The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-02-20
HORTON APPARENTLY
FAILS TO ESTABLISH
CASE AGAINST BUTLER.

rtIS ~ ~ HS1tStt
CASE AGAINST BUTLER.
Continued From Page One.
determined to rob them Of their adjudicated
and mandatory character. determined also
at the same time to make other words In
the same amended section the inheritors OF
the same quantum of mandatory force
The concluding phrase caused general
laugh and 4 member remarked: TOO many
juleps''
The reversing of Missouri decisions
brought out anecdotes of like apparent In
consistencies In other States. Mr.. Mann
cited Illinois cases which reversed each
other, and appeared in the same court re-
ports.
Mr.. Bowie: 'In Alabama We had a court
decision December 7. and a week later. De-
cember l., it was reversed by the same
court"
NO PROOF OF FRAUD IN
RAPID PRECINCT GROWTH.
Referring to the charge that registers had
been padded. Mr.. Rowe cited the unusual
growth of certain wards in ST Louis, es-
pecialiy the Twenty-eighth Ward. where the
population had grown quickly from 500 to
500: by various census comparisons he
showed that there was nothing conclusive
OF fraud in the fact that precinct popula-
ton had been swelled unduly.
Mr.. Smith of Iowa "One thing is apparent
In this case. 1t seems that IL fraud is COM
mitted In st. Louis the purchased voters
stay bought. In some localities this is not
always done. There are some gentlemen in
this country who regularly sell their votes
but fail to deliver them
Mr. Mann: II think the Democratic pres
identiai candidate in SO advised that.
Didn't he counsel his followers to take the
money and then'vote their own choice?"
Mr. Rowe remarked that he could not
conceive a Democrat selling his vote.
The Chairman: "In view OF the advice of
the candidate mentioned this is heresy."
U.aughter.)
ROWE ATTACKS ACCURACY
OF McBURNEY CANVASS.
Mr. Rowe then took up the testimony Of
McBurney as TO the accuracy of the can
vass made by him. He quoted McBurney's
statements that 1t was merely the figures
furnished him by some thirty canvassers.
and he did not know that they were accu-
rate. But three Of these canvassers had
sworn to the returns. said Mr.. Rowe. and
it will be seen. therefore, what weight Is to
be given this evidence.
Mr.. Fisse interrupted to say that twelve
or more of these canvassers had been ex-
ar1ined by him. but later on he corrected
this assertion and admitted that not more
than three were SO examined. This would
leave some thirty canvassers who had mere
" turned in the result of their inquiries
and did not certify to the accuracy OF their
work
Governor Powers of Maine. a Republican,
remarked that. in his opinion. such a cam
vass was lacking in authority and not at
all reliable as compared with the Federal
census.
HEARING AGAIN ASSUMES
FREE AND EASY TONE.
Chairman Tayier and Mr.. Mann Of Illi-
nois then questioned Mr.. Rowe as to the
number of voters registered In certain
houses on Chestnut street. near Twentieth.
which Chief Campbell had sworn were of
questionable character. In one house four
teen men were registered, and, in the dis
cussion of this point many suggestive
inquiries were made by members that the
hearing assumed the free and easy style of
a variety show
Mr. Rowe did not attempt to explain how
so many males happened TO be registered
in one of these houses. but maintained that
there was nothing in the testimony SUBJ
mitted by Horton to show that they were
not bonafide voters. nor was it shown that
these voters had cast their ballots for But
ler.
Mr.. Mann suggested that. where the con-
testant claimed that there had been con-
spiracy to defeat his election. and where
the McBurney canvassers reported that
they were unable to find men at addresses
given in the registration list. It would
have been easy for Butler to have estab-
lished the fact that they were there If It.
was true.
Mr.. Rowe would not admit that 1t was
incumbent upon the contestee to prove such
a fact, when the contestant failed to prove
the contrary, ard the matter was dropped.
Mr. Fisse then was asked by member
why he had not submitted proofs from the
city directory to show that there had been
false registration. He said he had asked
for this. but the new directory then was
being prepared. and the material could not
be had, and he was forced to rely upon the
McBurney canvass.
ROWE ASKED WHY OTHER
DISTRICTS WERE NOT STOLEN.
In his concluding remarks, Mr.. Rowe sus-
gested some facts which appeared to be
considered OF weight by the committee.
The Democrats said he are charged with
a great conspiracy to dzfeat the Republican
candidate in the Twelfth District But
why did not they go also into the Eleventh
District, where the vote is much closer.
and the election could have been carrfed
easily If there was such a gigantic con-
spiracy to rob the Republicans? Thieves. as
a rule, do not act half way. They gener-
ally take all they can get think that is
the universal rule. / have never heard OF
an exception to that rule. I never heard
of a thief falling to take away what he
could carry: so that If the Democrats could
have so readily stolen the Twelfth Dis
trict, as is claimed by Horizons counsel.
why did not they do the same in the flev-
enth. and also the Tenth?'
Mr.. Smith: well, all this took lots of
@1,a nayoa % ~ NJ
didates did not have it to spend
ROWE CITES CAUSES OF
BUTLER's STRENGTH AT POLLS.
Mr.. Rowe: But 1t is contended that the
whole campaign in the Twelfth District