Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-01-12
OPPOSITION TO
ORAL TESTIMONY. !. !
lS.MADEBY !. !! !. u WOC.
Practically All Witnesses
From Whom Testimony is
Taken, Are Illiterate.
ny Stafr Corrr,x,suondept. r,, !

in the List-Wog contest case for the
from the 39th legislative
district were begun today before the
elections committee of the North Da-
kota sehate. The morning hearingl
was chiefly devoted to the reading |
from transcript of the evidence taken
by the attorneys for the contestant. r.
]. List. @
The contestant listed the direct
presentation of>evidence shortly before |
noon, and the attorneys for the con-
testee. announced that Gust Wog, the
contestee, would be called to the
stand for oral testimony. w. c.. Craw-
ford OF Dickinson, one Of Lists attor-
neys, objected ON the ground that no
notice OF the admission of oral testi-
mony, had been. given, and that the
contestant was therefore not prepar-
ed with any. He pointed out that Mr..
Wog had been given ample opportu-
nifty to testify at the time the trans
script Of the evidence was taken, and
that IL the committee embarked on
the taking of oral testimony the con-
test might drag through the entire
session. A.. M. Hagan. chairman OF
the elections 4committee, announced
that the question would be taken un-
der adyisement. and ruling would be
handed down when the hearing is con-
tinued this afternoon following the
Adjournment of the senate.
Wog was represented by Attorneys
L.. A. Simpson and H. A. Mackoff, ana
List by j. p. Cain and Judge w. c.
Crawford, all of Dickinson. In outlln-,
ing the contestants case to the com
mittee today, the attorneys for Mr.
Iist declared that they proposed to
show that while the canvassing board
of the seth district had returned 2,SZ3
votes for Wog and 2,642 for List. the
count should have been in the neigh
borhood of 2,762 for Wog and 2,s4S
for List. /, In support of this claim
they charged that in certain towa- M
ships of Billings county. notably. SAD
d.e-Butte,; Indian Springs and Green
River. there were grave irregularltlee
in the election.
Some of the Charges. ,,
These; it is alleged, included work
for WoE on the part of election III
sscia1s., and permitting Others fo Work
s,rfor hinA In tfe polling places. OH feiais
Arse saiI to- nave pefsaa ded voterS 70
/; work. for Wog, III some cases one oni.
+" cial is said to have entered the votlne
booth with voters and to have +marKeo
the ballots for Wog, saying that 1T was
bis duty to do so. 1t is also alleged
that in these precincts mentioned men
{: nu Their " ives were allowed to be IN
1.-The voting booths together that Ut
Seraturc favoring Wog was placedt IN
he polling places. and that electioh
officials received money for assisting
Wog's candidacy. 81.
In connection with the last allega-
ton no evidence was submitted. Wog
In his reply denies each and every al
legation, and makes counter charges
Off irregularities In favor of List IN
ceftain precincts, notably the cities of
Beach, Sentinel Butte and Bowman
' Testimony Read. '1s.
4 Excerpts from the testimony Aof
GONE 20 witnesses was read by the
attorneys for List. This testimony
tended to show that lin nearly all cas-
es the witnesses could neither read nor
: speak the English language, did not
know the names of the candidates Tor
whom they desired to; vote, and had
received assistance either from the
election officials or others.
One witness, Kost EordonowS,. tes-
tilted through an interpreter that he
had brought his ballot home with him
although one OF the election officials
(. had shown him where to mark it At
in the election booth He said that he
hadfnever heard of either WQg or List
John DuchucR testified that there
was a paper, at the polling place that
showed how to. vote and that he had
voted accordingly. y
anna sAneulek SBlu sr tHdt sHe Idu
found a. ballot marked in the polling
place and had marked hers the same
Peter Convey Lowe testified that he
had voted although he did not know
how old .he was and rather thought
he was only 20 years Of age. E..
John Pfociw and Steve Prqciw both
testified that they had voted although
they had not:3received their second
citizenshipE pa pers. NJ
Practically all Of the witnesses! said
that all they knew when they voted
was that they were going to vote the
Nonpartisan league ticket and were
shown sby some one how ts mark Il
without even knowing the names OF
+ the candidates. ~ .; a5! a5