Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-11-28

small. there we're two or three
guards.
T.. j.. Buckow, presiding officer ut
Weslaco. said he had taken the re-
turns to Edinburg accompanied by a
ranger. a deputy sheriff and one OF
the election clerks. He had not
noticed the flap Of the envelope was
unsaled. He admitted he had acted
as presiding officer OF elections
while q deputy sheriff. but had not
been a deputy sheriff since Sep
tember 80. He stated he had not
resigned. lie also testified he mad
talked TO County Judge Cameron the
day the returns were delivered.
"A am not going TO say they were
sealed" Buckow said in reply 10 a
query By Nelson relative 10 the
condition Of the returns envelopes
at the time he left Weslaco.
Buckow said that one OF the cleo
tion officials, u. b. Yarbrough. kept
reporting 20 the crowd and causing
disturbances. and that some persons
had put up "a pole 70 climb up 70 the
windows.
IF that envelope was unsealed
when handed 10 the judge II would
have been noted?" Lehlbach asked.
1T ought to-" Buckow replied.
Buckow said he had been an cleo
ton officer since 1920.
Says No Disturbance
y. b. Narbrough testified there had
been no disturbance around the polls.
and added that IL there had been any
boycotting at Weslaco, Buckow was
the only one he knew Of to boycott a
business place. No announcement Of
results was made by Buckow, he said.
and when the state law was called to
his attention he said: "Never mind,
I'm the law" Yarbrough testified.
Iarbrough said that misspelling OF
a name was sufficient to throw out a
ballot. and when Buckow's attention
was called 10 the law on the subject
he said: "Never mind that am
going by Instructions"
Were there any voters without
tax certificates 2" he was asked.
yes, sir; all M~exicans, no Amer
leans" he replied.
Claims Baker Dominates
Perry W. Perkins OF Mercedes.
testified he had lived in Hidalgc
county 30 years, and that for the
past ~ or rs years a. ". Baker has
dominated the politics OF the county.
He testified he had been friendly
with the dominating element up 10
1922. and had conducted the elections
at Mercedes from 1916 10 1922. He
was not permitted Il testify relative
to any elections other than that OF
the current year.
Perkins asserted that between 80
and 30 aliens voted in the general
election at Mercedes: that he had
looked over the voting list and
checked them. He added that he had
personal knowledge Of 80 or 40 Sc
curing poll taxes BY issuing 4 power
Of attorney. stating he had not been
requested to distribute poll tax re-
CENTS this year.
do YOU mean 50 To % aliens were
voted? Congressman Nelson asked.
yes"
why aren't such violations prose
cuted :"
Those who dominate our entire
courts. it's for their benefit was
the renly.
Perkins asserted that many persons
who had not paid a poll tax were per-
mitted to vote. There were approx
matelv 1850 votes cast AZ the Mer-
cedes box. he said. and that Ne under
stood between 200 and 500 ballots
had been thrown out ~ 'mutiIated."
Every man in the box was for
the administration" he said.
Raps Grand Jury System
He was then called upon ~ testify
relative 70 grand iuries IN the coun-
IN. stating that Eve have about the
same bunch" on the grand juries
wear after year. Changes are made
when they die off" he said.
why do the peopIe stand for
this III Congressman ChindbIom asked.
They're trying to get out" was
the reply.
At this iuncture Congressman
Black protested against the course
the evidence was taking. stating the
committee was there 10 investigate
campaign expenditures. not to investi-
gate grand juries. After A heated
discussion his objection was over
ruled nv Chairman Lchlbach.
Perkins closed his testimony rela-
tive 70 grand jurics with the state
ment: "It is common knowledge
they are selected nv one man."
y. y. Witke Of Mercedes was called