The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-11-15
POLITICAL GOSSIP.
tcontinued from Firgt Page.l
wichita. The appointment viii be

A. A. Sharpe. Republican nominee for
the legislature in Pawnee county, will
tie NJ Sweeney, the fusion candidate.
and the result will have to be determ-
ined by drawing lots, unless Sweeney re-
fuses to take part in such proceeding
and contests Sharpe's election in the leg
islature, as he announces that he Will
do On the face of the returns Sweeney
had two majority in the county. but
there was a Republican vote in West
Pawnee precinct which had been chal-
lenged and sworn in, but which the cleo
ton board had refused to count.
Sharpe's friends alleged that this vote
was all right and should be counted, and
they secured a writ of mandamus from
Judge Ilobdell to compel the board tC,
count this ballot which reduced Swee-
neys majority to only one. The election
board al first refused to obey the man
damus, but at last concluded it would
be better to yield to the court. During
the hearing Sweeney arose and de-
nounced the whole proceeding as an at
tempt to count him out, and asked the
court to end the farce. He said if he
was counted out he would fight to the
end in the legislature. There is one OLD
soldier vote for Pawnee county in the
Dodge City soldiers home, and this will
make Shapes vote even with Sweeney's
and the tie will have to be decided by
lot.
The contest over the member of the
legislature from Barber county is ex-
pected to reach the supreme court be-
fore long. On the face of the returns
Walker, the fusion candidate, had five
plurality, but the Republicans claimed
that the tally sheet in Elwood township
showed that Nixon, the Republican can
didate, had received IS votes there, while
only 10 had been counted for him. This
would give him 8 plurality over Walker
and entitle him to the certificate of cleo
ton. When the vote was canVaSSed a
member of the election board in that
township came before the county COM
board had started out to count all the
straight ballots first and had counted
eight straight Republican ballots but in
completing the count these had been
counted over again along with those
which were not straight. He said the
total OF ten votes for Nixon was correct
and not eighteen, Notwithstanding that
there were Is tally marks for Nixon.
The county commissioners were going
to count the vote ten for Nixon, when
Nixon's friends secured a peremptory
writ of mandamus to compel them to
give him IS votes The fusionists claim
that the poll books in which the name
of each voter is written as he votes
shows that only 40 persons voted. OF
these Walker secured SO undisputed
votes, Nixon TO- there were three spoiled
ballots, and three voters failed to vote
for representative This count, it is as
serted. makes up the total of 40 voters,
but if Walker is given 33 and Nixon
Is, it makes a total of 81 votes
for representative, or two more than
there were ballots cast. This is the flu
sion side of the story, and it is expect
ed that they will shortly file an appeal
in the supreme court asking for re-
versal of Judge Gillett's order of man.
damuS.
The Greensburg Republican, out in
Kiowa county, has hoisted the follow
ing ticket at its masthead:
For President in 1904,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT,
of New York.