Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1916-11-17
CLAIM FRAUD
IDAHO ELECTION
County Commissioners Set Aside
700 Democratic Votes in Bonner
vile County Alone
HOBOES VOTE In CANYON COUNTY
Republicans Will Take Matter Before
the Courts

BOISE, Nov. 14.-It looks as if
the results of the election in the
state of Idaho will be challenged.
No doubt the most shameless cleo
ton ever held in the state was that
of a week ago Tuesday. 1t is
used a hundred thousand dollars in
his campaign. 1t is known that
his deputy game wardens ran for
the legislature in several of the
counties. 1t is also known that
men who were supposed to be go
ing over the country to look for
investm were in reality spread
ers of poison for the governor in
his campaign of vilification of re-
publican state officials.
While making no charges, the
Boise Statesman has brought to light
condition which indicates that
the whole election was organized by
the democrats along improper lines.
This was done through the abuse
of a feature of the election law
which allowed the swearing in of
votes on election day. 1t is claimed
that hundreds of votes were sworn
in by democrat workers who were
illegal voters. So convinced of this is
W. G. Gregory, ID. w. Davis cam
paign manager, who is secretary Of
che republican organization, that
he has set in motion the legal steps
necessary to bring about a recount
| in a large number of counties. In
Bonneville alone, 700 democrat votes
have already been set aside by the
county board of commissioners sit
ting as a board of canvassers.
Inasmuch as Mr.. Davis is defeated
on the face of the election by only
700 and Mr.. Barker, secretary of
state, by less than 1000 votes, and
B. NJ. Holt for lieutenant governor
| by about the same maroin as Barker
was defeated by, it is very possible
that these men are still elected and
recount based upon evidence at
present at hand, will so prove; and
it is also possible that the whole
state ticket is elected.
Exactly how the matter of alleged
fraud can be brought into court is
being considered by attorneys and
the exact procedure has not been de-
termined upon.
'In one precinct about half the
there were just 1T votes sworn in
Most of these voters were voucheo
for by one of the counting judges
None of them could give a residence
or house number.
"Thc party workers would picI
them up wherever they could. They
would watch the freight trains come
them they would pick up the tramp.
and take them to this precinct anC
: tell them how to vote and where t.
claim residence"
This is the report that comes to
day from CANYON county, Idaho, O
/, which Caldwell is the county seat
The remarkable thing about tn
: election which called attention o
Investigators was the large vot
cast. The increase was from 107 .00'
in 1914 to 100000 in 1916 Their
. is a further popularity. This in
crease has been confined largely t.
the border counties where an in
flux of people from the outsid
could be handled.
Another feature is the large mum
p Der of votes sworn in at all tn
/ polls. Fully one fourth were sworl
p in, even in Ada county, and tn
2 percentage is larger in some coun
Z ties.
1 The large increase is not confine
to democratic counties. but it is i
/ democratic counties where most o
I the increase appears. In Bonnevill
S county the investigation has resulte
5 in the election of the entire repub
lican ticket.