The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1909-02-05


lots was manifestly unfair. To
count them was q technical de-
parture from rule which had pre-
vailed in recounting the ballots In
other boxes. The Republican
members of the committee would
got consent to rejecting them; the
Democratic members would not
consent to counting them. They |
were held in allegiance and the
count proceeded.
Precinct after precinct presented
the same problem. 1t could not
be overcome. The committee had
to decide the issue, for 1t was ap-
parent that these ballots-ballots
of nine precincts-would determine
the election. No agreement could
be reached. The Democrats would
not agree to count them, the Re-
publicans would not agree to re-
ject them.
Thus matters stood Monday
night, when the count in st. Louis
had been completed, showing
GIN elich in the lead over Painter
103 votes, excluding the votes of
the disputed precincts. With the
rejected ballots in those precincts
brown out, Painter would have
had lead sufficient to elect him.
Tuesday the committee counted
the ballots in Webster Groves
p recinct in st. Louis county, and
Gmelich gained 81 votes, but he
lost 20 in other precincts in that
C ounty. One precinct in Moberly,
ne in Cape Girardeau county
and one in Mississippi county was
rejected on technical grounds, and
at the close OF the entire count on
Tuesday, Gmelich had net gain
of tO3 in the city and 1876 in the
country precincts, showing that he
was clearly ahead of Painter 239
votes exclusive of his majority in
the disputed precincts. With the
rejected ballots in those precincts
his loss would be 400, leaving him
short 40 votes, which would mean
, a majority of ITO for Painter.
1t was clear at O'Clock Tuesday
when the votes had all been can.
: vassed, that the committee could
: not agree. All the Republicans
, could do, in the face of the stub.
born contention of the Democrats
} that large majority of the votes
. in nine city precincts and in three
. country precincts should be re-
, jected, was to summon the judges
3 i n those precincts, take their testi
r mony as to how and why the bal
4 lots were initiated, and as to the
: r regularity of the voting otherwise
D This was done Wednesday and
}, W hen the work had been concluded
that night the contention that th'
+, b allots from the disputed precincts
4 W ere those of honest voters honest
ly cast had been established be
e yond controversy, leaving to tn
/ Democrats nothing to contend TO
e out the technical claim that thes
g ballots, not having been properl.
J. nitialed by the election judges
e W ere illegal and not to be regard
r ed under tho rule of the committe
d n OF to count illegal ballots. o.
o that technicality the Democrat
& members came here Thursday t.
>. ask the Legislature to reject Gme
st Itch and seat Painter. Strippe
1t of all unnecessary details an
le brought down to the real facts in
j. volved, this is true and faithfu
1t statement of the matter as it stoo
d when the committee returned
le Jefferson City last Thursday.
at The Democratic members of tn
in committee did not find comfort i
ts their contention when they al
a rived here. Several influentis
in Democratic members and senator
Or openly announced their belief this
or Gmelich was legally elected an
i declared against any effort to ses
,h Painter. on the technical contentio
ae presented. Some of them ha
,ts heard from their constituents, an
a others had been influenced by tn
a. declarations of Governor Folk an
as State Chairman Rubey that Il
to Democrats could not afford to SCI
NJ Painter on q mere technicalit,
All day Thursday and again Fl
re- dav tha extrema Dartiaan annoy