Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-18
MANY BALLOTS IN DISPUTE
Upon the Ruling of the Court Depends an
A~ldermanio Seat,
wINTYRE AND O'CoNNOR IN BALANCE
Neither Candidate VIII KNOW who
Gets Certificate UntiI Judge Passes
on validity of QueerIy
Marked Votes.

On a ruling which Judge v~iusonhaler is
expected to make today depends
the result of the recanvass now being made
in county court Of the ballots cast in
South Omaha at the late election for coun
Gilman from the Fourth ward. with the
count practically complete yesterday O'Con-
nor, democratic aspirant, had the best OF
Mcintyre. the republican, by thirty votes,
but there were in dispute two patches OF
ballots that may completely change the re-
suit.
The first Of these was from the Second
precinct OF the Fourth ward, where 1871
were challenged as fraudulent because each
was found to have on It both blue marks
and black marks, indicating. it was al
legged, that the ballots had been tempered
with. On this proposition both sides found
excuse for challenging, but it is said by
City Clerk shrigley that should the whole
bunch be rejected it would mean a net loss
to o'Connor of % votes. The canvassing
boards return for this precinct was:
O'Connor. 26s, Mcintyre, 80. without
these 131 ballots the ~recanvass stands
O'Connor. 2O7; Mcintyre, IS.
Judges Initials Only Appear.
The other disputed bunch is from the
First precinct of the same ward, in which
the democrats claimed a majority Of 40.
The trouble with this lot is that Henry Jor-
dan, one Of the judges, neglected to sign
more than his initials on any OF the ballots
except one or two. The other Judge signed
his name in full. Should the court adhere
as closely to the law as It did in the UNFIT
Miller contest, lawyers say. 1t must throw
out all these. This would, Of course. be
fatal to O'Connor.
A., g.ataz.a.I 49,. - - -
is the presence of Tom Hector at the re-
canvass and his determination to contest
the election of Edward L. Howe as city
treasurer in the event Of the present count
showing a substantial gain for o'Connor.
Howe, the republican candidate, beat Hector
by thirty-two votes. according to the origi-
nal count, and it was told yesterday
that the erstwhile commissioner would
surely commence a fight for the seat, but
he told a representative Of The Bee that
Re would not do so unless O'Connor gained
at least fifty by this recanvass.
Not Good at Knocking.
Judge Vinsonhaler and a man of brunette
type and massive arm furnished the diver
sion of the morning in an effort to break
the lock on the ballot box from the First
precinct of the Second ward. The lock
NchAh NV oBNh oAu NhO hSbAo M Nd ~
with a pipe wrench, the Judge holding a
block under it. Once the wrench slipped
and the Judge Remarked: you wouldn't
make a very good blacksmith, I'm afraid
The negro chuckled mildly and answered.
Use black enough, ledge. but you see I
amt no good at knockln'."
In the Unitt-Miller county clerkship con-
test, In Judge Bakers court, no actual
Roadway had been made at noon, as the
first batch Of ballots, those from the Fifth
precinct Of the Third ward Of Omaha. will
have to be recounted because of a dispute
that arose Just before the finish. The caller
insisted that he had called one thing, one
tallyman said he had called another and the
other tallyman had a still different opinion.
Previous to beginning the canvass of this
batch the morning had been occupied with
more testimony in Identification of the bal
lots.
Yesterday afternoon Judge Vinsonhaler
announced that he would not make his rul-
ing In the South Omaha contest until Fri
day afternoon.