St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1910-02-26
PROCEEDING OF CITY
DEMOCRATIC EXECU
TIVE COMMITTEE
Opelousas, La, Feb. Is, 1910

0pelousas, La, Feb. Is, 1910.
The Democratic Executive Com
mittee Of the City Of 0pelousas met
this das at noon, with the following
members present: Raymond Breaux,
chairman; R. Lee Virgins, Chas.
Ventre and Maurice Vilaseca.
The returns of Elections, as tabu-
lated by the Chairman, were read,
after which the chair announced that
a protest and petition, contestiag the
nomination Of NJ. Halphen, as shown
by the returns, had been fled BY Dr..
B. A. Littell.
The protest and petition was order
ed read, as follows:
To the Chairmen and Members of the
Democratic Executive Committee
of the City of Opelousas:
The petition of BENZ. A. LittelI, res
pectfu1ly represents to your honorable
body:
That he and the present incumbent Of
the office, Micheal HaIphen, were cam
dIdates for the nomination for Mayor of
this City at the Democratic Primary
Election held on Tuesday February Is,
1910; and, that according to the returns
of said election made by the Commits
sioners of Election of the different
wards of the City, Petitioners opponent,
the said Halphen, has received a major
.ity over Petitioner of four "a votes, and,
3EhRnld unI1r# H0roro hJa= haIu In n a -
vassing said votes accept said returns
as expressing the true result OF said
primary election, Petitioners opponent,
the said Halphen, viii be declared to be
the nominee for said office.
Now Petitioner further represents
that a number of Illegal ballots were re-
ceived 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 (151 ballots were received
by the Commissioners ard counted by
them, and which were illegal by rea-
son Of the fact that persons voting them
did not obey Section q Of Act 40 OF 1906
which directed that the voter shall ids
dictate his choice by."Stamping or max
ing a cross in ink,or in lead pencil in
the voting space to the right of or OPP
posIfe the name OF names Of the candi-
dates he desires to support for the par
ticular office which they have offered -
that for that reason said ballots were IL
legal, should have been rejected by
Commissioners and deposited with the
returns in a sealed envelope.
Petitioner further shows that in ward
OF the City, the Commissioners of
Election, following a different rule of
action, reJectedfour (4) ballots as illegal
which, however, were equally as legal
as the fifteen J5) ballots that had been
received by the Commissioners of the
First Ward thatin the Third Ward the
commissioners of Election rejected one
ballot as illegal when ballots contain
the same defects were received as
by the Commissioners of Election
the Fourth Ward as Illegal when in
truth and IN fact they were fully as
legal as the fifteen (15) ballots contain
ing the same defects, and which were
received and counted by the Commits
of the First Ward.
Now your Petitioner h sre wishes it to
be Well understood, that he charges no
misconduct against the Commissioners
"a any of the wards of the City. but rep-E
resents they simply acted in error Of
laW-they having received no instruct
tons as to the m ethod which
guide the voter in preparing his
ballot, n there having been no in
struetlons to the voter printed on the
ballots as is customary.
Your petitioner further shows that
had the Commissioners of Election of
OF the tour wards adopted the same
,ules in receiving or rejecting ballots Of
he voters, the result of the election as
shown on the face of the returns would
rave been different and would have
in favor of Petitioner; so that
III the rejected ballots be now counted.
petitioner will be shown to have receiv-
ID o majority of the votes cast, and.
so should all of the ballots open
% the objection of illegality be rejected,
n which event, Petitioner would be
.hoWn to have received a majority of
votes cast.
Now Petitioner further represents
upon just and legal canvass and
OF all of the votes cast in the
our ~ wards of the City, it will he
made thereby to appear that instead of
is opponent having received as shown
q the race OF the returns a majority Of
our ~, Petitioner was actually elected
y Q majority of atleast ten (10) votes.
Wherefore, Petitioner respectfully
,rotests against his opponent being de-
Jared 10 be the nominee of the Demo-
ratio Party for the Office of Mayor of
'1ty, n he now presents this his con- {
est OF the nomination of the said Hall !
hen for said office, and he prays that !
ouA~ D0uy VIII IN CanVaSSIQg r.
he votes cast in the several wards for
fayor, reject the returns of election as
by the Commissioners and ascer-
ain the legal result OF the election by [
recount and canvass of the votes by I
all Illegal ballots, and by Z
DING which it will be found that PEE i
TONER has received q majority of the
gal votes cast. G
In case, however, your Honorable
ody should entertain doubt as to the e
gal result of said Primary election. 1
ld as to the question whether Petit =
oner or his opponent is rightfuIly en- Il
tied to the nomination, then in that
rent, Petitioner suggests and would "
leerfully accept another primary !,
ecfion between himself and his oppo- L
and st which election the voters
ballots have been rejected be-
Buse of mistakes or errors committed r
7 the voters in marking upon their f.
4llots, will have a full opportunity s
ter being well instructed by your n
onorab1e body 10 cast their bal !
is so as to- be assured that they are F
gal, and cast according to law.
Respectfully Submitted,
B. "A. LITTELL. n
Benz. A.. Littell being duly sworn did l
pose and say:
That all of the facts and allegations
lltained in the foregoing petition are B.
ne and correct to the best Of his know
dge and information.
b. "A. LITTELL. l.
sworn to and subscribed before me y
day of February a. ID. 1910. III
GEO. 4. EDWARDS,
Notary Public.