St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1916-02-12

SESSUkShlP III
,0F' IGNORANT
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whether f1gures had been changed. :.
That returns were not signed and
sworn to.
Norman Gillis:
When box was brought in 1t was
| placed In the vault In the clerks
olflce. Don't remember what time.
Get to the Office at $3.50 q. m. and
| loave at 500 p. m. Take an hour
or hour and half for dinner. The
vault door was usually closed by Mr..
Blossman. Sometimes he closed III
Either one or the other closed it.
That ballot box was sealed with
white paper on the side and at the
top with sealing wax. Could not
swear to the lock being locked.
State box was apparently sealed with
glue on paper. Was in the Office
Sunday, January 80. Might have
left vault open when he went to the
train at $500 p. m. Did not pay
particular attention to length Of time
gone from office. Walked to train
and came back. That vault was
about IL by 16 feet. Records were
kept in vault. That conveyance and
mortgage books were kept there.
Might have left Peter Koepp and
Chas. Bradley In Office. Cant make
positive statement. Was out Of
sight of clerks Office and vault. The
box was In the right hand side Of
the vault near window. Could be
seen from ohice. Anybody who wish
ed could use trail back of court
house.
Mr.. Burns and two or three men
examined the box. Never tried the
heck.
s Q. do you know whether it was
locked?"
A. ''Well. as far as taking hold
Of It and jerking on 1t and pulling
ON 1t I don't know. Did not try the
lock-
Hole in box was fastened with
wax. Other paper apparently fast
ened with glue. Vault was open
when, he came back. Knew vault
Was not locked when he was away.
Might have left Peter Koepp in Of
fee. Didn't know whether he left
Mr.. Bradley in courthouse Sunday.
He was in the Office few minutes
in the forenoon.
! By the Court:
It seems to me that the cross ex-
summation Is very strenuous, unless
you have some definite proof that
this box had been tampered with.
Judge Ried:
It Is not up to US to prove it has
been tampered with.
The Court:
That is the position the Court
takes.
Judge Ried:
II your honor please, the Supreme
Court, in the Marrero-Mfddleton
case, which is the leading case on
that subject, says that IL there has
been any opportunity given to tam
per, there does not necessarily have
to be proof that it has been tam
pered with; but that IL 1t has been
80 kept, or if an opportunity has
been given, so that it might have
been tampered with, without it being.
tampered with, it can not be opened.
Mr. ,lailler:~
Council for plaintiff now requests
that the Court order the ballot box
to be opened in court, for the pur-
pose, first. Of examining the returns;
that is, the poll lists and tally sheets
In the box. for comparison with
those already produced in evidence,
and If after such examination the
Court thinks It necessary to do so
and proper to do 90, in the interests
of tnafice. that the ballots be count
ed.
Indpe Ried:
II the court please. before the bal
lot hoy IA gone into-I frankly mean
what INV client aaid-if the ballot
nor can be produced in the condi-
fion in which the law requires It to
ha nroduced. wa have NO objection on
earth ia its being brought here.
do not mean to cast any insinuation
that anv ono has onenAd It. do
mt mnderstand that am required
tn do that and II I were. would not
make such a charge unless l could
hack II mn hv evidence.
In INV Understanding of the law
II must first he shown to the Court