The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-08-02

!
| WILL GET into COURT
The st. Paul Pioneer Press OF this
morning contained the following
story: Joseph Bhssenbach of Man.
kato, who was defeated in the recent
school election in that city and who
alleges violation of the corrupt prac.
/ son, his opponent, yesterday request
/ ed Attorney General Smith to APP
I point an attorney TO prosecute the
case. Under the provisions of the
act, the attorney general is given
/ $4,000 TO prosecute violations of the
act, and if he accedes to the request,
/ this will be the first prosecution nn,
/ der the act
Mr. Smith said last night that he
! probably would have one of his as
sistants or another attorney go over
the ground, and If there is sufficient
| evidence at hand will grant the de-
mand TO prosecute the case, This
cannot be done until after August ]
however because the fund is not
available until after that time, and
the contingent fund of the attorney
! general is practically exhausted
Jefferson is said to have taken
women voters To the polls in his
/ auto"
Statement BY. Ladies'.
The following communication was
received today by the Free Press:
Joseph Blissenbach stated in the
Free Press the engaging of autos
is what defeated him. The dispatch
es sent to The st. Paul Pioneer
Press stated l.. T., Jefferson carried
women. voters to the polls N his
automobile. The statement and charge
/ here made are true and can be prov
en- by the undersigned. Jefferson
does not own an auto, never car
ried any voters to The polls. neither
did he hire an auto to convey vot-
ers to the polls and he never left
the polls to look up voters for fear
he would be defeated.
Claim Auto Was Engaged.
"Blissenbach did not state to the
Free Press or school board that
there was an auto engaged TO con-
vey voters TO the polls for him, Mr..
Blissenbach, and that he left the
polls in the forenoon and went TO an
organization or corporation seeking
voters when he saw he was being
defeated. Soon after one o'clock
one member of the firm took his
auto and conveyed voters to the
polls to vote for Rissenbach and he
knew OF it,.
Auto Was Loaded.
Some OF the undersigned knew
whose auto ii was and some saw the
auto loaded from and to and with
voters. but did not know who owned
the auto or operated it. If Blissen-
violated the corrupt practices act,
it would have been all right and
nothing said. We feel that Jefferson
has been honestly elected and is en-
titled 10 be member OF the school
board. Blssenbach made the state
ment he would not make a fight.
What is he doing if he is making no
fight to GUST Jefferson? Mrs Walter
W. Miller, Mrs. Eva Bashow, Mrs.
J. l.. Lockerby.'
C,iJ ~
l.. T. Jefferson was informed this
afternoon by The Free Press that
the encouragement has consented
to take up the complaint made by
Joseph Bissenbach. Mr.. Jefferson
said that he had paid but little atten-
ton to the matter, but now that pro-
Iceedings are to be instituted. he
would have to consult an attorney.
II suppose | have violated the cor
rupt practices act" said Mr.. Jeffer-
son over the phone. Il knew that
the auto was engaged to convey peo-
pie to the polls. ! knew that the
machine was engaged in my behalf.
Mrs. Jefferson and my brother-in-law,
IF. ]. Mahowald, engaged the auto
from Mr. Balzer.
THE auto was in service from
two to five O'clock in the afternoon.
1 had nothing whatever to do with
engaging 1t. Another auto was on
the ground and hauling voters to the
polls, but | am sure that 1t was not
operated in my behalf
1t is said that friends OF Mr.. JEFF
ferson interviewed lawyer the day
before the election regarding the en-
ployment of autos This lawyer stat.
ed that in his opinion the corrupt
practices acts did not apply to
school election
Has Not Been Consulted.
County Attorney ]. w. Schmitt
has received no word from the at
torney general in regard to the Bills
senbach complaint. Both Mr.. Bills
senbach and Mr.sJefferson asked me
for an Interpretation of the law and
II gave it to them Mr. Biissenbach
has not asked me to proceed against
LsI4J9rs stsw 1e50 {