The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-12-10
Few People About the state Capitol,
and Apparently Little Interest
Taken in the Proceedings.
JUDGE T0NEY RESTRAINED
MUST NOT ISSUE WRITS of MANDA-
MUS IN ELECTION TIMES.
Another Decision by the Court of APP
peaIs Against Use of Ballots on Tis-
sue or Transparent Paper.

FRANKFORT. Ky, Dec. AT 9:4o
o'clock this morning the election certificate
of William s. Taylor was signed by the
election commissioners, and he was de-
clared to be Governor-elect of Kentucky.
The official figures of the vote filed with
Secretary of State Finley are:
Taylor Observation-Disclosures 1gS,l4
Goebel ............................ lsl'5ol
Taylor plurality. y....................... 5000
The operation, which ended for the time
| being. at least, the bitterly fought guber
Material contest, was conducted in the SIM
plest manner. The majority opinion of
| Commissioners Pryor and Ellis and the MI
nority opinion of Commissioner Poyntz,
made public late last night, were not read
to-day. as was the original intention. The
three commissioners walked first to the Of
| fee Of the clerk of the State Supreme
Court. where they filed two opinions. They
then passed into the office Of the secretary
of state. Clerk Chenault, of the Board Of
| Commissioners, read the figures showing
that the Republican candidates for Office
| on the State ticket had received the largest
number of votes, and then certificates Of
| election were signed at once, that of Mr..
| Taylor being the first on the list. There
| were only fourteen people in the room at
| the time, and of this number only two were
there as idle spectators. There was no
crowd around the building. and no interest
| was manifested in the work save by those
| engaged In it, and those who stood looking
| on. The three commissioners were all ap-
| parently in good humor, although Commits
| sioners Ellis and Pryor. who had done the
most work in preparing their long and
| elaborate opinion, looked worn and tired.
| The certificates, as soon as signed, were
filed with the secretary of state, and COM
missions will be issued to the elected men
| at once by Governor Bradley.
Late last night, when the decision had
| gone forth to the public, Commissioner Ell
| lis, on whose shoulders the greatest part
of the work of preparing the opinion has
| fallen, discussed the matter freely. This
has been a hard thing for me- he said, his
| eyes inflamed by loss of sleep, and the
heavy lines in his face bearing eloquent
witness to the truth of his statement. 1T
has been a hard thing for all of us. 1 wish.
| however, that all of the people of the coun-
| try should know how nobly Judge Pryor
| has acted in this matter, and how consci-
entiously he has done what he considered
his duty. He is great man, one of the
greatest in my opinion, that Kentucky has
ever produced. and 1 am sure his conduct
| in this case will reflect more credit on his
| long and honorable career as a public off,
| Ger.
Speaking for myself continued Mr.. FL
| lis, Il say frankly did not like to do this
thing, but under the law and the evidence
there is nothing else I can do and be an
4 .s.~.., ~.
| bel man. 1 was Goebel man long before
| he received the nomination.. and l am
Goebel man now. I can, go beyond that
and say 1 am a Goebel partisan. 1 have
| always been a partisan in politics. rank
partisan, and it would give me greater
pleasure than l can express to be able to
declare for the Democrats in this thing,
but I can't do it. The proceedings before
the board were so overwhelmingly in favor
of the Republicans and they had so much
the best Of the arguments that 1t is almost
idle to discuss the affair. There was, to
the minds of Judge Pryor and myself only
one thing to do. and that we have done. I
know there are plenty Of men who think
that. strong Democratic partisan as have
always been, I should have remained a
Democratic partisan and voted otherwise
How can I do that? How can 1 commit
such a rape on my reputation and con-
science as that? Viewed from the legal
standpoint, / have done what my con-
science and my long career as a lawyer
tells me is right, and will do otherwise
for no man or upon any consideration"
The statements made by Mr.. Ellis have
been upheld by his conduct from first to
last throughout the canvass. He did all
Of the questioning Of the attorneys and
seemed at every stage to be most anxious
to obtain the truth and be impartial TO both
sides.
Mr.. Goebel was apparently In the best of
humor. after being told that Mr.. Taylor's
certificate had been signed. He laughed
and shook his head when asked If he had
anything to say. Not thing am not
talking" he replied.
when will you make a contest?"
'I have not decided yet, and 1. Of course.
cannot discuss it when 1 do not know 1t
myself"
The defeated candidate was game to the
last and If there was any Ill humor in him,
nobody knew it but himself.
Mr.. Taylor was modest and reticent as
usual. IL expected it. OF course" he said:
II knew that If the commissioners went by
the law and the evidence they could do
nothing else than decide the way they have
DONE
Commissioner Poyntz declined to sign the
Republican certificates OF election, saying
he stood by the opinion he had rendered
and could not consistently do so. He con-
sented to sign the certificates OF the rail-
road commissioners. however
Senator Goebel left for his home at Toy.