The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1916-11-16
SECOND Ward IN QUESTION
Wells Says County Clerk Jones Helped
Board There to Canvass the Vote
Spartz Tells Defeated Candidate to
Go AS Far AS He Likes.

James NJ Wells, Democratic candfs
date for county clerk who was beaten
by Russell H. Jones in the election on
Tuesday by a majority of something
like 1913 votes, is not satisfied He is
going to contest the election of Jones.
He took the first steps toward con-
test when he called up John P. Spartz,
chairman of the County Board of Su-
pervisors and notified him that he
would file a formal contest against the
certifying of the election of County
Clerk Jones on account of what he
termed Irregularities in the canvass
Of the vote cast in the second ward of
the city.
eco as far as you like, - was the
answer of Spartz, "'but I fail to know
what the County Board has to do with
such a contest'' There was more talk
between Wells and the chairman, but
it was irrelevant and immaterial
The grievance of Wells has been pref
ty we'll aired about the town, in fact
it has been aired so much that if the
case ever comes to a jury, it would be
necessary to carry it to another county
in order to get jury which had not
heard Of his complaint. It is admitted
that Mr.. Wells does not expect to re-
verse the result of the election, but it
is suspected that he is a sacrifice on
the. altar of contest with a view of
making it impossible for any error to
ever creep into the canvass of a vote
again.
County Clerk Jones was not bristling
with wrath over the proposed contest
on the part of Wells. eff jim really
wants 'em," said Jones this morning,
81 will agree to turn over to him for
argument s sake every vote cast in the
second ward and then [ believe that
the returns will show good sized ma
jority for me- The clerk smiled as
he went into the matter. All that
happened down in the second ward was
regular and above board. = went down
to the Durkee School just before noon
on Wednesday and found the election
board still struggling with the figures.
One of the members of the board asked
that I help them out and maybe for
ten minutes I checked the votes as they
were read. / never canvassed a vote
nor read off from the ballots a single
vote. Then Mr.. Wells came down and
objected and I promptly turned over
the pencil TO someone else. I am con-
WINGED that the suggestion of a con-
test would not meet with the support
of any member of that tired election
board'
Democratic candidates who were de.
feated and who were elected were not
slow in speaking their minds in regard
to the proposed contest. F'Maybe
Wells thinks that Kenosha people are
not capable Of running their own cleo
tions" was the suggestion of one Of
them. just let it go at thatl' an.
other suggested.
The County Board viii probably not
take the matter up when it meets on
Tuesday, but it is expected that Mr..
Wells will have attorneys watching the
canvas of the vote when it is started
up in the vaults at the county building
by the official canvassing board. The
ballots from the second ward are locked
and if Mr.. Wells becomes more con-
WINGED that he has not had a SQUARE
deal they can be opened up and count
ed. Clerk Jones will show Wells the
courtesy of allowing him to count them
himself, without the aid of even a.
checker. If Wells can figure out his
election by counting them over again
as already agreed not to make con.
test.