The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-05
KENTUCKY STATE BOARn oE
ELECTION BEGINS CANVASS OF
THE RETURNS
SOME LIVELY WORK DONE
BUSINESS IS RAPIDLY DISPOSED
OF, WITH BUT ONE EXCITING
INCIDENT
FIREWORKS TO COME LATER

testing BOdy-Then 1t Is Expected
the Trouble VIII Begin-There
Are Many Disputed Points to BE
Passed UpOn-DoubIe Returns.
FRANKFORT, KY, Dec. A-Fifty-one
counties were canvassed by the Kentucky
state board Of election commissioners to-
oav' out OF total Of 119 In the state. OF
these hfty-one counties five were passed
over, to be considered Immediately upon
conclusion Of the work Of the canyassine
board.
Inc counties canvassed give Goebel
total vote of 74,164. and Taylor GS, ,97S. .
Inc counties passed over are Christian,
Fleming, Green, Harlan and Harrison.
Ihe board met at 1880 o'clock in the
once OF Secretary Of State Finley, all
three members-ex-Chief Justice Pryor.
OF the state supreme court; W. L. Ellis
and c. B. Poyntz-beins present No time
was wasted, and Immediately the board
got down to business. There was a clash
between the commissioners and Secretary
OF State Finley, who, by virtue of his
office, acted as custodian OF the
certificates received from the county
baords of election.
I'VE are ready for the returns, Mr..
Finley" said Judge Pryor.
"Adatr county," replied the secretary.
handing out an envelope.
why don't you give us the returns
from the entire state?" inquired Mr.. Ellis.
II am, custodian Of these returns" re-
Piled Mr.. Finley, and. as such, prefss
to keep them in my own hands. do
nS
instant misuse them, but, as they are in
my charge and am responsible for them,
I cannot give them up except as they ara
required by the board -
''They are the property of the board,
Mr.. Finley" replied Mr.. Ellis, land the
board has all the right in the world to
have them. one by one, or all at once, as
it may elect. I am willing that you
should be joint custodian of the records
while they are in the possession of the
board, but consider even that a cOnces=
sion on the part Of the board
II must decline to hand them over"
I quest leave to consult with my legal adj
I visers."
Mr.. Ellis waved his hand In assent, and,
after a short talk with Augustus Wilson,
of Louisville, the attorney acting for the
Republican party, Mr.. Finley turned
around. remarking: 'I will waive The
point Mr.. Ellis. Here are the returns
and he handed them out
This was practically the only argument
/ that occurred during the day, and IL was
carried on without bitterness or discOur-
tesy on either side.
CANVASS WAS RAPID.
Once begun the canvass went on rap
Idly, thirteen counties being disposed Of
when the board adjourned at clock
for dinner. 1t reconvened at $780, and
within three hours tfrirty-eight counties,
including the three that were passed over,
were canVassed.
The board will meet again at $3.50 to-
morrow morning.
The first county over which any trouble
arose was Christian, which gave ISIS
votes to Goebel and 3,471 to Taylor. 1t
was passed On account of alleged irregu-
larities In the precinct OF HopkinsVille,
which will be made the subject of dis
cussion before the contesting board to-
morrow or Wednesday. Fleming county
was the next county laid over for future
argument The county commissioners
first certified to 1883. votes for Goebel and ,
1890 for Taylor. Later they discovered
errors in the count and sent substitute
certificate giving Goebel In and Taylor
1865 The county was passed by mutual
consent of Democrats and Republicans
Green county was passed on account or
alleged irregularities in the Brentwood
precinct When Harlan county was call
ed Judge Hargis, acting as chief adviser
for the Democratic party, arose ana ask
ed that the county be passed on account
of Irregularities the nature Of which, he
declared, he was unable to state, being In
ignorance concerning them. He knew.
there were some, however.
Mr.. Wilson quizzed him a little as to
the nature of the trouble, but Judge Har-
r-ig bah hh charges
and did not know what they were. The
county was passed as he requested, the
Republicans offering no objection.
The election commissioners Of Harrison
county sent two certificates footing up
differently, because of trouble in Gym
thiana This was on account of an In
junction issued against them by Judge
Kimbrough, ordering them to certify for
all the Republican candidates. The first
certificate was filed In accordance with
the Injunction. The injunction being dis
solved later, the second certificate was
filed, making difference or lSS votes In
Taylor's count.
1t will probably take the board the
greater part of tomorrow to canvass the
returns of the remaining counties, and
It will then resolve itself into a contest
ing body, adjourn to q large hall, and
for a time vertable fireworks will be
in order The real work that will count
for the election Of Goebel or Taylor will
begin then, and every inch will be fought
fiercely on both sides.
There was nothing in the work of today
that will count for much unless it be
the decision of the commissioners in the
canvass of Breckin county. Here the
poles were closed with twenty-three Dem
ccrats and six Republicans waiting to
vote all desiring to vote the straight par
ty tickets They were at the polls in time
to vote but the supply of regular ballots
had been exhausted and their votes were
refused. The county commissioners ask
ed that the votes be admitted. The board
denied the request, as 1t had no power
to GO behind the certified returns
In the canvass Of Breckenridge county
it was discovered that two certificates Of
election had been filed. the county Off
GERS desiring to alter the count given IN
their first certificate. Commissioner Ellis
asked the attorneys to declare themselves
on this point, as it might be Of Importance
later on. He wanted to know If the at
torneys were of the opinion that the
county officers had a right to make cor
rections at date subsequent to the orig
inal filing of the certificate. The Demo-
Gratis said nothing, but the Republicans
assented audibly.
The city was very quiet today. large
number of men, most of them Republic
ans came in from outlying counties.