Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1922-12-08
FREEHOLDER RECOUNT SHOWED
GAINS FOR CHAMPION, AND YORK
DISCONTINUED EXAMINATION

While Charles H. York, the Demo-
cratic petitioner for a recount Of the
votes cast in the recent election for
the 3-year Office of Freebooter. and
his attorney. Judge Loder, of Cum
berland County, stood at the shoulder
of George B. Jeffreys, chairman Of
the County Board of Elections and
Mayor Joseph Champion, the Republi-
can who, according to the official re-
turns, was elected tt the office by
more than 20 votes, nonchalantly
blew smoke rings, a recount Of eleven
election districts was begun on Tues
day morning in the courtroom.
Prosecutor Charles w. Wolverton, of
Camden County, represented Mayor
Champion and he, with York and Lee
Roy Loder inspected each ballot as
the chairman called it off.
Before starting the recount Judge
Loder informed the Board of Elec-
tions that when the application for a
recount was made, it was with the
understanding that it might include
the eleven districts originally intend
ed, or all the districts in the county,
as the petitioner and the incumbent
should later agree upon.
In the First Ward of North Wild
wod the official returns on election
night gave Champion 34S and York
1873, a majority of 215~ for Champion.
In the recount, Champion gained 3
and York lost l, a net gain of 4 for
Champion.
The opening of the ballot box from
the Second Ward at North Wildwood
disclosed a fragrant violation of the
law on the part of the election board;
the ballots had not been numbered.
One of the rejected ballots in this
district (for Champion) had been
marked with a blue crayon and was
discarded by the County Board, in
creasing Yor's lead by 1 vote. The
total change in this ward increased
York by 2.
When the Board came to count the
First Ward in wildwood it was
learned that a barrel had been used
as a container for the ballots, rather
than the usual ballot box. Mr.. VOL
verton objected to the votes being
counted since, as he said, they ap-
peared in a barrel "shaky," to say the
least, and with openings; on the bar
rel there was no lock and no seal.
Judge Loder then moved that the
votes be counted. The Board voted
on this motion and it was passed with
the understanding that Justice Black
was to decide on the legality of the
count. Mr.. Jeffreys said, "The court
ordered us to count this precinct and
if we feel SURE that (pointing to the
Whether or not the c~ontainer used as
a ballot box is legal, is, l feel, for
Justice Black to decide"
City Clerk Alfred Winterburn, of
Wildwood, was sworn and on being
questioned said that the barrel had
remained unprotected in his office 8 or
10 days and was then put in a closet
which was locked. Winterburn said
that the regular ballot box would not
hold the large number of votes cast
and added, that a barrel had been
used once before in Wildwood for the
same purpose. He said he could not
swear that the ballots in the barrel
were the same as those cast on Elec-
ton Day. The count was made with
the understanding that Judge Black is
to pass on the legality of this unique
ballot box.
In this district 654 votes were poll
ed, the returns giving York 80 and
Champion 295-a majority of Is. The
recount in this district resulted in
Champion and York each losing 3
votes, making the count stand BOT to
292, and York's majority of Is votes
remaining unchanged.
The recount Of the Second Ward
in Sea Isle City resulted in Cham
pion's losing one vote, while York
gained one, giving Champion 128 to
SO for York-a majority of rs votes.
No change in the lila victory for
Champion, recorded on Election
night in West Wildwood, resulted
from the re-counting this week.
The First Ward of Ocean City gave
| Champion 453 votes on Election night
against ITO for York. The recount
showed ass for Champion, while York
had 164-a gain of II votes for Cham
pion.
York gained 4 as a result of the
count of the Woodbine votes, the re-
turns of 1878 on Election night be-
ing changed to 164-S9.
Champions 1OO-3S vicotry in Stone
Harbor was not changed by the re-
| count.
Champion gained 2 votes in the
Second Ward of Ocean City, changing
the Election night returns of 572-l3S
to 575-139.
On Wednesday afternoon, after the
9 districts recorded above had beer
re-counted, York, through his attor-
ney, ex-Judge Loder, abandoned the
~cOu