The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-09-01
WANTS EUGENE Y
SMITH IN COURT
GEORGE r. SMITH ASKS COURT TO
CHANGE BALLOT. $500
Whisperings of Political Scandal in
Connection with the Filing Of an
Alleged Fictitious Name and Person
as Candidate for Judge of Probate
Against George R.. Smith. I'LL

George R.. Smith, candidate for the
republican nomination for judge Of the
probate court, has begun an action in
the district court to have the name Of
Eugene V. Smith stricken from the pri-
mary election ballot and to have Eugene
", Smith,. if there be such a person,
order ordered Ito to appear in court and show
so stricken. The petition is set for
hearing before Judge Andrew Holt
next Tuesday morning.
This action is based upon an alleged
fraudulent attempt on the part Of
some person Or persons to cause con-
| fusion in the minds of the voters rela-
tive to the two Smiths who have filed
fol, the nomination Of judge Of probate,
and thus to defeat George R. Smith, a
candidates for the office. Eugene. V.
Smith s filing late Wednesday night
was the cause of much comment and
! the general whisperings of a political
scandal. George r. Smith s suit is the
sequel and may end in sensational de-
| velopments.
In the petition fled by George R.
Smith today, thru his attorneys, Charles
p. Bond and Paul J. Thompson, it is
a ctons that Eugene w. Smith n t;io is
son as Eugene V. Smith was on the
! said twenty ninth day of August, 1906,
| a bona fide resident or elector of said
Hennepln county, and no such person
was by law entitled to run for the said
office of judge of probate.''
It is further alleged that Zone Chris
topher Purcell, who is private de-
tective, in order to defraud affant of
fair ballot at said election, procured
some person to sign said affidavit and
fo 10 bo of
fusing the voters of said Hennepin
county at said primary election, and
procured and caused said fraudulent
| application to be filed, believing that
it would confuse the voters and cause
many Of them who desired to cast their
votes for George R. Smith, by mad
vertence and mistake, to vote for
Eugene V. Smith. -
There is no intimation in the petition
as to who, further than the detective,
| is responsible for the filing of Eugene
V. Smith, but it has been openly stated
in public meetings that some prominent
! local politicians were involved and the
hearing in court is likely to result in
sensational developments.
Smith and the Lodging House.
The allegations in the petition were
! partially borne out when Deputy Sheriff
John Wall and George R. Smith IS at
show cause issued by Judge Holt
against Eugene V. Smith. They went
to 10S Washington avenue S., the place
run by D. A. Ripple, which was given
as his residence by the missing Mr..
Smith when he filed his affidavit of
candidacy. Mr.. Ripple said that he
did not know Eugene V. Smith and had
not seen him at his lodging house. He
explained that Mr.. Purcell had come
to his place at $3.50 a. M, after Smith s
filing, and had asked him to register the
and that Mr.. Purcell then wrote the
name"of E. V. Smith & Co. on the hotel
register and paid the proprietor So.
The officers have so far been unable
| to find E.. v. Smith,