Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-05-13
G. @. P. FRAUD
|. CHARGED IN
VOTE COUNT
Two Petitions Filed
by Defeated Candi-
dates.
HEARING JUNE l
Judge w. w. Thornton
and Henry COchrane
Plaintiffs.
HEARING JUNE ]

An Investigation Of irregularities and
fraud on the part of Republican precinct
election boards In the recent primary
election may result, 1t was predicted to-
day, from the filing Of two petitions with
Leo X Fesler, county auditor, asking
for recount of the ballots cast in the
primary.
Each petition states that the confession
believes there was fraud committed in
the counting of the votes, that ballots
favoring the petition were cast out as
mutilated or defaced, and that ballots
on which candidate for the office which
they sought had not been marked were
marked with an after the name of the
contestee.
The petitions were fled by Judge VII
liam W. Thornton who was defeated by
James N. Leathers for the nomination
for judgeship Of room /, Superior Court,
by thirty-three votes, and by Henry NJ.
Cochrane against John L. Duvall.
Cochrane was defeated for the nomina-
ton for treasurer Of Marion County by
$40 votes.
A hearing on the petitions viii be held
before the county commissioners court
June l. Mr.. Fesler announced.
THREE OTHER
PETITIONS FILED.
Three other petitions contesting the
official vote have been filed In Circuit
Court A hearing will be had on these
early next week. Included In the list
Is a petition filed by Thomas Dexter,
negro candidate for nomination to the
State legislature.
The time for the fling Of petitions ex-
pires this evening. Thus far no Demo-
cratic candidates have contested the out
come of the primary.
The petition filed by Mr.. Cochrane,
after setting out the fact that the con-
testor Is a member Of the Republican
party and has been affiliated with 1t for
fifteen years and is qualified to act as
the nominee for treasurer, sets forth a
number Of specifications as to why the
petition for a recount should be granted.
They follow:
ION account Of irregularity, illegality,
mistakes and malconduct Of the election
officers at each and all precincts In
Marion County, the legal votes cast for
the contest or In said precincts were not
counted.
CoCHRANE CHARGES
VOTES WEREN'T COUNTED.
legal votes for the contester (Mr.
Cochrane) were not counted for the con
testor for any office.
Legal votes east were uncounted but
considered and treated as marked, de-
faced and mutilated ballots"
1t Is pointed out that the ballots have
been preserved and asserted that a re-
count would show a plurality for the
confession.
1t Is further charged IN the petition:
"That the election officials failed to re-
cord the correct and true vote, but re-
1aE 1pr ho
(Mr. DuyalD.
precincts did not correspond with the
votes first cast"
That when voters failed to mark
after the name Of any candidate for
trea surer as Y was marked after the
name Of Duvall.
ILLEGAL BALLOTS
ALSO CHARGED.
That illegal votes were cast and II
these Illegal votes were not counted
Cochrane would have been nominated.
The petition prays that the correct
vote be ascertained and established and
asks that Cochrane be declared the duly
elected nominee of the Republican
party for the position Of county treas
urer.
Judge Thornton's petition also alleges
numerous Irregularities and expresses
the belief on the part Of the petitioner
that fraud has been committed.
As In the other petition, 1t Is asked
that Judge Harry 0. Chamberlain Of Cir
cult Court appoint three commissioners
to conduct the recount.
Dexter, the negro asking q recount,
was the twelfth candidate in the race for
the nomination to the State Legislature.
Eleven were nominated.