The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-12-01
HELD NOT GUILTY
Of BALLOT FRAUD
President of Hyrum Stake and
His Counselor Face Charge
in Court.
MOTION FOR N0NSUIT
Is DENIED BY JUDGE
Defendants Admit All Essential
Facts. but Plead Ignorance
in EXtenuatiOn.
Special TO The Tribune.


LOGAN, Utah, Nov. 30,-William T..
Parkinson, president of the Hvrum
stake, and his first counselor, A. N. Is
raelson, were today arraigned in JUS
tice H. a. Petersen s court. charged
with "wilfully, wrongfully and feloni-
ously' carrying away two Official bal
lots, Nos | and Q, from Mt. Sterling
precinct, in this county, on Sunday, No
vember 4, 1906.
AT half past ten o'clock Attorney
James Cutters appeared in court for the
State, Albert Law appearing for the
defendants. Mr. Walters made brief
statement OF the case pending and after
O moment s conference between coun-
sci 1t was determined that the two
cases should be tried as one.
The County Attorney said ne had two
witnesses, David Murray and Robert
Baxter. Mr.. Murray is bishop Of Mt
Sterling and served also as Judge of
election. Baxter is the man who voted
first and discovered that his ballot was
marked No. 3, which fact led him to in
quire for the missing ballots. This re-
suited in the disclosure that they had
been taken away, and the subsequent
| investigation.
Nou-SulC is Oen1eQ.
When Murray and Baxter had given
their testimony, counsel for the de-
fense moved for non~suit on the ground
that the evidence presented by the
State had disclosed no criminal in
| tent. The motion was denied, when
Parkinson and 1sraelson went on the
stand in their own defense. In their
statements they made no denial OF the
main points involved, but plead ignor-
ance in extenuation OF their part N
the transaction.
''Irnocents Abroad
| Were the facts as brought out bv the
married. under a single caption. the best
form of expression possible might be
found as the title of Mark Twain 5
''Innocents Abroad In addition 10
the evidence given ny Robert Baxter,
Bishop David Murray, President Viii.
liam Parkinson and Councillor A. NJ
israelson, the TWO missing ballots were
introduced
The case as developed before his
Honor today may be summarized as fol-
lows: Parkinson and Israelson went to
Mt. Sterling on Sunday November 4, to
attend a Sunday school convention Af-
ter the meeting was over, the two eccle
siasts went with Bishop Murray to his
house for dinner While the three were
together, the subject of politics was en-
tered upon, President Parkinson wishing
TO demonstrate point TO Bishop Muir
ray. In order to do this. ballot was
needed, which Parkinson sought in
copy of the Logan Journal, but was un-
able to find.
Handed Out the Ballots
Murray then stated that he had the
ballots. Going TO a table and break.
ing the seal. he tore off No. ]. giving
fp Do l.
handed TO Israelson. after which the
ecclesiasts left for Wellsvile. where
they went on a religions mission. the
character of which was not disclosed
in court.
On election day, after voting Robert
Baxter called up Demoeratic headquar-
ters at Logan, J. NJ. Blair responding
at the phone Baxter told Blair that
he had voted ballot No, g, and that
the two previous ballots had been alb
stracted. asking Blair s advice as to
what should be done in the matter
Later Baxter came 10 Logan and was
al the courthouse, where he met Par
Questing that he return il 10 the poll
and have IL entered. he also met Blair
and took advice from him on this sub
iect.
During the afternoon of election dav
Israeson was called on hy son of
Bishop David Murray and notified that
the official ballot in his possession must
be returned to Mt Sterling precinct.
Israelson returned the ballot. This ac-
tion on the part Of Bishop Murray in
demanding of Israelson the ballot IN his
possession startled him, and he called
Parkinson aJ Logan, telling him over
the phone what had been done Par
kinson in turn became alarmed and on
meeting Baxter at the courthouse gave
him the ballot for return. as above
stated,
Claimed No Evil Purpose.
In all the evidence presented, the
one effort was to show that in having
The official ballots Murray was actuated
by no evil purpose. while in receiving
them, the stake president has no crimi.
nal intention. This became the crucial
point in the whole investigations and
,ision il was based entirely upon this
point.
Ballot No. |, identified in court by
Parkinson as the one he had received
rom Bishop Murray, was marked as
follows: "For Congress, Joseph
Howell (D): for Supreme bench, 'Jo-
eph E. Frick (R0; for Representa-
i've, President Brigham A. Hendricks;
or State Senator. A. 6: Barber for
or Representative. Bishop E. r.
)wen (Dl; for Commissioner, Presi-
lent A, NJ. Israelsen {R); for Com,
missioner. J. w. Hendricks (D); for
Ylerk, J. S. Larsen (R): for Re
order. Sarah Merrill (RD; for Sheriff,
!. H Evans Cd; for County Attorney.
\. A. Law (R.); for Assessor, Martin
Olson (R): for Treasurer, George o.
Iaybcll (D.); for School Superintend-
II Z m