Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-02-23
Thieves Enter County
Clerks Office at
Toms River.
FIGURED IN THE 7
SENATORIAL SCANDAL
Only Recently Mathis Said He
Would Appeal to State
Senate. IN

TOMS RIVER Feb. 2S.-An unsuc-
cessful attempt was made last night to
steal the balot-box that figured so
torial contest.
The county clerks office at the
Court House was entered by burglars,
who, according to the authorities. were
bent upon stealing the Lakewood Sec
ond district ballot-box. It was this
box that had been tampered with since
election day and which when recount
ed showed ii to have been stuffed with
ballots for former Senator Mathis. The
Low ballots had been removed.
Attempt Unsuccessful.
The attempt was unsuccessful,
though the burglars entered the office
through a window, because County
Clerk Holman had taken the precau-
tion to hide away the disputed ballot
box in a safe place.
When County Clerk Holman entered
the clerks office this morning4he found
the second window of his office from
the street had been opened, potted
plant that set on the ledge had been
knocked over onto the floor and that
whoever had entered the window, in
their haste in going out had left the
bottom sash at the top of the window
and pulled the top sash down instead.
He Immediately tn ought Of the ballot
boxes and went to the corner of the
room where they had been stored.
There were three boxes tied up. each
separately, with paper, after being
sealed and taped in the presence OF
Judge Voorhees, nd covered with a
rubber cloth. The cloth had been taken
off and thrown one side, the papers
torn off till the fact had been dis
covered that the .gSecond district OF
Lakewood box w&& not there. The
burglars then left. ~
On the ground beneath the window
was a path shoveleds in the snow, and
right next the window was pile of
frozen snow. This showed footprints,
but not plainly, the snow being too
hard. On the window ledge were snow,
gravel and sand from the foot of the
burglar. Shortly after the recount
Toms River man who was greatly in
terested in the return of Mathis to the
Senate persisted in being allowed to
look at the ballot boxes
County Clerk Suspicious.
The county clerk was in court, and
the deputy refused to allow him to
meddle with them. Another person
also much interested engaged the
county clerk in conversation, led up
to the ballot boxes and innocently
framed up questions to find out what
kind of locks and keys were on the
boxes. This, with other similar hap
penings, alarmed Mr. Holman,
He took tie disputed box and in the
presence of two witnesses further
wrapped and sealed it, and with them
hid it in a secure place. The other
boxes were left standing in the same
corner with the same covering over
them. 1t is presumed that whoever
was in the clerks office last night had
been in during the daytime and knew
just which window to enter, and where
to go, as this window was the only one
comparatively free for entrance.
The clerk is congratulating himself
this morning that the box was some-
where else Conjecture is rife as to
whether the evidence of guilt in the
box was to be destroyed or whether the
box was to be again stuffed, this time
with more care and circumspection, be-
fore it was offered as evidence to the
Senate committee.