Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-02-04
WITNESSES KNOW
THEIR BALLOTS.
Ten Identify Ones They Cast and
Which Peabody Experts Threw
Out as Fraudulent
A REPUBLICANS TESTIMONY.
]. II. Pershlng Said Election In His
Precinct Was Strictly Honest EI-
perts Pretended to Find Frauds.

Denver, Feb. 9.--At the session OF the
Joint legislative committee considering
the Peabody-Adams gubernatorial con-
test today, Atty. John A. Rush an
nouneed that the Democrats expected
20 take the evidence OF 5000 or 5000
persons either before the committee or
before notaries. He asked 10 have the
ballots taken before notaries when wit
nesses were TO be heard This request
was denied by Chairman William H.
Grfith.
James IT, Pershing n Republican
lawyer who acted as supreme court
watcher in precinct s, ward Ia, test-
fed that legal ballots were cast In that
precinct by putting them In the OUTSIDE
box when the glass box was filled, lie
said before this was done the election
officials consulted with him and the
action was taken with his consent IN
his opinion, the election In that pre-
cnct was conducted with absolute hon.
esty although one expert had testined
that there were over so ballots written
by one or two persons
Ten witnesses were examined this az
ternOon, each Of whom identified as MS
ballot one OF those which the Peabody
experts had declared 10 have been writ
ten by one or two persons From one
precinct where an expert had testlned
that II Democratic and six Republican
ballots were written by one person, the
Democratic attorneys produced six
men. each OF whom Identified one OF the
Republican ballots as the one he wrote.
This completely demolished the experts
- ha1 A N q
these witnesses were business men re-
siding In Valverde, a suburb OF Denver,
One OF them had once been mayor OF
Valverde and twice treasurer OF that
town.
In another case Republican election
Judge identified the Republican ballots
which the experts had declared fraud
ulent, as being his own ballot, and two
which he had written for illiterate vot-
ers.
when Atty Rush. representing Gov.
Adams, asked to have photographed
certain ballots reported fraudulent by
experts along with the handwritlngs OF
witnesses who had Identified the ballots
ns their own, legally and regularly pre-
pared and cast. Atty. Ward, for Pea
body reduesuted that other ballots in
cluded In the number alleged to be
fraudulent. also be photographed He
explained that he desired this done TO
show that handwritlngs could be 90
much alike as TO be confusing. The re-
quest was granted. The committee de-
clded TO hold a morning session to.
morrow. beginning at 10 o'clock
William G. Lyons was found guilty Of
Illegal voting by Jury In the criminal
court TODAY. He VIII ask for new trial
and, pending a decision. must remain
In jail, bond being denied him by Judge
Johnson.
William Kelly and Charles Mueller
pleaded guilty 10 charges OF being ac-
cessories to Illegal voting, ana we're
given % days each in Jail The infor-
nations accused them OF taking a num-
Der OF women employed as restaurant
Mattresses 10 the polls and having them
vote without having legally qualified.
AZ the night meeting Of the commit
tee number OF other witnesses from
Valverde were called. In addition 10
Identifying their ballots. each OF the
witnesses testified TO the regularity OF
the election IN their precincts.