The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-04-03
MURRAY REVIEWS TESTIMONY
Mastery Argument Presented by Speaker Of House in
MurIey.AIen Election Contest Case.

The argument Of Speaker Murray IN
the Allen.Alurley contest IS one Of
more than passing interest TO the vot
ers OF the state. This Is due largely
TO the fact that a partisan press has as
serted that Allen was unseated without
evidence and a great injustice done
him and his people. The address OF
Mr.. Murray contains much of the inn
portant evidence in the case, and goes
a long way toward showing why the
legislature should act as it has in this
matter A careful reading OF his adj
dress will repay those interested, and
for that reason it is published in full.
Mr. Murray said:
The only speech that has
been made on the case proper was
made BY the gentleman from Logan
county tChappeD Don't imagine for
a moment that there is no other evil
dence- this is portion of the evil
deaee This evidence only goes 70
affect the report itself; the remaining
part OF the evidence is couched in the
report Of the committee. Five of the
committee have reported the ballots
counted. and they show the majority
TO be two hundred and ihirty-iye in
favor Of MlTley. Four Of the com
mittec, 1.-TWO Republicans aud two
Democrats), have reported in favor
OF the minority report that Mr., Allen
retain his seat
Yon have bat two propositions to
consider, and ask the gentleman 70
follow me in these propositions The
gentleman from Logan threw his en-
tire stress upon Aline township /
say that Aline township is not an
issue TO decide this case. ii should
not enter into this case. There are
two questions. will you count ALL
the ballots in the county The rea-
son why you would count a nrtion as
the committee stood it, was II
you should find d the grand jury
had mutilated the llots of the boxes
counted, II the committee should be-
lleyc, or the House should believe
that the grand jury had mutilated the
ballots cf the boxes counted.
then in that case, YOU would
not count those boxes. but
count the remaining boxes. The com
mittee have made trial upon that
proposition; they state in their report
that II yOu count all the boxes, that
Mr Murley has a majority of two
hundred and thirtyhve; If you throw
out those boxes, some Eve or six.
then in that case Mr. Murley is suli
elected--throw out the mutilatsi q
ballots and still he is elected.
But. TO come back to the objec-
tions OF the gentleman from Logan
county: he is trying TO confine tha
count 10 the boxes not opened TO the
grand jury. say TO you that tne
evidence before this Holse-taling
both the evidence submitted by the
committee and the evidence submit
ted by AllGn. that there is not one
line of evidence before this House
that shows the mutilation Of ballots
bv the grand jury Then. If You find
the grand jury did NOT mutilate
those ballots you must conclude To
count every box in the county. Wha
YOU do that it shows Murley elected
bv two hundred and thirty-fve major
ity. say to YOU again, You can count
every box and he is electet you can
eliminate the boxes counted by the
grand Jury and still he is elected you
can eliminate every mutilated ballot
and still he is elected; yop cannot
count by any uniform rule but Dan
Alurley is elected TO this House. Il
occurs to me that in view Of the iact
that i'm two former contests before
this House. one of them a Republican,
that the gentleman did not object to
the report of the committee, but ae-
cepted it: that in a large measure we
must rely apon the statement Of the
committee as evidence itself The
very report made in evidence itself
Of that committee as members OF TINS
House under oath. hat constitutes
mart of the evidence Nov ! wish Won
wocld follow me with more OF THIS
evidence there is too much to reao
but I remember distinctly when J
went to Cherokee and questioned six
teen Witnesses. 3 tried every way pos
sible. crossing those witnesses to SCI
evidence Ia show that that grand
Jury had perpetrated frand, but J was
apahle To do IT, The testimony some
few days ago in the trial Of Kincheloe
for contempt-we read the testimony
of the county attOrney--he swore thai
certain boxes were opened-he swor'
that they were not retnrned-h'
svore that there was no change made
I'm the ballots nowhere can we enc
ovidonce--but now ! am going 70 reaf
the affidavit of one member of iha
grand jury he was there all The
time. and ascertained what boNel
were counted this man Is known a.
a Republican, though he says that bis
politics Is mixed,
This IS the testimony;
N. L. Ieariss- being FIRST dul
sworn. testifes as follows;
Q, state your name, age and pos
office address?