Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-09-25

side the squares. or marked in the square
under the party and again at the right of
the name, thrown out as defective when
there was no possible room to doubt the
intention of the voter. And again ballots
marked in the square under the party
name Of one candidate in another column
have been thrown out as defective as to
the entire ticket when they were in fact
only defective as to the one office marked
twice.
c. H. Davenport formerly editor of the
Brattleboro Reformer and democratic can
didate for senator from Windham county
has served written notice on Charles d.
Spencer that he will contest his election to
the Senate. Mr.. Davenport proposed TO
his competitor that they. both sign a joint
request for a recount, waving so far as
they were concerned the question of le-
gaity which republican lawyers in tho
county had raised. but Spencer declined on
the ground that it would he a violation Of
the law. The recount of votes on the state
and county tickets asked for by Chairman
Calvin of the democratic county commit
tee had been partly made when. on the adj
vice Of lawyers of the county, 1t was stop
ont on the question, providing that as
soon as may be" after counting the bal
lots shall be sealed and kept by town
clerks subject to call by the Legislature
| OF the towns recounted three report no
change, the others show a change of ~
| for Davenport and one for Spencer by cor
recton of miscounts and eight for Daven.
| o,,I frr ,IJ r,o1 1,tr
the rule adopted in the count at Brattlc-
| boro.
| 1t is claimed, according to the CORE
spondent of the Springfield Republican.
that the democratic county committee has
information regarding mscounts and i'm
proper rejection of ballots in five towns
that amount to POI votes and that If this
ratio of change in the other towns is
shown, Spencer's majority would be wiped
out and Davenport elected by 50 votes Tho
official investigation which is asked for
may, of course, change the ratio and
thereby confirm the election Of Spencer.
On the face of it Spenccrs election by a
very small margin is likely to be declared.
Davenport ran nearly 400 votes ahead of
his ticket
The carrying of the contests in question
to the Legislature will almost inevitably
lead to the contesting of elections in other
counties In Chittenden county, for ex-
ample it is claimed that the strict letter
of the law would result in the seating of
the republican candidates on the county
ticket and there were also Irregularities
in Rutland and Washington counties. The
points presented include the failure to post
the voting lists according to law, the ar
rangement of the ticket so that many who
desired to vote for the republican candi-
dates for sheriff and States attorney were
misied by the Clement fusion. failure to
administer the oath to those who signed
P nomination papers for fling and irregular
tiles In the printing of names of candi-
dates.
A number of contests over the election
Of town representatives have also been re-
ported IN addition to those already an
; nourced In Windham county Athens and
, Dummerston have representative contests
in prospect, while the town of Sudbury in
Rutland county is witnessing a contest in
actual progress. A. w. Hyde ran on the
, republican ticket for representative from
= Sudbury and w. *. Sawyer ran on the
democratic ticket though his choice for
governor after giving his own candidate
n complimentary vote Is, understood to- he
General Mccullough Sawyer won. on the
second ballot and Hyde, who is also ir
favor of license. contests the election OF
, Sawyer on the ground that three of the
votes which the election officers counted
rs scattering should have been counted for
, him. It appeared from the testimony tina,
, these three votes were all marked with a
cross in the republican column but that
none Of the crosses We're in the square al
the right of Hydes name. If the legisla-
tive committee decides that the intention
Of the voters who marked these three bal
lots was to vote for Hyde and that those
votes should be counted for him, he Will
be declared elected by a majority OF one.
If all contests are carried to the Legs-
lature every side will both lose and gain
for no party claims a monopoly of defec
tive ballots, and the net result is not like
ly to affect the strength of either guber
material candidate materially. II estmat
ing their strength in the Legislature thu
Mccullough managers are understood t.
:. have made allowances for cases of thi
rharacter, as they could with their wild
margin.
1t is evident, however. that the poltica
mx-up which has prevailed ever since tn
beginning of the present year is likely t.
be continued over the lesser offices whei
the Legislature meets, and all parties ar
q likly to be in position to celebrat
THANKSGIVING Immediately after the ad
,r If not strenuous, feeling.