Omaha daily bee., 1898-12-22
BALLOT WORKS BOTH WAYS
Popoorats Tum the Law TO Good Account in
Fillmore County.
REVERSIBLE RULE PANS OUT sPlENolDLY
Dissretion OF Election Boards Used to
Aid the Counting In Of q Couple
of Legislators Who May He
Unseated.

LINCOLN, Dec. 21.-tSpeclal.) a re-
suit Of the present complicated ballot law,
an election contest is on down in Fillmore
county, which will create some interest
when the legislature meets. On the face
OF the returns the two popocratic candi-
dates for the house were elected, one by
ten votes and the other by fourteen votes
over the leading republican candidate. The
other republican was forty votes behind the
lowest populist 1t has been ascertaned that
Q great deal Of scratching was INDUCED in
by the fusionists, and that their legsla-
tive ticket was affected thereby But the
election boards in all the precincts were
in the hands of the popocrats, and the
count was regulated so that the cause OF
reform" would have the best OF 1t on
every point. Where a populist made a cross
Indicating a straight ticket, and then voted
for one OF the republican legislative candi-
dates, the judges always registered a vote
for one OF the populist candidates too, al
though the law was directly to the contrary.
But In precincts where straight republicans
voted for one populist, then the ballot was
counted according to law. II a uniform
method OF counting had been adopted in all
the precincts, no matter whether 1t was
the legal or the illegal method, at least
elected. The republican members OF the
elections boards have made affidavit as to
the way the count was manipulated and
showing that one IL not both OF the repub-
lican candidates were fairly elected. To
get at the real facts in the case a contest has
been commenced to bring about a recount
OF the votes. The fusionists Of the county
fearing the result Of such a move some
weeks ago filed papers in a case whereby
they were contesting the election Of a
county commissioner. BY this they OBJ.
tained possession OF the ballots OF three
Of the precincts, and although they failed
to serve notice on the proper officers as
required by law, they refuse to give up the
ballots. The republicans propose to take
the matter before the legislature, and the
general opinion is that IL the ballots from
the three precincts are still held back the
recount can proceed on those that are at
hand and the result be declared. Inasmuch
as the three precincts are popocratc SO far
as the legislative part of the ticket is con-
cerned, such a recount would result in the
seating OF both of the republican members.
State Penitentiary Statistics.
The warden OF the penitentiary reports
on the condition Of the institution, showing
that on November 30, 1898, there were 29O
inmates. During the two years the great
est number was reached In July, 1897, when
there were 339 confined In the prison. The
report says that the general health and
discipline has been good and that the
officers and employees have all performed
their duties WELL The value OF improve
ments for the biennium is given as
$6,S31.06 The financial statement shows
that at the commencement OF the period
the unexpended balance OF the old appro-
pration for maintenance was $27,5S6.57
and that during the period this was drawn
upon to tie extent of $19.s24.33 OF the in
cidental funds OF the old appropriation
$535.59 were used during the period. Of the
appropriation made hi 1897 SIS, IS had
been used from the maintenance furd and
$4l9.27 from the other funds. SO that the
total amount spent in maintaining the in
stitution from November 2O 1896. to No
vember 30. 1898, was $4O.14S74, about one
half Of which was drawn from the old ap-
preparation before 1t lapsed on the first Of
August, 1897. The warden recommends the
following appropriations for the next two
years: