Perth Amboy evening news., 1918-11-25
Control Of State House Of As
sembIy Is at Stake--Watch
Results With Interest
MAY take SEVERAL DAYS
Start With Perth Amboy, After
Argument Takes Up Morn
ing Session of Wright-Ap-
pIeby Contest--Secure 0pin-
ion From Justice Bergen.

NEW BRUNSwICKSNov 25-After
an argument that lasted all morning
and up to 1880 o'clock this afternoon,
the Middlesex County Board of
Elections started the recount OF the
assembly vote of Andrew j. wight,
Democrat and Albert w. Appleby,
Republican at 2 o'clock this afternoon
An opinion from Justice James j.
Bergen was sought late this morning
as to the proper method OF proceed
ure and the board was Informed to
proceed in any way they chose. II
was finally decided to start with
Perth Amboy, then South Amboy,
South River and Roosevelt In turn.
II the Republicans make no gains In
the recount from those four places
II is believed that they VIII give up
any idet OF O contest and the re-
count will end.
The argument this morning was
over the method of counting the votes
of the two candidates. whether to
take the districts alphabetically or
not 1t was finally decided after the
opinion OF Justice Bergen had been
secured, to start with the Perth Am
boy vote.
There are about 10000 votes to be
counted IL the entire county Is cover
ed. The votes for Wight and Appleby
alone will be counted and the event
Is taking place in the county court
house here. Prominent renresenta-
tives of both parties are present as
well as the two candidates.
In view of the Importance of the
decision. the entire state is watching
the result from the county seat The
final decision will~decide whether the
General Assembly 10 to be Republican
this year or whether 1t 10 to be- fifty
fifty.
a. <fnx Iafa fad "a ri ~
Elections sitting for the counting of
the votes from 10 o'clock IN the morn
ing until ~ o'clock noon continuously.
and from 1 o'clock in the afternoon
until o'clock in the afternoon con-
tinuously, Saturdays. Sundays and
holidays excepted.
In q statement TO the newspapers.
State Chairman /Bugbeo emphasized
the Republican belief that the running
of the Prohibition party OF O candi-
date by the name of ]. Brognard
Wright. was responsible for the appar-
ent defeat OF Appleby. The similarity
of the names, said Chairman Bughee.
Is SO striking as to warrant the be-
lief that some votes meant for Wright
may have been placed in the tally to
the credit of Wight.
However. in the petition to Justice
James ]. Bergen of the Supreme
Court. for the recount made by AL
DtTI w. 1ppicDys hO utChtlOh 10 htoNC
o: this mixup In names, but in part
reads as follows:
"Your petitioner further shows that
~ various polling places in the County
Of Middlesex. legal ballots were re-
sected and Illegal ballots were count
ss1, Sc far as the election for member
Of the House of Assembly of New
Jersey Is concerned, and that errors
were made In counting the votes and
In the tallying of same, and that valid
ballots for your petitioner were re-
jected and Illegal ballots for your
petitioners opponent. Andrew ].
Wight, We're counted in such numbers
ms to change the difference in the
majority of your petitioner.
Your petitioner further shows that
upon the foregoing facts and informa-
ton he has reason to believe that
errors were mNe by the respective |
Boards of. Election in counting the |
vote and declaring the vote"
Inasmuch as 1t is understood that |
the county Republican leaders were |
not in favor of the recount, the I'M |,
preston seems to prevail that the (
state leaders hit upon this plan, so |
that the house of assembly might be |
organized by the Republican party. |
1t Is pointed out that the counting of |
votes will take several weeks and |
may not be finished before the house |
is organized, in which case Wight |
will not receive his certificate of cleo
tion and the Republicans may organ
lie as they see fit.