Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-11-14

case there was no objection
to the board canvassing the
returns in the rear of the
poll book, if there was no contest.
He was of the opinion that the board
could not recount the ballots, and that
it could do nothing but take the poll
book, and reach its conclusions from
that. Captain Jacques then made a
brief address asking the board to con-
slider the matter from his view, and
make a decision in that way.
After he had finished, the board vot-
ed unanimously to reject the propo-
sition of Captain Jacques to have the
clerks and judges of the sixth ward
recalled to rectify any error there
might be.
Another Proposition.
When this proposition was rejected,
Captain Jaques made another PROPOSE
ton that the board should take into
consideration the tally sheet and make
| its return from that together with the
! total votes cast and tho returns in tn
lear of the book This proposition wa.
also rejected and the board proceeded
to canvass the returns as provided by
law. The board based it's opinion in
rejecting the offer of Captain Jaques
to take into consideration the tally
sheets of the law under which they
are governed which says specifically
i that they shall be governed by this re-
turn. The board was unanimous in all
it's rulings, and it feels that it had no
legal right to deviate from the appar-
ent very plain construction OF the law
| iph hop,, f,,r,
Boards Finding.
The board agreed that if the mis-
take had been made, it did not appear
in the returns sworn to by the judges
and clerks from the sixth ward, and il
either of the parties were not satisfied
with their finding, they had the right
as provided by law for the government
of all such cases of a contest board.
Error in Eighth.
| After the decision in the sixth ward
matter has been made the work of can
wasting the remaining townships pro
crossed rapidly. When the eighth
ward was reached it was found thai
the returns had not been certified tt
by the judges and clerks from that pre-
cinct A further investigation was
made and it was found that the same
conditions existed in Green township
The board at once ordered the sheriff
to procure the judges and clerks O.
these two precincts and have then
properly sign the returns while it was
in session.
Mistake in Fifth lmmatcriaI.
The mistake in the fifth ward vii
have no other effect on the candidate
for sheriff other than all Of the candi
dates total vote will be lessened by
the total number of votes cast for thai
office in the fifth ward. Cremer an(
Gray tied at 243. while Ferguson poll
ed 80 votes. None of these were take!
into consideration by the board.
No further changes were made unit
Competine township was reached
/ Here the envelope upon which the re
turns were first reported showed Dam
rs and Chisman 101. When the vott
of this township was canvassed, thu
return showed Dana had rs and CHS
man 100. All the returns agreed ant
there was nothing to do Dut tally 10
for Chisman. This takes one vot
from his total and brings his claim o
election down to three plurality. A
the time of going to press the boar
had just finished canvassing Compe
tine township and no further change
had been recorded.