The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1922-09-30
COURT HEARING
CONTEST CASES
Judge Rules Against Motions and
Demurrers and Is Trying Cases
Arising From Democratic
Primary Mal-conduct

PRIMARY Mal-(onouct
Judge Taber overruled all motions
and demurrers having for their pur-
pose the circumvention of the
court trial of the election contest
cases filed by Attorney Harry War
rem and Mrs. Georgia Rutherford
against District Attorney L. G. Will
son and County Treasurer Cora
Hoenstine; and trial of the cases,
on their merits, started yesterday
morning.
As a matter of fact, however, the
testimony of four witnesses, viz,
Tliden Martin, Mrs. Tilden Martin,
voters in the jackson Greek precinct,
and o. N. Marsh, who served as
judge in that precinct; and Eugene
Petit, who served as clerk in the
Jungo precinct, was introduced be-
fore decision was made as to the
trial of the case; and all testified to
the fact that they were registered as
Democrats and, apparently, un-
ashamedly admitted, when pressed,
that they had voted for Democratic
candidates, Tilden Martin and wife
answering, to queries propounded
by Attorney Warren, that they
voted for Wilson,
Judge Marsh testified that the
Jackson Creek election board per-
mitted two or three persons to vote
who were not registered, after first
refusing them the privilege. Then,
after the board had reconsidered
and let the challenged ones vote,
the board members INDUCED in
chewing the rag" as Judge Marsh
lucidly termed it. He amplified by
saying that while the ones who were
provocative of "the chewing of the
rag were not registered as Demo-
Gratis they had voted that way two
years ago (this partially lifts the
veil shrouding the mysteriously large
vote cast for Cox two years ago)
and the election board members
thought that the voters referred to
were registered as Democrats. Judge
Marsh made mighty good witness,
but who stands to profit from his
testimony, none but the Lord knows
and He is divulging no inside in
formation.
Eugene Petit, aged 60, clerk at
the Jungo precinct, was next called,
and he gave forth some evidence
that was almost too startling to be
true, but Mr.. Petit has the bearing
of gentleman who realizes the i'm
portance of maintaining an unfair
nished reputation for truth and
veracity, and there can hardly be a
question but that every shocking
incident he vividly depicted actually
occurred at Jungo on that fateful
primary election day, Sept. 8, 1922.
Mr.. Petit did not become unduly
excited while on the witness stand.
His was not the testimony of one
laboring under great mental strain.
To the contrary he was calm, col
lected, deliberate, almost to a point
trenching upon supreme indiffer-
ence, if not callousness, regarding
the effect his relation of the occur
rences might have upon the lives of
children yet unborn.
He related, in a matter of fact
manner, many things that transpired
during the primary election at the
Jungo precinct, not the least of
which was the casting of a vote by
A. Lille, locomotive engineer, for
Democratic candidates, notwith-
standing the fact that he was not a
registered voter in the Jungo pre-
cinct and had nothing to recommend
him to the favor of the election
board other than a transfer card.
With naught more than a bit of
paper of that sort Lille was per-
mltted to cast ballot indicating
his choice of candidates, and it an
peared from the testimony of Mr..
Petit that it had never occurred to
him, before his appearance on the
witness stand, that the election
BOARD of Jungo precinct had COM
nitted one of the most grievous Of
lenses imaginable. 1t was a irving
rdeal for Mr.. Petit and the i'm
nense. crowd of spectator suffered
inguish beyond measure when it sat
| silent witness to the modification
of man who had innoeently per-
hitted taxpayer to give expression
to his preference without registering
strenuous protest.
AT the conclusion of Mr.. Pettit's
testimony it was noticed, by the
yigilant eyes of The Silver State
man, that there were many dry orbs
among the members of the bar. and
even Judge Taber gave no outward