Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-12-08

Il -
overtu1n by the destruction Of Demo-
cratic ballots and the substitution of
Republican votes In the ballot-box Of
the second district of the Township Of
Lakewood, since election day reverses
the figures so as to declare Senator
elect George c.. Low. Democrat. de-
feate6 by plurality of Al.
Ia Ballots Changed.
In order TO bring about that astound-
ing reversal 1t was necessary for tils
Republicans TO overturn 122 votes The
recount of the ballots in the First dis
trict of Lakewood township and the
Dover township gave Low a slight
gain, which makes the criminal method
employed in Lakewood's Second dis
trict all the more atrocious.
1t developed today that the key to
theb allot-box over which the dispute
arose was turned over 10 Alexander
Manauit, one of the election officers in
the first district Of the Lakewood
township the recount of which gave
Low a slight gain. The turning of the
key over to Manault is explained that
IL was always customary for one Lake
wood election officer to take the two
ballot-bo TO the court house at Toms
River. Manault left with the boxes on
Wednesday, the day following election
day. He stated today that he turned
the boxes and the keys over to the
county clerk in proper condition. The
boxes We're placed on shelf al the
foot of the stairs leading TO the cellar
of the court house The door was fire.
quently left open and the boxes were
therefore easy of access.
Box Put In safe.
Since the recount has been COM
pleted there has been question
as to what shall be done with
the ballot-box The town clerk
Of Lakewood today notified the
county clerk to put the questioned box
in his safe and keep it locked there un-
til the investigation ends. Mr. Low
saws that the carelessness that marked
the custodyship of the boxes was In
itself a crime Ex-senator Edwards
declared today that when he visited
the court house yesterday ne saw the
Lakewood box on the cellar shelf and
that the door leading down stairs was
wide open. He confidently believes that
the wrong will be righted and that his
client will be given the seat that the
voters said he should occupy.
Supreme Court Justice Voorhees, il
said to be indignant over the discharge
last Monday of the grand jury. The
grand jurors were dismissed by County
! Judge Berry. who represented Mathis
in the recount proceedings The new
grand jury will be charged on Tuesday
next
Howard B. Lane the township clerk
of Lakewood, is coming in for a great
deal of censure for not having the
ballot boxes Immediately placed under
his care and supervision. which the
law requires Lane excuses himself by
saying he was given TO understand the
boxes were in the safe at the Town
Hall and not down in the cellar as
reported.
Nasty rumors are afloat in which ths
name of Joseph b. Hoff, chairman OF
the Republican County Committee. is
quently mentioned, and many per-
tinent questions are banded about
such as why didn't he, when he saw
that the ballot boxes were left in such
an exposed condition, have them taken
charge of by the proper official; he cer-
! tainly must have known all along
where they were, as IN addition to be-
ing chairman of the Republican County
Committee. he is also township CONF
mitteeman, and as such has free ac-
cess to the town hall at all times
( A very different attitude in all pats
ties concerned is noticed this morning
from previous days. Up to this MORN
| ing all parties concerned were very
willing to tell az they claimed 70 know
about The contest. but this mprning y
became knowh that the grand jury
would sit n9xt Tuesday. and Y "