The Detroit times., 1911-04-07

The Wayne county Canvassing
board met in room No. 4i0 of the
county building, Friday morning, :or
the purpose of going over the returns
in connection with the circuit bencn
contests. According to the law, the
canvass of the votes should not take
place until eight day after the cleo
ton, but all the candidates agreed on
an earlier count.
No returns were examined, Friday
morning, the members of the board
merely getting organized for the big
task ahead OF them They got the
tally sheets arranged for minute e&-
animation, which they planned 10 be
gin at l: 80 in the afternoon.
Judge Edgar o. Durfee, OF the pro
bate court, chairman of the canvass
ing board, said that the board expect
ed TO get through with the work by
Saturday night, but would likely con-
tinue on Sunday, il necessary, prefer
ring to finish the tabulation without
taking an adjournment until next
week
Persons who saw some of the tally
sheets predict, however, that part OF
next week will be necessary for the
completion of the count, as precinct
chairmen will have to be called 10
the session, on account OF having sent
in blank returns, omitting the figures,
probably through ignorance Of their
, duty in the matter.
Candidates Van Zile and Donovan.
who are contesting for sixth place
in the circuit court race. are practi-
cally the only ones directly interested
in the review of the returns, both
claiming the office Mr.. Van Zile
figures that he has won by 3l2, while
the county clerk has figWed out that
Judge Donovan is winner by 80 ma
jority.
Prosecutor Philip r. Van Zile is
sued statement, repudiating what
purported To be an interview with him
In the Journal Wednesday. The
paper represented that he inti-
mated there was manipulation
OF the election returns in the county
clerks office, to his disadvantage in
connection with the close race be-
tween him and Judge Donovan for
circuit court Judge. In his statement
Il desire to say that the published
interview is not correct and am
very sorry the reporter who talked
TO me In my Office has seen fit to 80
color and enlarge on what Was said
To put into his paper in large head
lines that ! charged that returns in
the county clerks office are crooked,
or should state in the body Of the
article, the prosecutor Is under the
impression that some manipulating
has been done In the county clerks
Office
This was not my talk nor the spirit
OF my talk. have not charged the
county clerk with being crooked in
his returns, nor have |, nor do
charge him with manipulating the re-
turns. What did say and what |
was trying TO find out from the re-
porter was, II he knew, how there
should be such a great change from
the results OF the adding machine
brought me In the morning from the
clerks Office, showing my majority to
be 312, and in the evening OF the
same day, reported by the clerks
office, showing majority of % for
my opponent, a change OF 335 votes"
County Clerk Thomas F. Farrell,
Immediately after the publication OF
the Interview attributed 10 Mr. Van
Iile. demanded THAI the prosecutor
apologize or start an action against
him and his assistants who handled
the returns. The assistants later
made affidavit TO the effect that Mr..
Farrell in no way handled the returns,
and that the election figures given to
the newspapers were exactly the same
as those turned I'm by the members OF
the Drecinct hOa rds =