The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-12-14
OPERATORS BLUNDER LOSES
MCDONALD CONGRESS SEAT
At the Same Time Sends IL. DIN
Young Back to Wash
ingtOn
CANDIDATE WELL KNOWN;
TRICKERY Is CHARGED
Believed Young Will Hear Par
tvs Call and Accept Office De-
spite Defeat in Returns

ISHPEMlNG, Mich, Dec 14--(SPe-
.cialJ--It has developed that the
cause OF the technicality by whIca
the vote cast for VIM. J. Macdonald
In Ontonagon county has been thrown
out by the state board OF canvassers,
as result Of which that Progressive
candidate for congress is declared %
have been defeated in the recent cleo
ton by Rep. II. DIN Young, Repub-
lican, by a margin of 2l5 votes, lay
in a reported mistake on the part or
the telegraph operator at ontonagon
in taking a message from Charles P.
Holman. OF Detroit, secretary OF tie
state central committee OF the Pro
eressive party
The telegram as II was written and
as il was received by all the county
election boards In the upper penilp
sula, that OF Ontonagon excepted. read
as follows: Congressman Twelfth dis
trict should be spelled William J
Macdonald correct. In taking II
from the wire, IL is explained in al.
vices from Ontonagon. the Ontonagcn
operator got the units OF his code
mixed up OH the word spelled" and
wrote II "Sheldcn." The telegram
thus reached the county clerk worded
as follows: Congressman Twelfth dls
trict should be Sheldon William J.
Macdonald correct" The message
was received Oct. Is. Three DAYS
previously. Secretary Hoffman had
sent out messages certifying the narAe
of Mr.. Macdonald for the ballots, bot
had spelled il Mcdonald II was te
correct this spelling that the latter
kilograms were dispatched
IL has been limited by some friends
Of the Progressive candidate that tie
name OF the nominee was purposCly
misspelled on the Ontonagon ballo ;.
They have pointed out that Mr.. Mac
Donald is the prosecuting attorney oi
the adjoining county OF Houghton, ne
frequently has had business in On
tonagon county and be is almost IS
we'll acquainted in the latter commun-
fly as In HIS own II is explained. or
the other hand. that Mr.. Macdonald
is known in Ontonagon as plain
"Biil. or as Mister end that Hhel,
the Progressive state secretary te,a-1
grapned that Sheldon VIM. j. Mac
Donald" was the correct" nNne il
was taken as matter OF course tina
the candidate had so been christened
and the election board never question
ed the message its authenticity or
the accuracy with which il was trar
scribed from the wire. II is declared
Nv County Clerk Garvin that every
one cf the 45S Ontonagon county cleo
a.. H.. II
Macdonald knew who the Progress
sive candidate was and supposed they
We're voting for him. With these ass
ballots deducted from Mr.. MacDon !
AIDS total, his plurality of 243 in the
district at large Is over some and /,
Congressman Young Is left with 2l5
votes TO the good.
The apparent defeat OF the Progress |
siye nominee, after II had been con, |
sidered that he had won the seat has Z
caused sensation throughout the u.j-
per peninsula. There is much inter.
est now as to just what the outcome /
will be. Il is declared by some |
friends of Congressman Young that re /
will decline the reelection which the !
tethnicality apparently gives him, not /
only as the part of political eIpediency I
and with an eye to the future. bu |
because morally he may feel that vi. !
de: the existing circumstances he -
not justly entitled To the incoming |
term. II is said by others that party |
considerations will force him to take |
the seat again, particularly as he VIII |
be urged to this course BY certain of |
his influential advisers.
Providing Mr.. Young doe not qua !. |
~, II also is contended. a special |
election will be necessary in which |
event, 1t is asserted, Re doubtless |
would stand an excellent chance OF |
DeinS his own successor. for the /
reason that his Progressive opponCtt !
this time would not be running on a
ticket to which II is conc sded Colonel |
hooseyelts name lent much strength |
Should Mr.. Young accept the verdict |
az II now stands, II is added. the Nee |
Donald forces would carry the con.
test TO the house CT representative |
where, II is generally admitted they |
would be prepared o. present a strong
case. Keen political obsery Srs believe
Mr.. YounG will not quality unGer
existing conditions and will go before
the electorate again.
Woman Guilty Of Husbands Deatr.