Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1920-08-21
COUNTY ELECTION BOARD
| DEADLOCK ON QUESTION
Democratic Members Want
Present Officers to Contin-
ue; Republicans Object.

BY stan Correspondent.
NEW BRUNSWICK, Aug. 21.-As
a result of the deadlock in the public
Nearing at the court house here last
kklnt as to the ousting of the two
X)emocrats of the election board of
the fifth ward, second poll. of Perth
Amboy, the decision as to the filling
OF the vacancies now rests with
Judge Peter +. DAILY.
Attorney Russell +. Watson, re-
presenting himself and Charles A.
Mccormick, protested against the
reappointment of Thomas A. Smith,
John Feeney on grounds OF IN
competency.
This trouble is an aftermath of
1.-THE recount of last fall when it was
Mound that there we're four more
&ballots in the box than there were
$names on the book. The Democrats
voted to re-appoint the two Demo-
cratic members, but the Republicans
zwere In favor of putting them out as
has been done on their side yester-
9day when Harry Tooker and Law
rence Grouse were elected to succeed
Ernest Pape and Mark r. Letter.
81 According to Watson,s
there were ersIviolations of the
laws in last falls elections, one in
Hpublican and one Democrat having
charge of the books and one of each
doing the Judging and inspecting the
two Republicans took charge of the
books and the two Democrats judged
and inspected.
1t was afterward noticed that
while each voter was to be given a
number in the registry book the tao
ulation went only as far as 92 and
from then on it appeared that the
names were written in the same
handwriting. The Democrats neither
stated that they witnessed nor did not
witness the signing of the book. 1t
was the claim that the first inkling
2hat the signatures were other than
1ginals WAS when the story came
cut iii the Evening News.
Another violation OF the laws was
the giving out of the ballots to voters
before tffeir signatures had been
placed in the books. and it was Fee
neys claim that he knew the law
only In a general way and was not
aware of this requirement.
Thomas Haggerty stated he
thought the two ousted Republicans
/ should have been present to- state
.their views on the matter. Pre-
yiously Lef!er and Pape had stated
that they had charge of the books
and that Smith and Feeney entered
no names. Feeney claims that 269
ballots were voted and checked and
{yet he admitted that he saw no vor-
4 ers sign the poll books as the law
4 requires. He has been on the board
for six years.
Although Watson did not admit
<or deny it. his stand seemed to be
that ITO votes were Illegal and that
many ballots were given out before
1.-THE book was signed.
4 Smith. who has been on the board
for five years. claimed that he gave
up his place at the book at the re-
Huest of Pape and that he did not
know that it was against the law to
tEter the booth before signing the
poll book.
Haggerty stated that the techni-
Ealities of the election laws were not
lived up to and when Smith made
The claim that he had confidence in
the Republicans and did not think
kthat they had to be watched the fact
\Vas disclosed that their disregard
the law was matter worthy OF
\eir being replaced.
vAts the close of the meeting Wat
Fson accused the Democrats of trying
to put the responsibility upon the
#Republicans and because of the fact
That they failed in their duties was
10 reason for such action. He claim
ID that If the people continued to
Pink eyes at such action of those in
harge of the polls that worse tao
les might be resorted to. He de-
3ared the matter was a gross negli-
ence on their part disqualifyins
hem for reelection on the grounds
"a unfitness. BY this negligence and
are he said the election results were
ostponed and of the four votes that
ere disfranchised two of them were
bod for Voorhees,. one was decided
be marked and the other was
Iank.
The Democrats said that they
6ould be reappointed; that it is a
Election upon their character to
ast them but Watson came back
nth the statement that guilty OF
1ot they conducted an election In
4olation of the laws and that cap
e men should be selected to re-
V ? them.