candidate
tor nomination shall furnish IN the Chair
man Of the County Committee not less
than ~ days before the day of primary
election. his name, the Office for which he
j. a candidate, The township or borough
in which he resides, with his post office
address. and pay fee of"-(then follows
the amount TO be paid by the candidate
for the different offices. ranging from
500 for President Judge to $40 for Direct
Of the Poor and Jury Commissioned
- to be used exclusively as a fund to de-
fray the expenses Of announcing candi-
dates, in such Republican newspapers
Of the county as shall be designated 10y
the Chairman, printing tickets and elec-
ton blanks aud such other necessary ex-
penses for holding and conducting the
primary elections. The Chairman Of the
County Committee shall be custodian of
the funds arising from said fees
The Chairman of the County Committee
shall cause to be printed separate lists of
all the candidates for each office, with the
office designated at the head of each list,
and furnish the Committeeman of each
district with at least two copies thereof
for each voter who voted the Republican
ticket at the preceding November cleo
lion. These lists may be used by the
voters as tickets by s.ricking out or eras-
ing any name they do not wish nomi-
mated"
Among the duties of the Committee
men as set forth in rule Is. is a. to procure
he lists of candidates furnished by the
Chairman of the County Committed"
Rnle 10 provides, that the Republi
an party of Somerset county shall hold
rs primary election for nomination of
candidates ON the fourth Saturday of
June OF each year," and rule l6 provides
hat "the Judges of Election of the sew
eraI precincts shall assemble in conven-
ion in the Court House, in the borough
lf Somerset, on the Tuesday following
the election at ons o'clock D. m. of said
v. at which convention the Chairman
1f the County Committee shall preside"
&c. And rule II provides that, lone re-
urn sheet Of the primary election shall
be sealed in an envelope, addressed to
he Chairman of the County Committee,
somerset, Pa, and shall be mailed by the
Inspector or Clerk as soon as possible af-
ter the votes are counted"
1t appears from the certificates filed
hat two meetings of Return Judges or
were held at the time and
place designated by rule Ii. tO-wit: The
Tuesday following the 4;h Saturday of
June, in the Court House in the bor-
,ugh Of Somerset" and il appears in the
,roof before US that Harvey NJ. Berkeley
vas the regularly elected Chairman of
he County Committee, and acting as
'ueh nj the time these meetings were