The record-union., 1898-11-20
HELD FOR ILLEGAL VOTING.
YOUNG JOHN WEIGH FINDS IT
NO JOKE.
Held to Answer by Justice Candy
on the Testimony Of Elec-
ton Off


Davis in the City Justices court yes
terday morning, and resulted in his
being held to answer to the Superior
Court with bail fixed in the sum of
81, 800.
Clinton C. Fisher was the first wit
ness called. He is railroad brake
man and was at the polling place of the
18th precinct, Third Supervisor Dis
trict in the interest of w. T. Forsman,
candidate for the Assembly, when
WEIGH entered.
The witness testified that Welch en-
tered the polls between and 10 o'clock
in the morning The polls We're stu
ated in a barn on Seventeenth street,
between o and p, The witness said
that when WEIGH entered he called out
the name of John Joseph WEIGH and
gave as his residence 1914 + street.
One of the clerks turned to the name
in the Great Register, asked WEIGH If
he was the party, and the latter said
he was He voted and went out The
witness saw him about o'clock in
the afternoon, when Officer Butler had
him under arrest. He was recognized
by the election officers as the man who
voted the name of John Joseph WEIGH.
Witness said Butler took WEIGH out
side to wait for a car on which to es-
cort him to the police station, but that
WEIGH started to run. He got to Sew
enteenth and streets, where he slip
ped on a terrace, fell, and was recap
tured.
Eugene s. Wachhorst, Deputy County
Clerk, being sworn, produced the min
utes of the Board of Supervisors con-
tanning the election proclamation.
Welch's attorney, c. T. Jones, admit
ted, however, that the election had been
regularly held, that his client, John
WEIGH, voted at the polling places of the
Twelfth Precinct, Third District; that
John Joseph Welch was a qualified
elector of the precinct, and that John
Welch was not john Joseph WEIGH, and
that he was not a qualified elector of
the precinct
In answer to questions the witness,
Wachhorst, turned to the register and
found that John WEIGH was qualified
elector of the Thirteenth Precinct,
Third Supervisor District, that his age
was given as % years, hair black and
eyes hazel; that John Joseph Welch
was "a years Of age, had blue eyes and
gray hair, and that the poll list of the
Thirteenth Precinct showed that John
WEIGH had not voted there.
H. c. Soule, attorney-at-law, testi-
fed that on the morning of election he
had talked with John WEIGH before the
polls a short time before the latter
voted. After WEIGH had gone into
booth to vote the witness heard talk
between him and some of the election
officers with regard to the names
s'Welch" and walsh" and on Welch
asking them if it was all right, was
given an affirmative reply. The witness
said WEIGH was under the influence of
liquor. He considered every man more
or less under the influence of liquor af-
ter he had taken one drink.
j. F. DIETRICH, inspector at the pre-
cinct, remembered having seen Welch,
but could not recollect whether he
gave the name of John Welch or John
j.. or J. j. Welch.
Emil o. Bayer election clerk, said
he was uncertain when WEIGH entered
whether he gave the name Of John
WEIGH or John Walsh. He looked on
the register for walsh and found no
such name. WEIGH had been given a
blank ballot, and was called out of the
booth and looked over witness Shout
der at the register. Witness asked him
if his name was John Joseph WEIGH.
residence 1914 P street, and he said
yes, and asked if it was all right, and
being answered affirmatively went
back into the booth, filled out his bal
lot and voted.
The evidence of III. S. Mcintyre, tally
clerk, was even stronger than that of
Mr. Bayer He testified that Welch
came in, announced his name as John
w 1914 d CD
and was given a ballot. After his first
announcement WEIGH gave his name
as Walsh, and the witness told Clerk
thing was wrong Thereupon WEIGH
was called out Of the booth and as
serted that his name was John Jo-
seph WEIGH, and that he resided at
1914 P street After he came out of
the booth his name was again an
nounced as j. J. WEIGH. On cross-ex-
animation the witness admitted that
there was a bare possibility that he
might have been mistaken with respect
to names but felt positive that he had
made no mistake.
The evidence of J. G.. Ha1derman,
ballot clerk, was in the main corrobo-
rative of the evidence given by other
election officers.
John joseph WEIGH was placed on
the stand and testified that he had
resided and voted in the precinct for
sixteen years and that his name was
on the Great Register prior to the last
election.
Officer H. NJ Butler testified to hav-
ing arrested j. Welch. Witness sent
boy into the house for Welch, and
when the latter came out he told him
a man wanted to see him around the
corner WEIGH, according to the wit
ness said Its about that voting bus
mess, amt it?'' The witness took him
down to the polling place and he was
identified by the election officials. Wit
ness took WEIGH outside and informed
him that he proposed taking him to
the police station on the next car |
WEIGH said: ssI'll be id if you take
me down." and started to rum Wit
ness gave chase and fired two shots in |
the air to stop him, but he kept going |
until he fell at Seventeenth and o
streets.
John WEIGH took the stand on his |
own behalf He said he had never
voted before except at a primary cleo
ton. He lived at 1922 o street. and |
had been Sergeant-at-Arms of the |
Seventh Ward Republican Club, which |
held it's meetings near the Seventeenth |
street polls, and he thought the latter |
was his polling place and voted there. |
He said he positively did not tell the |
election officials that his name was |
John J. Welch, and did not say that his |
residence was 1914 p street. He said |
he had no interest in the election other |
than AS an ordinary citizen and that |
ho ctafd in front Of tha r,rlfc q ho1f /