The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1913-01-27
{. 0. MOON DECLARED DULY ELECTED
REGISTER OF DEEDS OF THIS COUNTY

Luz vi ulC tUUNII
were so touched by the deputy coun-
ty auditor. 81
Judge Stanton, in his decision,
finds the following as facts on which
the decision is based: ~
1. That both G. o. Moon and j. O..
Harris were qualified voters at the
last election and that their names
appeared on the ballot for the office
of register of deeds.
2. That the report of the canvass
ing board indicated that the vote cast
for j. O. Harris was 1,463 and for c.
o. Moon was 1,458, and that a GER
tif1cate of election was made out and
delivered to Mr.. Harris.
8. That c. o. Moon has been dep
uty county auditor for three years
and has had unrestricted access to
the vaults and files and knowledge of
the vault combination.
4. That Mr.. Moon handled many of
the packages Of ballots when received
by messenger, mail or express and
that the ballots of every precinct
were in the same condition when re-
ceived by the auditor as when cast by
the voters.
S. That when the packages were
opened they were piled in the "com-
missioners' room" and that the room
was constantly occupied by Mr.. Moon
in the discharge of his duties as dep
uty auditor. - &
6. That the ballots remained in the
room while the canvassing board was
at work; that Auditor George sealed
and filed them in his vault from
three to five days later; and that the
ballots of FROM and Grant Valley
were so placed in the auditors vaults.
Harris Entered Auditors Vaults.
Z. That the auditor and his depu-
ties had access to the vault, at all
times and the clerks during business
hours; that other county officers had
access to the vault; and that J. o.
Harris occasionally entered the vault
and did so enter the forenoon of De-
cember IL.
8. That the inspectors started the
recount December 10 taking the bal
lots, few at a time, from the audi
or's vault to the commissioners room;
that the ballots were sealed with the |
auditors seal which was intact on !
each; that sit@became known Dece1n,
Der II that the ballots of .Frohn~ and
Gran Valley were missing and that
they they have not been seen since;
that the recount Of the inspectors did
not include FROM and Grant Valley.
8. That in tifty-two of the pre-
cincts of the county the vote stood,
Harris 81 and Moon $50; that the
Second ward in Bemidji cast 1873 for
Harris instead of 1877; that the Third
ward cast II instead of 70 for Moon;
that the Fourth ward cast SO instead
of 81 for Harris; that Nymore cast
"a instead of 43 for Harris; that Bat
tie cast II instead Of 16 for Harris;
that Baudette cast 101 instead of 102
for Harris, and AZ instead of 46 for
Moon; that Blackjack cast 108 in
stead of 107 for Moon; that Chilgren
cast instead of 7 for Moon; that
Hornet cast for Harris and IS for
Moon instead of for Harris and II
for Moon; that Jones cast 5 for Har-
ris and 16 for Moon instead of for
Harris. and Is for Moon; that Lam
gor cast Z for Harris instead of 8;
that Moose Lake cast Fl instead of
20 for Moon; that Tenstrike Center
cast sc instead of Al for Harris and
that the Tenstrike error was due to
transcribing clerk.
10. That the FROM and Grant VAL
ley ballots were removed from the
auditors vaults by an unknown per-
son on or before December II.
Vote in Missing Precincts.
II. That in FROM the vote was II
for Harris and 27 for Moon.
II. That in Grant Valley the vote
was II for Harris and rs for Moon.
10. That no one had opportunity
to tamper with the ballots during the
time they were in his vaults but
the auditor, Mr.. Moon and H. w. AS
lop. 4
The decision also finds as facts
that in several instances judges of
election failed to follow the letter of
the law.
Mr.. Harris was at his Office in the
court house this, morning for the
first, time since January as he has
been confined to his home with a
severe illness. u