Durango semi-weekly herald., 1905-02-23
DOWN TO
ORDINARY
BUSINESS
Denver. Feb. 90. 1905.

Denver. Feb. 90. 1905.
| The Legislature got down to tho or
dinary work of the session today.
The contest will not trouble 1t again
this week. The sitting OF the test-
mony and the preparing of findings
has been entrusted to a sub.commit-
Several thousand pages OF Testimony
Dick and Representative Thomas, Re
publcans. and Representative Davis,
Democrat They are to report to the
rull committee next Saturday evening.
Several thousand paegs OF testimony
have been taken. and As many more
| thousands OF pages OF dispositions, so
| that the sitting OF Il liz no easy task.
| II is possible. however. to summarize
briefly what the Adams answer claim
ed and what evidence has been ad-
duced in support OF the claim; and.
also. what the confession claimed and
what his evidence showed. The an
| swer may be taken first because the
final argument will be with tho at
torneys for the confession.
The Adams answer may be briefly
summarized as follows.
That a number OF corporations con-
spired to procure the denomination Of
Peabody by the Republican state con-
Ivention; that these corporations there
after conspired with the Republican
state central committee, and gave to
II large sums of money, for the pur-
pose of padding registration lists. buy
ing and intimidating voters, naturaliz-
ing Illegal voters, and stufflng ballot
boxes.
That on election day these corpora
| tons maintained large bodies Of arm
ed men around numerous polling
places in various counties. for the pur-
pose OF intimidating and frightening
voters.
| That In numerous precincts in ten
different counties frauds were com
mitted by the Republicans. to-wit:
In the counties OF Fremont, Costilla.
San Miguel, Huerfano, Teller, Pu-
eblo. Jefferson. Pitkin. La Plata, and
Weld
That the election In Denver was
fair and honest, and that no repeatsrs
| voted for contestee. nor were any
tfraudulentIy registered persons voted
for him, nor did the Judges and clerks
misconduct the election in any pre-
cinct, nor was there any substitution
OF ballots. nor any stuffing. nor any
lmpersonation nor any miscounting.
The only ballot boxes sent for by
the Democrats to prove the claims
set up In the Adams answer we're
from Las Animas and Huerfano coun-
Ties.
| The answer had alleged that In
Huerfano county many kinds OF
fraud had been committed by the Re
publcans: that they had bribed and
corrupted the voters; that they had
terrorized and intimidated them; that
the board OF county commissioners
had appointed improper persons to be
judges and clerks Of election; that
votes were cast on the names OF per-
sons who had moved away or died:
that ballots were mlscounted; that le-
gal voters were by force kept away
from the polls: and that boycotts were
Threatened.
To substantiate these claims. the
ballot. boxes from fifteen precincts
In Huerfano county were brought be-
fore the committee and opened. They
showed just two things: That large
majesty OF the votes were Repub't
can and that many voters-ln some
lprecincts nearly fifty per cent-had
been assisted to write or otherwise
prepare their ballots by the Judges
and clerks of election No evidence
was produced 10 substantiate any OF
the other charges-the threats and
coercion and intimidation, the pur-
chase OF votes. the appointment Of
improper officials, the voting on
names OF dead or absent persons. or
the miscountlng. Seven Of the boxes
showed that an attempt had been
made to keep n proper record OF vot-
ers assisted. and Affirmative evidence
showed that Democratic judges and
clerks and watchers were allowed In
all the precincts. In snort. the Re
publican members OF the COMMITTEES
were themselves rather surprised to
find with what apparent honesty and
care the election in Huerfano county
had been conducted, Inquiry among
Republican members Of the commit
tee fails to disclose any who are ~
yet in favor Of throwing out any Of
the Huerfano precincts on the ground
OF fraud.
The other counties mentioned In the
answer will be taken up In detail In
succeeding letters.
R.P.