Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1922-08-15

counsel for Hall. in his closing
statement before the court in
abandoning the contest
Court Rulings Blamed.
The last chapter Of the contro
versy was based upon allegation:
OF the Hall forces that numerou:
democrats, including large mum
bers Of Catholics, had changed
their party affiliations on primary
election day. some through the In
fluence of Catholic priests, In or.
der to cast their votes for Olcott
for governor.
I'VE have the names OF verJ
large number or Catholic demo
Gratis who entered the polls anc
changed their party registrations
who we believe would tell thai
story II we had the right TO ques-
tion them along that line" de-
clared Attorney U'Ren as pre-
Iiminary to his notice of abandon
ment OF the contest.
THE ruling as to what we may
ask Of the witness as to his rea-
sons or his principles has taken
us entirely by surprise and there
is no use In taking up the time OF
the court in presenting this story
over and over.
May Appeal to Voters.
II desire to announce that we
abandon the contest here and
now. Our only recourse apparent
ly is through the electors as there
is no appeal from the rulings OF
this court"
U'Ren indicated that he pro-
posed to go before the next legis-
lature in an effort to secure
amendments to the primary cleo
tion law which would prevent in
the future what he termed viola
tions of the spirit Of the primary
system particularly with refer
ence to the exercise OF influence
on the voters by the church or
other organizations.
Bowerman Blames Khan.
Il want to announce my readi-
ness to join with Mr.. U'Ren in his
determination to strengthen the
primary law" declared Jay Bow
erman, of counsel for Olcott, pro
viding he will agree to include
also a provision which will pre-
vent kleagles, wizards and gOblins
from coming into a community
and attempting to dictate to the
electors"
Il want also to correct an i'm
preston that has gained circula-
ton during the contest TO the ef-
feet that this is a fight between
Catholic and Protestant, Bower
man continued. Governor Olcott
is a Protestant and all of his peO-
pie are Protestants. This cOntro-
yersy arose over an attempt OF the
Xu Klux Klan to run the affairs
Of Oregon"
OF the list of 55 Marion county
voters whose names were made
public as having been subpoenaed
to appear as witnesses in the re-
count controversy, service was had
against only a score of the list, it
was stated today. Uf these only
five were called to the witness
stand, three were excused because
cheir summons had been based up
on misinformation and three OF
the five who were called to the
witness chair were hastily ex-
cused when their testimony show
ed that their summons, also, haG
been largely based upon mis-
information.
Two Witnesses Quizzed,
Only two witnesses were sub
iected to any extended question
ing and most OF the time during
which these two occupied the
witness stand was given over to
arguments between attorneys for
the contestant and contestee over
points of law.
Robert S. McNamee, St. Paul
farmer and member of the
counting board at the primary
election, who was the first witness
called to the stand, told the court
that he had been a life long demo-
crat until on the date of the re-
cent primary election when he
his party affiliation In
order to assist a friend who was