The St. Louis Republic., 1901-01-24
Witnessed No Fraud at the Polls
in the Twelfth Congressional
District.
QUESTIONED ABOUT ASSAULTS.
Evidence Revealed Dissension
Among Republicans in Twenty
Third Ward-Inquiry Into Re-
canvass by Census Officials.

In the Horton Butler contest proceedings
In room No. COS. Bank oc Commerce build
ing. sixteen judges and clerk: of election
! In the Twelfth Congressional District gave
testimony before Notary Eugene Buder,
! none OF whom established the perpetra-
| tfon OF fraud at the last election.
Dissension among the Republicans of tie
Twenty-third Ward was developed, and It
| was SHOWN that two factions were active
at the time Of the Republican city prbna-
RES which were known as the "Ba lmhuff"
and "anti-Baumhoff" factions. Evidence
was adduced tending to show that Pat
clark, the Republican City Central Com
mitteeman of the Twenty-third WarJ, ia
Sored the "anti-Baumhoff'' faction and that
MS influence went far toward procuring ap-
pointments as Republican judges and
clerks.
Ohe OF the first witnesses examined Of the
lnor rhlhg session was Emil Kleiser OF No.
Sifi caroline street, Republican Judge of
election In the Tenth Precinct of the Tween
.s-Inilo ward On direct examination.
hleiser testified that a number Of ballots
which he thought were in the baII,t box
prior 10 the count subsequently dissp-
pearec- When cross-examined by Attorney
ben r. clark, he admitted that he did Lot
see any one remove the ballots. did not
know when they disappeared, but lad
oaseo ms statement on the slight discrrp-
ancy found between the number of ballots
cast and the number recorded
Other witnesses examined wera- Havia
hushes' No. s4c4 Caroline street; John Nc
Siuskey. No. S42i Caroline street; Joseph j.
honsen; toon No; 81, SSSs Rutger street; Frank Gle
soon, no. ssS4 Manchester avenue; .oseph
MeiS No. 3{l7 Clark avenue: Frank
Bisehon. No. 35l6 Manchester avenue: Hen
rry =; Grimm, No: SzlS Eads avenue; George
Grotpeter. No. sl34 La Sale: Joseph M.
Lannigan, No. 5,us La Sale street; J. III.
EEotnsehIid, No. S5Sl1 Laclede avenue;
Albert Schooner. No. 80. Chouteau Avenue:
Albert thinner, No. 32os Chouteau avenue:
nce.
Saw No Irregularities.
None of the witnesses could point to
anything Irregular in the election, except
Mr.. Schooner and MIR. thinner. Mr.. Schoen-
ing place OF the Eighth Precinct Of the
Twenty-third Ward. He said that although
he objected to allowing man named
Joseph Stead 10 vote, believing him 10 be
nonresident of the precinct, his objec-
tiCn was oyerruled and the ballot was cast
On cross-examination he admitted that he
did not know positively whether Stead was
entitled TO vote In the precinct or not,
but had acted upon a suggestion from Al
bert thinner. a Republican clerk. Mr. Zim-
mer was the next witness summoned de
declared that he was clerk at the recent
election and lived at No. S21l Chouteau sy-
enue. In the course OF his testimony he
no right TO vote In the Eighth Precinct and
that he considered his registration from
No 800 Chouteau avenue an error. Wit
ness declared the building at No. 320o Chou
teau avenue was occupied as a grocery
store He knew Stead. he said. but prior
to election day had not seen him for sew
eral months.
On cross-examination thinner admitted
that the building at No. 900 Chouteau ay-
enue was two-story brick building; mat
Mr; and Mrs. Sehrieoer occupied the up
Stead might have lived there for several
weeks prior TO election day, without wit
nesss knowledge When asked If he knew
whether Stead was a brother Of Mrs
Schrieber the witness replied that he did not
positively know. but was OF the opinion
that he was not volunteering the in1orma-
tion that Stead was Irish and Mrs Schrieo-
er of German extraction. Witness said the
election was regularly conducted and that
the number of ballots cast agreed with tbs
number OF names recorded by the clerks
At 4 O'Clock Notary Buder announced ad-
Journment until 10 O'Clock to-day.
Before Notary Morrill,
Before Notary North In the Iaclede build
ing. Judge Fssse, counsel for the contestee,
and Hiram Moore, counsel for contestant,
examined witnesses until l o'clock Judge
Fisse's idea In the examination was TO
show that there were many disturbances
at the polls on election day and that Cap
day was an unusually quiet one was not in
accordance with the facts. He succeeded
In developing evidence showing an assault
on negro ngfned George Griffin OF No.
llos Wash street and Mike Dello, an Italian
OF No. s0s Franklin avenue. told OF his ar
rest on election day. He said that he was
a Republican challenger at the polls and
was arrested on a charge Of carrying con-
cealed weapons. He admitted that he had
a revolver in his possession
Elmer L. Moone. a canvasser. employed
by Mr.. McBurney, In taking the sPeciai
census. who gave his direct evidence Tues
day, was cross-examined by Mr.. Moore
The cross-examination OF the
witness was to prove that the recanvass
was carelessiy taken and had no bearing on
the question OF fraudulent voting, because
IL was not commenced until December ~
SIX weeks after the election.
The examination Will be resumed to-day
In the Commercial Bank building and the
Laclede building before Notaries Buder and
North.