St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1910-02-19
LITTELL'S PETI
ton CONTESTING
MAY0RALTY

- the Chairman and Members II the
the Democratic Committee Of
the City Of Opelousas:
The petition and protest of Benz.
a. Littell, respectfully represents to
70 your Honorabl9 body:
That he and The present incumbent
Of the Office, Michael Halphen,
were candidates for the nomina-
tion for Mayor Of this CITY at
the Democratic Primary Election
to be held on Tuesday, February Is.
1910; and, that according to the re-
turns of said election made BY the
Commissioners of Election of the DIFF
ferent wards OF the City, Petitioners
opponent, the said Halphen has re-
ceived a majority over Petitioner
Of four (4) votes, and, should your
Honorable body in canvassing said
votes accept said returns as express
ing the true result Of said primary
election, Petitioners opponent, the
said Halphen, will be declared to be
the nominee for said Office.
Now Petitioner further represents
that a number of illegal ballots were
received and counted at some of the
polls, while ballots of the same
character were rejected and not
counted at other polls.
Petitioner further shows that at
the election of the First Ward of the
City, at least fifteen (15) ballots were
received by the Commissioners and
counted by them, and which were il
legal by reason of the fact that per-
sons voting them did not obey Sec
ton "a Of Act At Of 1906, which
directed that the voter shall Indicate
his choice by stamping or making
a cross in ink, or 10 lead pencil in the
voting space to the right of or OPP
posite the name or names of the
candidates he desires to support for
the particular Office which they have
offered" that for that reason said
ballots we're illegal, should have been
rejected by Commissioners and de-
posted with the returns in a sealed
envelope.
Petitioner further shows that in
Ward Two of the City, the Commls-
gioners Of Election, following q dif
ferent rule Of action, rejected four
l4) ballots as illegal which, however
were equally as legal as the fifteen
l15) ballots that had been received
BY the Commissioners Of the First
Ward; that in the Third Wsrd the
Commissioners of Election rejected
one ballot as illegal when ballots con
tanning the same defects were receiv-
ed as legal by the Commissioners of
Election Of the First Ward, and that
three (3) ballots were rejected by
the Commissioners of Election of the
Fourth ward as illegal when in truth
and in fact they were fully as legal as
the fifteen (15) ballots containing the
same defects, and which were re-
ceived and counted by the Commits
sioners Of the First Ward.
Now your Petitioner here wishes
II to be well understood, that he
charges no misconduct against the
Commissioners in any of the
wards of the City, but represents
they simply acted in error Of the law
they having received no instruct
ions as to the method which should
guide the voter in preparing his bal
lot, and there having been no instruc.
ions to the voter printed on the bal
lots, as is customary.
Your Petitioner further shows that
had the Commissioners Of Election
Of all Of the four wards
adopted the same rules in receiving
OF rejecting the ballots Of the voters,
The result of the election as shown
on the face of the returns would have
been in favor Of Petitioner: so.
that should all the rejected ballots
be now counted, Petitioner
will be shown to have received
j majority Of the votes cast,
and, equally SO, should all of the bal
lots open to the objection Of illegalitY
be- rejected, in which event, Petition
Ell would be shown to have received q
majority Of the votes cast.
Now Petitioner further represents
that upon q just and legal canvass
and recount of all Of the votes cast
Id the four () wards Of the City, it
viii be made thereby to appear that
instead Of his opponent having reee-
ived as shown on the face of the re-
turns d majority Of four (4(, Petition
CIR was actually elected BIZ q majority
Of at least ten {l0 votes
Wherefore, Petitioner respectfully
protests against bis opponent being
declared to be The nominee Of the
Democratic Party for the Office Of
Mayor of the City, and I'D now pre-
SCENTS this his contest of the nomina-
tion Of tie said Halphen for said
Office, and lH prays that your Honor
able body will, Id e~anyassing the
votes cast iii the several wards for
Mayor, reject the returns of election
ais made BIZ the Commissioners and
ascertain the legal result Of the
election by a recount and canvass OF