The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1909-01-21

k4A I1OuUuS- stC
Three months. 40
Entered az second class matter at the
leen. Io1cG, POstottce
CONGRESSMAN JAMlESON'S BIG
REPLY.
William d. Jameson, of Shenandoah,
whose election as congressman from the
Eighth district is being contested by
William P. Hepburn, the republican
candidate, has employed Hart & Ting
ley, Of this city, as his attorneys, says
the Council Bluffs Nonpareil. Jamieson's
answer to the notice of contest recently
served on him, was prepared yesterday
and was served on Hepburn, the service
being made at Hepburn's home in Clar-
india, Hepburn himself being now in
\ Panama, and therefore out Of this coun-
try and beyond reach of service by
ordinary methods. M. L. Temple, of
proceedings.
BULKY DOCUMENT.
Il Notice of the contest instituted by
Hepburn was served on Jameson on
\ December Is. Jamieson's answer is a
bulky document of twenty-seven type
written pages, which sets up objections
to the snfic:ency of the notice of con-
test, recites in details The facts alleged
by Jameson as the basis of his case,
declares that 1892 votes illegally
counted should be deducted from Hep
burns total of 20,128 given him on the
{ official canvass; that Hepburn's entire
vote in certain precincts should be
! thrown out because election officers
adjourned and left the ballots unguard-
ed before counting, and that to jamie
sons vote should be added 105 ballots
which we're, it is claimed, illegally
thrown out because of alleged indenti-
flying marks, which were not such in
fact.
HEPBURNS NOTICE ATTACKED.
Eight pages of the answer are de-
voted to enumerations of matters in
which it is claimed the notice of contest
served by Hepburn is insufficient. The
4 remainder is taken up with statement
OF additional facts on which the con-
testee rests his claim for the validity OF
his election. The holding of the cleo
tion in the Eighth district, the canvass
of the returns by the executive cornell
and it's returns showing that Jameson
had a total of 20,436 votes and Hepburn
total of 20,12G votes, are set out in
detail.
ILLEGAL VOTES CLAIMED.
The answer claims, however, that
Hepburn did not receive 20,126 legal
votes. In support of this claim the
claim is made in detail separately as to
each county in the district.
Considerable space is devoted to the
election in Clarke county, where the
different townships and precincts are
\ enumerated, with the number of votes
objected to in each. In the town of
Farragut, Fremont county, it is claimed
the election board adjourned and left
the ballots unguarded for more than an
{ hour. Similar objection is made to the
RETURNS from each Of the four wards in
Clarinda, Page county.
The greater part of the objections to
ballots, claimed to have been illegally
counted for Hepburn is that crosses
we're made opposite the name of William
H. Taft, and that these were identifying
marks in violation Of the Iowa election
law.
HEPBURN IN BIG TYPE.
The ans wer sets up the claim that the
ballots used in Adams, Page, Taylor and
Ringgold counties were not prepared
that in the name Of Hepburn was print
ed in black faced, capital letters, dis
tinguishiDg it from the other names of
other candidates. 1t is claimed that
greater prominence was thus given to
Hepburn's name, than to any other name
on the ballots in these counties.
That in Clarke, Page. Ringgold and
Appanoose counties the ballots have
been unsealed and tempered with, and
therefore cannot now be counted in con-
nection with any contest, it is asserted
by Jameson. 1t is asserted that M. l..
Temple, attorney for Hepburn, and j.
b. Jamison, an attorney assisting him
were given access to the ballots in
Liberty township; that the envelope
containing these ballots was broken
open by someone, the ballots removed
and thirty-six of them showing votes
for Jameson were removed from the
wire on which they were strung.
In Appanoose county, it is charged
the ballots were placed by the county
auditor in room, the key to which was
carried by someone not an official Of the
county. 1t is charged that within ten
days prior to the institution Of the con-
test, the county auditor of Appanoose
county permitted Glen Haynes and John
Needham, acting under direction of the
attorney for Hepburn to open the ballot
boxes and inspect and count the ballots.
The ballots in Page county are al
legged to have been kept in such a way
that they might have been examined by
anyone, being, it is alleged, piled pro-
miscuously and conspicuously in vault,
the window of which was unlocked.
Tt is claimed that the ballots in Ring
gold county were kept in loose piles in
the auditors office.
ALLEGES BAD FAITH.
One section of the answer reads as
4 follows:
Contestant had grievously offended
many Of his own party and was promi
nent in the wing of his party known as
.standpatters," and in his conduct was
offensive to the progressive wing of his
party. Contestee denies that this con-
test is prosecuted in good faith. but al