The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-02-02
NAH|))D HOLDS HIS SEAT
HOUSE REFUSES TO THROW OUT
THE LIE SUEUR COUNTY
DEMOCRAT
IT FRAUDS WERE COMMITTED
The Proper Rody, 1t Was Suggested,
to Inquire Into Them Is the LIE
SUeur County Grand
Jury.

Jury.
W. R. Mahood, Democrat, of LIE Sueur
county, is still a member of the Mime
sofa legislature, representing the Twenty
seventh district in the lower house
The attempt to throw Mr.. Mahood out
of the position and give the place to Her
bert E. Blair, the defeated Republican
candidate, resulted yesterday in the
house in confirming the election
of the Democratic member by a
vote of &c to "A. The con-
test trial began in the house yesterday
morning at II o'clock, and was complet-
ed al $3.50 p. m, time being taken for
lunch at noon. 1t was fraught with in
tense interest, and those who witnessed
1t saw a fight bitterly waged on each
side. The argument made by those COM
bining in the attempt to GUST Mr. Ma
hood was that it was a contest where
every element of partisanship had been
eliminated, but, notwithstanding this,
those Republicans who voted to retain
Mr.. Mahood were most emphatic in their
assertions that it would be mere pre-
sumption to throw the Democratic men,
Der out in the absence of any conclusive
evidence whatever, and would be regard
ed only as an arbitrary partisan act.
Mr.. Mahood was present during the en-
tire proceedings, but took no part and,
of course, did not vote on the result. The
house was crowded, many members from
the senate being present and visitors fill
ing the gallery and all the available space
on the floor.
Before the trial began it was agreed
that each attorney, Senator Hiles Hor-
ton for Mr.. Mahood, and ex-Lieut. Gov.
Ives for Mr.. Blair, be given one hour in
which to make his arguments. and that
Mr.. Ives be given the closing period. Pre-
ceding the arguments by counsel about
five pounds of testimony was brought out
and read by the clerk.
Mr.. Ives took the floor at 2:05 in de-
Tense of the claims of Mr.. Blair and held
it for thirty minutes. He reviewed the
testimony at length and recited legal ref
erences in support of his case. He claim
ed that the sixteen alleged illegal votes
cast were cast for Mahood and upon this
assertion based his remarks. The re-
markable feature Of the counseTs argu-
ment and of the report submitted by the
five Republican members of the commit
tee, constituting the majority, was that
their claims were based upon mere pre-
sumption.
Senator Horton followed Gov Ives with
a thirty five-minute argument. In the
course of his argument, he said: ''If you
throw Mr.. Mahood out, you will do so
suggestion of fact, and in my mind 1t
would not only be wrong but it would be
a very grave error for this great Re-
publican majority to be guilty Of"
Senator Horton admitted that there
may have been, doubtless were, sixteen
Illegal votes cast, but he added: 'If you
can show to me, gentlemen of this house
or of this committee, show to me by act
ual facts that these sixteen votes or any
OF them were cast for Mr.. Mahood I'll
abandon my case right here. 1 challenge
you to do it. You can't, and you know
You can't.
I'm the name Of honesty and the Re-
publican party of this state" continued
Mr.. Horton, cit is not becoming In us
to unseat a worthy man, an old member
and u good representative, because for
sooth he is a Democrat. What have you
against him, but that he is a Democrat?
Nothing"
Ex-Lieut. Gov Ives took the floor and
made a closing speech, exhausing his full
time.
When the counsel had spoken, Mr..
Dobbin, chairman of the majority faction,
asked for the privilege to address the
house in defense of the report Of his
committee. Some controversy took place
as to rights in this connection, but final
ly Mr.. Dobbin was allowed to proceed.
He delivered a labored argument in the
interest of Mr.. Blair, consuming twenty
minutes. Mr.. Hickey, Democrat, who
was chairman of the minority, consisting
of himself and Mr.. Cumming, took up five
minutes explaining to the house the mi
nority's reasons for making its report.
Mr.. Hickey made a plea for Mr.. Ma
hood on the ground of fair play. Leav-
Ing all presumption out of the case, he
contended there was no ground for Mr..
Blair's claim. On the facts shown Mr..
Mahood was entitled to his seat.
Mr.. Dobbin then moved the adoption OF
Mr. Dohbin then moved the adoption OF
the majority report, but it was decided
that this was not the proper procedure
and before a resolution could be franz
ed by the majority, Representative Hick-
ey sent up a resolution to decare Mahood
the duly elected representative. Mr.
Roberts forthwith offered a majority res
oluuOn as substitute, and 1t was given
precedence over the Hickey resolution.
The adoption of this resolution OF
course meant the election Of Mr.. Blair,
while its defeat gave the place TO Mr..
MahOGd. The vote was by roll call. AS
their names We're called several members
responded with speeches. Three members
Of the committee, whose names appeared
under the majority report, made the most
of their opportunity by making continu-
ed remarks upon the roll call. These
were Messrs. Roberts, Dobhin and Kelly
When tile name Of w. B. Anderson
Republican, of Winona, was called, thai
gentleman arose and said: LAS a lawyer
and as a member of this house, l must
conclude, after listening to all the tes
timony, that the evidence and argument
of the gentlemen opposed to Mr.. Mahoo6
are entirely inadequate and wholly un.
satisfactory. They do not show, to my
mind, that Mr. Mahood is not entitled
TO his seat. The best evidence they have
failed to bring before US. / cannot vote
to unseat man on such grounds.
If there was fraud perpetrated in thf
district which Mr.. Mahood represents
refuse to believe ne had anything to dc
with 1t. and ! do not think this house
ought TO infict a punishment upon ar
innocent man. Any such fraud should
be called to the attention Of the county
attorney Of LIE Sueur county, and ht
should ferret the matter out"
REPUBLICANS WERE DIVIDED.
The result of the ballot was as follows
For the Resolution-Allen, Alley, Arm.
strong G. w, Babcock, Barteau, Ben.
son. Bush, Cooke, Dobbin. Ferris. Gand.
rud, Harden, Haugen. Haugland, Hunt
iymes. Johnsrud. Kelly, Laybourne
Mallory, Miller. Norris Nelson. R. X
Nelson, w, Nolan. Ocobock, Ofsthun