The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-02-03
EXPERT OPINION
OF LITTLE VALUE
Prominent Citizens Voted Ballots De-
clared Illegal.
PEABODY CONTEST FAILS
STRONG POINTS BROUGHT OUT
BY DEFENSE.

Denver, Colo, FEB 2.-One or the
mysteries OF the alleged ballot-box
stuffing at the election last November
was cleared away by witness in the
Peabody-Adams gubernatorial contest
before the joint legislative committee
this afternoon The experts in a num-
Der of precincts have declared num-
Der of ballots probably illegal because
they were not creased i'm such a manner
as was necessary for them to be passed
through the slot in such boxes. Alder
man a D. Mauh was called by the
Democratic attorney simply to identify
his ballot. He was successful in this
and on cross examina ton he was asked
TO show he folded his ballot to put It
through the slot.
This brought out the statement that
many of the ballots in that precinct
mad never been in the ballot box be-
cause there was not room for them. IN
stead, with the consent of the election
officials, and the supreme court watch
ers, they were cast in the outside case
of the ballot box and were not folded
in the same manner as those which
were put in the ballot box proper.
Most of the witnesses examined this
afternoon were foreign born persons
residing in Elyria. a suburb of this
city. whose ballots had been declared
by the Peabody experts to be fraudu-
they were shown them. but were I'M
able to pick them out Of a number of
ballots with any certainty after the
ballots were mixed up by the attorneys
Each witness was asked TO write the
word Democratic" as he had written
it on the ballot, and i'm each case the
handwriting was identical to thas on
the ballots.
The unsealers of ballots reported on
q number of ballots which the experts
lac
hand. In one Of the punches of ballots
alleged to be i'm the same handwriting
were found those voted by John c
TwOmbley. formerly postmaster of
Denver, and NIIsUon Aufanger, a Repub-
lican state senator, and two members of
lis family.
A Republican Witness.
One of the principal witnesses of the
night session was Senator Milton An
tenger, a Republican member of the
committee. He was shown a ballot in
cluded among the fraudulent ones re-
ported by Expert Fleury, the number
of which correspondent with the number
appearing opposite his name on the poll
book of the precinct in which he lived
and voted. While he was unwilling TO
say positively that this was his ballot.
he declared the handwriting resembled
his very closely and he could not say
that the ballot was not the one which
he voted
Senator Anfenger testified that he
intended to vote a straight Republican
ticket, and was under the impression
that he did so. However, the ballot
which was recorded as his had two
marks upon it, one a cross after the
name of a Democratic candidate for
representative and the other a mark
after a constitutional amendment pro-
vision. The senator admitted that he
hal inc 70 lot
ter, but was surprised to find that an
other mark appeared on the ballot ac-
credited to him.
Not an Impartial Judge.
On cross-examination Senator AMEN
ger said that he believed a great deal
Of repeating was carried on at a num-
Der of polling places in the city where
he visited during the day. on redirect
cTOss-eXaminatiOn he was questioned as
TO his opinion concerning his cOmpeten-
cy to sit as a fair and impartial Juror
in the governOrship contest. He admit
ted that from what he saw on election
day he believed that a great deal OF
fraud was committed in the interest OF
Alva Adams. and therefore doubted his
competency to judge fairly and Impair
tally according 10 the evidence admit
ted in the contest hearing.
Had Attended Meetings.
Asked by Attorney John Rush, rep.
reSenting the cOnteStee, as to his haV-
ing attended meetings, caucuses and
conferences of mem bers of the legisla-
ture at which the question of unseat-
ing Governor Peabody was discussed
and whether or not those discussions
had already been determined, his de-
cisicn on the merits of the contest, rs
said il would not have any effect OF
his vote. He also denied that he had
received instructions from corporation.
concerning his vote on the contest.
DIR. Thomas NJ Hopkins. a prominent
physician of this city. was called tC
the stand and identified his baIIo
among the alleged fraudulent ballots
reported by the expert.
Nc Fraud There.
Robert S. Lamont. a Republican cleo
ton judge in precinct Six. ward Four
teen. where a number of alleged fraud
ulent ballots were found by experts
testified that the conduct of the cleo
lion in his precinct was fair anC
square" and that the supreme court
watchers found no fault with the con
duct of the election. He told of the
necessity for using the ballot box cast
for depositing the ballots when the bal
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