The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-12-13
AtWater May Give
 estirnonv
New Phase Of Bribery C a s e Expected To Bring Mayor And Al dermen Before Prose- CutOr.

Twenty-four members of the Board of Aldermen and Mayor Fred Atwater may be summon ed before Prosecuting Attorney E. Earle Garlick to testify to the events that transpired at the last meeting of the board. Prosecutor Garlick's investiga- ton of the Cornell bribery charges for States Attorney Homer s. Cummings assumed gigantic proportions today when it became known that the mayor and the city fathers were to be brought into the case. The disappearance of twelve of the votes cast on the second ballot for aldermanic president has devolved into the most import ant angle of the investigation, and may have a direct connec- ton with the expected sum- mons of the mayor and alder men.
 Circumstances that surrounded the recent contest for the election of the president of the Board of Aldermen
 
 .portance to the prosecuting officials. The Identity of the aldermen who. on on the second ballot. switched from m standard and thereby made certain the election of Alfred E. Veness and the defeat of David W. Price. is being sought. and Is believed to be the pri- mary motive In summing the alder- men for examination.
 It has been learned that the miss ing ballots are the ones cast for AL
 efmhn ahers P1ce On by yre the first EeP1ohc12 Salot each were cast for MT. Veness and MT. Price, although tfis had not been determined until one was discovered of the first ballot have been account. ed for.
 On the second ballot, according to the report of the tellers. 8 votes were cast for MT. Veness, and II for MT Price, indicating that one of the Re. publican voters had gone over to the | Democratic side. Only 12 of these votes have been found, and 12 have | mysterfous1y disappeared.
 Aldermen John ". Hilbert and l Eugene c. J. Kelly. who were the tell CTS during the presidential election. are expected to be the first of the aldermen examined. Their testimony Is of importance. inasmuch as they were in charge of the ballots after
 bert was holding the votes of the first l ballot when Chairman Cornell at 1 tempted to wrest them from his grasp | before they were officially demanded
 by City Clerk Dunigan.
 1 MT. Dunigan conferred with Prose- 1 eutor Garlick yesterday afternoon, | and told of the circumstances that led him to demand possession of the bal 1 lots at the request of Mayor Atwater l F'orty-eight votes in all were cast, and
 twelve are said to be missing. MT | Garl4ck said today that he called MT 1 Dunigan so that he could examine the l said. land as far as I am concerned i MT. Duntgan is concerned. I am satis. 1 tied with what he has shown me-" The ballots are yet in the possession | of MT, Duntgan. At the conference 1 yesterday, the prosecutor asked MT Dunigan if he cared to give him the l llots. which may later be used as evil dence. but was told that they would | not leave MT. Dunigan's possession until he was given a signed and writ ten receipt for them. showing that he l was released from the responsibility 1 for their safe-keeping.
 The prime importance of the miss l ing ballots lies in the fact that a | comparison of the handwriting will l enable the authorities to determine @ | the Identity of the man who voted first
 for Price and on the second ballot for | Veness.
 While 1t cannot be verified, 1t Is re- 1 ported that Alderman Edward T. i Hamilton. now under arrest, has claimed to have voted on both ballots TOT the democratic nominee. ana It Is the desire of the officials to check l up on Hamilton's alleged statements and definitely determine for whora | and when the ballots of each member | of the board was cast.
 State Attorney Cummings returned 1 to Bridgeport this noon, and will con- l fer with Proseeutor Gar1ick this aft ernoon, Although the case of AL | derman Hamilton is officially in the 1 City court and set for trial next Sat l urday morning, reports are current | that the States attorney will ap- | pear within few days before Judge Allyn L. Brown in the Criminal Su- | perior Court in connection with the l Hamilton case.
 | The power may be exercised by the | States attorney to apply to Judge | Brown for & bench warrant to bring 1 Hamilton directly before the higher 1 tribunal eliminating the necessity of 1 binding him oyer in the city court i No action will be taken before the Su- | perior Court this afternoon, it is ex- | pected, and an appearance on the bribe ease before the court will not a made before tomorrow at the earliest.