Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1899-11-17
Board So Decides In Regard to
Precinct No. |.
Court House Thrown Out Reduc-
ing TayIor's rIajority
TO 055.

Tuesday morning and resumed the
canvass of the votes cast a week
before.
AT the request of the chairman
the session was opened with prayer
by Judge ]. |. Landes.
The first business was the hear
ing of argument on the question of
the Board S right to inquire into the
legality of the votes canvassed.
Judge Landes, for the Republi-
cans, argued that the duties of the
Board were purely ministerial and
that 1T had no power to examine re-
turns as to their legality.
Mr.. c. H. Bush, for the Demo-
Gratis, took the contrary view and
held that fraud vitiated everything
it touched and if there had been
fraud, or irregularities tainted with
fraud, it was not only the right but
the duty of the Board to inquire
into the charges.
Mr.. Feland held to the opinion
expressed by Judge Landes and the
other members decided that under
Sec. II of the election law they had
a right to examine all charges of
fraud.
This section is the emergency
clause added to the bill "because of
frauds now perpetrated in this
commonwealth" If the law was
passed to prevent fraud, they held
that it ought to inquire and examine
into every charge of fraud brought
to notice affecting the legality of
the returns.
The Board thereupon summoned |
before 1t the four officers of Hop
kinsville precinct No. l and upon
motion of Mr.. Feland their testi-
mony was taken down in shorthand.
Without going into details it is
enough to say that the evidence of
all four of the officers agreed as to
the main facts in regard to the ir-
Irregularities reported. The clerk
failed to endorse as official a major
lty OF all the ballots cast. The polls
were closed for some time contrary
to law, the officers differing as to
the length OF time, some SAYING ga
short while" and others As minutes.
The ballot-boX was opened and a
blank ballot taken therefrom. the
Democratic Judge giving up his key
under protest. Persons not autho-
rlzed by law to be in the room were
during the election and the s
two Democratic officers testified !
that they were threatened with
Both judges agreed that some of
he city ballots were taken out with
he stubs attached and counted.
The Republican Judge said there
we're one or two and the Democratic
Judge said there were g or s, all Re-
publican ballots. There were other
Irregularities, such as the iudge 7
tamping the ballots, etc.
AT the conclusion of the taking of
estlmony, a motion was adopted 6
10 count the vote of the :
recinct, the Republican member
issenting.
The official returns were then
ccePted aud adopted in p pre- p
nets, Taylor's vote being 3,471
nd Goebel's 2,8l6.
The Board met again Wednesday
nd continued the work in hand, N
1lding two sessions. ef
The tables of county and city II
ties, after being verified, were NJ
AIDE the basis of the certificates, 90
a majority vote.
The Pembroke contest was also
ken up and evidence heard show
g that the city ballots in North Gi
,mbroke were placed in a sepa- tn,
tie ballot box with the stubs Re
ded inside of them. Mr.. Feland eel
we'd that these ballots be thrown
/ and his motion was adopted,
:. Meacham dissenting. J
The effect of this was to elect ]. IT,
Jackson city marshal of Penn No
IKE by one vote over J. M. Nc We