The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-05-15

At the beginning of the Dunmore
contest the attorneys for the respond
ents in an interview declared that
from the then present indications the
contestants would not disqualify over
$50 votes and they, the respondents
felt sure of being able to knock out
100 Republican votes, all of which
would cause the contest to go for
naught. Figuring that the Republic
can votes are as good today as they
were a month ago the respondents are,
by their own admissions, routed foot
and horse.
Today is the last the contestants
have for taking testimony, and when
the session closes, the Democratic vote
cast in Dunmore Feb. II last will have
been cut down nearly thirty per cent,
or in round numbers 300 votes. Unless
the Republican vote turns out to be
extremely more defective than is
looked for, there is but little possi-
bility of the Democratic officials being
allowed to retain their apparently un-
deserved offices.
Should the contestants by the de-
cision of the local court be declared the
winners they will forthwith take Of
flee, by virtue of an act passed by the
present legislature. This goes one step
farther than the Kelly bill, which seat
ed the candidates elected on the face
of the returns. as it prevents a success
full contestant being deprived of his
seat during the long delay following
the customary appeal to the Supreme
court.
THREE SESSIONS HELD
Three sessions of the contest were
held yesterday morning, afternoon and
evening. Just what was accomplished
was not made to appear as much of
the testimony was indirect. For in
stance, Detective T. +. Reynolds, who
had charge of the serving of the sub
pOenas, swore that twenty-three of the
witnesses had left Dunmore since the
election, and could not be found. Tax
Collector Boland was later called and
from his records showed whether or
not they had paid taxes to him. In
the evening eX-TaX Collector Savage
was called to give similar testimony.
At a previous session, Patrick Nc
Andrew sWore that the record of his
naturalization was in the docket in
the mayors court at Carbondale and
that John Logan was his witness. The
record Of the mayors court was pro-
duced and it was shown. that the Pat
rick MCAndrew who had John Logan
for witness came to this country un-
der age, which does not harmonize
with McAndreW's testimony concerning
his coming to this country.
William Kays of the First district
of the Second ward at a former hear
ing produced naturalization papers
made out tC John Kane, which he said
belonged to him, explaining the differ
ence in the last name by alleging that
it was a clerical mistake. The records
of the mayors court of Carbondale
were again brought into service and
it was shown that the John Kane in
question had been naturalized in 1861,
while John Kays who would have the
commission believe he was the person
meant by John Kane" did not come
to this country urtil after the war,
according to his own previous testi-
mOnY.
Tax Collector S. w. Finn, of the Six
teenth ward Of Scranton, swore that
John j. Gibbons had not paid taxes to
him in 1926 or 1896 rs he alleged when
being examined.
JOHN M'CANN'S VOTE.
William Boland, proprietor Of the
Forest house in the First district of
the First ward, and a. a. Kintzer one
of his employees, We're called to prove
that John Mccain, who voted in the
First district of the Second ward, had
taken up his residence in the Forest
house just before election. Neither one
of them could remember the exact date,
but they each believed 1t was around
election time.
Frank Lahey came back conscience
stricken TO tell the commission that
he had sworn falsely when he stated
that he had paid taxes to l.. H, Wint,
collector of the Thirteenth ward of
Scranton on June 49, 1896. After re-
turning home, the day he was first eX-
amined, he learned that his brother to
whom he had given the money with
which to pay the taxes, had neglected
to pay them and only gave it to the
collector some four weeks ago.
William j. Gillette swore that Patrick
O'Boyle who voted in the First district
of the First ward, had moved to an
other ward just before election.
Those disqualified from their own
testimony were Thomas Fahey and
John Brown, of the Second district of
the Second ward, who had never been
naturalized.
Today Tax Collectors Boland and
Savage viii be called to the stand for
cross-eXamination, and it is likely also
that the contestants will offer in evil
dence the defective aftidavits by which
number of additional votes will be
disqualified.
MAY TAKE AN APPEAL.