Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-09-20
WARRANTS IN WAKE
/. OF CHESTER VOTING
Election Boards May Be Ar
rested for Failure to Re-
turn Ballot Boxes
COUNT NOW UNDER WAY

Unless every ballot box in the city
of Chester is brought to the court
house in Media today warrants will be
issued for the arrest of every election
judge and minority inspector in Chester
who fails to make returns.
The boxes are unguarded in Chester.
The announcement of the proposed ar
rests was made in Media this after
noon before the return board in the
courthouse by J. Barton Weeks, counsel
for the Delaware County Republican
League.
The decision of procedure by Mr..
Weeks is the result of the failure to
deliver the Chester ballot boxes to the
custody of the court as required by law.
When the counters met this morning
at 10 30 o'clock in Court No. . only
six ballot boxes from Chester had been
from the First, Second, Ninth and Elev-
enth wards.
In the meantime the game of pass
ing the buck" is going on between the
county commissioners and the county
solicitor. Both disclaim responsibility
for the nondeliverancc of the Chester
ballot boxes to the court. Judge
Broomall has refused to take any action
which would have the boxes brought to
the courthouse.
The counting of the votes had not
Lof
presented petition to Judge Broomall
to have James "Buck" Welsh. Mcclure
leader of the second precinct of the
Seventh ward, Chester, removed as an
official tabulator on the return board.
"Not Fit" Is Charge
The petition charged that Welsh is
not fit for the position and was yes
terday partially under the influence OF
liquor and threatened to do bodily in
jury to another member of the return
board appointed by the Republican
League"
While Judge Broomall appeared tC
be considering the petition. John J,
Stetser, n Mcclure lieutenant, acting
as a watcher at the counting, began tC
object strenuously. Judge Broomall
then announced that he would not con
slider the petition.
Before all the tabulators had taken
their seats yesterday to perform Their
duty, Welsh stood up and in a loud
voice ordered the Republican League
representatives to leave the room
Judge Broomall appeared SO amazed
at the conduct of Welsh that he failed
to call him to, order. Attorney Weeks
at that time objected to Welsh's efforts
to control the situation. Welsh ther
turned to Weeks and shouted:
Il want to serve notice on you thai
owhen we get out of here I'm going tc
knock your head off,
: Abner Hinkson. judge of election o
Bethel township, and one of the return
Judges. told the court that the unuse,
ballots and stubs in Bethel township
had been placed in the ballot box in
stead of the envelope, as provided by
law. Hinkson asked for a ruling OF
this question.
Objects to Ruling
Judge Broomall made a ruling to thu
effect that where the election officers
had failed to return unused ballots ant
stubs to the county commissioners, a.
provided by law, but put them in thu
ballot box, that the ballot box shoult
not be opened for the purpose of as
and stubs.
certaining the number of unused ballots
the ground that if the election officers
Mr.. Weeks objected to this ruling OF
had complied with the law the unused
ballots and stubs would be in envel
opes and opened before the count O.
any given precinct began, and the fac
that the election officers had made al
error in the disposition of the unused
ballots and stubs should not affect tn,
right of the public and the representa-
tives of the various candidates to Sc,
and inspect the unused ballots ant
stubs. Mr.. Weeks further pointed ou
to the court that this is an effective
means of detecting fraud.
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