Durango semi-weekly herald., 1905-02-06
DENVER
ELECTION
METHODS
Denver. Colo. Feb. l. 1907

opened up here before the contest
committee today.
Each side is to submit list OF
names TO the committee. From these
names the chairman selects corps
of unsealers. TO open the corners of
The ballots which have been declared
by handwriting experts to be written
by few persons. The unsealers will
be sworn to secrecy, and will not re
veal the numbers of the ballots to
any one until they are put on the
witness stand before the committee
| When the numbers are announced
from the witness stand. each side
may compare them with the poll book
and endeavor to find the individual
voters and bring them in 90 give tes.
| timony.
In this way the Adams people ex-
pect To prove-or attempt to prove
| that the ballots which the experts ties.
titled Were written in lunches were
| actually cast by real persons. wac
WIN SMeai 'ndI 'nsy themselves
wrote them. In this way II is hoped to
discrodit the testimony of the ex
perts. and prevent the precincts from
being thrown out in which such bal
lots were cast
Milton Smith announced, with nm
attempt at dramatic intensity. that
they proposed 10 produce "oir people"
TO the number OF $1,000 TO swear that
all the ballots were legal which Chair.
man Williams alleges are Illegal.
On the face OF it, It would be easy
swear that they were the persons des-
ignated by the numbers on the bal
lots. and that they wrote and cast the
ballots themselves, but the difficulty
with that scheme would be in indenti-
Tying the voters by description, and
In getting their handwriting TO tally
with that on the ballots.
It was two o'clock before the com
mittee assembled and then they re-
tired for consultation The matter
under consideration. 1t proved after
wards. was the unsealing of the bal.
lots. and rather to the surprise of
many. the committee reached unan-
imous decision
AT 230. Mr.. Russell. county clerk
Of Conejos county. was put upon the
stand. and Identified various piles OF
ballots and different poll books as
coming from his county. On cross-ex-
animation. Attorney Ward for the Re
publicans brought out the fact that In
no case. was there any record Of as
sistance rendered to iliterate or dis
abled persons. or OF the use of inter
prefers.
Attorney Vidal, for the Democrats,
then called two Witnesses and pro-
ceeded to have tnem sworn, meaning
brought up the whole question Of un-
| sealing and Chairman Griggifth at
| once read the ruling OF the entire
committee. 1t was to the effect That
reports OF the handwriting experts
had made certain ballots prima facie
Illegal. that 1t was the privilege Of
/ the attorneys for the contestee to
have these opened and tneir numbers
ascertained; but that such unsealing
| and ascertaining Of numbers should
| be done under the direction OF the
l - tnta hi
| the committee. and the numbers not
to be divulged except upon the wit
ness stand
| To this ruling Attorney Vidal yehe-
mently objected, as did Milton SMITH.
The latter said that If the Democrats
could not ascertain the numbers on
the ballots quickly the whole case
might as well close at once. All the
Democratic attorneys except Judge
Bissell took hand In rne discussion.
as did several members OF the com
mittee; and 1t finally appeared that
the chairman expected to give the
Democrats their fair share Of the men
appointed to unseal the ballots, and
thereupon the ruling OF the commit
tee was agreed to by the Democratic
attorneys.
! It was agreed that at 1870 O'Clock
tomorrow the unscalers are to report
at once on the numbers OF the ballots
as far as they have been opened b,
that time; and then tine Republicans
and Democrats botn may have th'
privilege to trying to locate the vote
Indicated by the number and the pol
book
: The experts have examined nearl.
1000 ballots and have been obliget
. to do their work hurriedly. II Is to b.
J expected that some mistakes hav'
} been made
1t is apparent that the eommitte'
desires to expedite matters 70 IA