The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-11-16
Defeated Nominees Will Ask
Courts to Pass on Rights of
Republicans.
CHARGES AGAINST BUTLER.
Attorney for Contestants De
clareS Returns Show Gross
Negligence or Dishonesty on
Part of Officials.


Louis were announced last night ny Joseph
w. Jamison who is acting attorney for
| the Democratic contestants.
Alleging frauds committed i'm the interest
OF Republicans, an order of the court will
no sought to open the ballot boxes and
fully investigate the circumstances sur
rounding the recent election in certain Of
the wards. These wards are those usually
dominated by the Butler faction where 1t
/ is asserted that the Butler element worked
for the Republican ticket =,
The announcement of contests followed
the completion of the canvass of the re-
turns yesterday by the Board of Election
Commissioners IN reporting to the Board
of Election Commissioners. Jamison. rep
| rescntiug the Democratic candidates for
the various offices said:
The Democratic watchers have noted
certain Irregularities and omissions ap-
pearinG upon the face of the returns from
| about l21 precincts.
The alleged returns from these several
precincts are in such condition that It is
patent upon their face. in some instances
at least. THAT the election officials were
either grossly negligent. or that the re-
| turns We're the result of fraud
ut seems to me that, as 10 the precincts
| especially mentioned. the various poll
books and statements are in such condition
that they constitute no returns at all
within the meaning OF the law. and for
that reason the same should be carefully
| investigated bv this board. and such action
should be had with respect thereto as to
The board may seem right and proper"
FRAUD AND TREACHERY CHARGED.
Leaders of the local Democracy think
that the returns from the precincts and
wards in question clearly show that the
| Democratic organization was ''knifcd' to
defeat. In the Fifth. Fourteenth and Ger
tain precincts of the Twenty second,
Twenty-third, Twenty-fifth and Fifteenth
commony known as the Butler wards. and
| in the Third, the Democratic vote fell far
below its normal. Where the Democratic
ticket should have received majorities, mi
norities were returned.
In the Third, majorities running near
| TO the 1900 mark have been returned for
| the Democratic ticket. Prior TO the cleo
| ton. a close canvass, il Is declared,
showed that, allowing for disaffection,
the ward should have had at least 500 ma
jorlty. The ticket received 325 majority.
The Democratic leaders expect to prove
that both fraud and treachery contribut-
ed to this result They count on max
| ing clear every circumstance surround
| ing the election. That larger Demo
cratic majority would be shown from this
ward, had the record been accurately
kept. is the assertion of all who watched
| the returns made to the Election Com
miss;oners. on behalf of the Democratic
candidates
Irregularities are charged in that poll
books in many instances do not agree with
| the returns or with each other. or any Of
them with the tally sheets. where it has
been necessary to 20 to the tally sheets
to try and get at the figures.
The same Is charged of the Fifth Ward.
except that the extent of irregularities is
, more pronounced. In many instances In
the Fifth no statement is made in return
| ing poll books by judges and CLERKS of
| election. 1t is also charged that poll books
are not signed. and that those kept by the
| Democratic clerk do not agree with the
Republican: that neither agrees with the
statement of the judges. In some pre-
circts the canvass shows that moro votes
are returned than the poll books record as
| cast
OBJECTED TO POLICEMEN.
In such evidences as these are the basis
for the charge of fraud.
Policemen were not allowed in the poll
ing places according to reports made by
officers who We're detailed for election
duty at the polling places. Objection to
their presence was made by the Demo-
cratic judges and clerks, Butler adherents
These policemen also declare that they
saw the ward leaders in consultation with
Chris Schawacker and others of the Re-
publicans. A Democratic majority of coo
had been assured by these leaders. where
as Republicans carried the ward
The policemen further say that in some
instances Democratic judges and clerks
| would leave their posts for considerable
lengths of time and that in one instance
Democratic Judge was gone all day.
The Fourteenth. several precincts in the
| Twenty-second, the Twenty-thrd,, anu
Twenty-hfth wards show the same condi-
tions. With SO much on the face 9tsbs
returns. it is expected that the ballots
will show convincing evidence OF whSissaic
frauds.
According to the promises made by Tn ,
Democratic ward representatives the night
before election, the Third Ward should
1 have shown so Democratic majority, the
Fifth go. the Fourteenth so. the Twenty
second GO. the Twenty-third T0c. a total of
$500 majority. Tnev gave a Republican
majority of 3l2. The difference. 3,sl2. is
enough to have elected the Democratic
city ticket.
In the last three preceding elections the
Fifth Ward has given the Democrats from
1000 to 1.3O majority. the Fourteenth
Gbout 2,O00, the Twenty-third about $50
the Twenty-second from S0J to 1000, or q
total OF about 6,co.
One of the points, which investigation is
expected to develop, is what happened in
the eleven precincts of the Third Ward
while Democratic judges and clerks were
absent, leaving Republicans in charge o!
the polling place. The returns from the
Fifth Precinct OF the Fifth Ward differ
widely from the poll books. Here one Of
the Democratic officials stopped the count
while conference OF ten minutes dura-
ton was held with g leader of the Butler
faction outside Of the. polling place.
n few other specific discrepancies found
show that no return at all is made on Ger
: tain Offices from the Sixth Precinct of the
Fifth Ward; that no statement was re-
turned from the Eighth Precinct and the
poll books are signed by only part OF
the judges and clerks.
Palace Tenpin League.
Rosedale's bowleTs defeated the jewelers. il