Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-12-26
LESLIE CLAIMS
Holds OFFICE
2YEARSM MORE
Says He Was Elected
In 1926 for a 4-Year
Term; Re plies to
Contest

EDINBURG, Dec. 2S.-The claim
that he was elected to the position
or district judge in 1926 to serve q
four-year term is made ty ]. Z. Les
lie, judge Of the 18th judicial dis
trict, in his answer to the election
contest recently filed by Gordon
Griffin Of HcAllen.
A test ease TO determine the ten
ure of office OF a district judge, ap-
pointed 70 fill an unexpired term
and elected at a general ele, ion be-
fore such term has expired, is ex-
pected to result.
In his answer to the contest re-
Gently filed by Gordon Griffin, Dis
trict Judge j. E. Leslie declares that
in 1924 L. j. Polk was elected judge.
resigring the position in June. 1925,
ut which time Leslie was appointed
In 1876 Leslie vas "A candidate fJr
the position and elected. In his an
swer Leslie contends he was elected
for a four-year term and not for the
remainder of the term TO which Polk
was elected
Attorneys for Griffin claim the
question raised BY Leslie has been
passed upon and the courts have
held where a judge was elected fol-
lowing his appointment TO m unex-
pired term. the tenure II office was
only for the number of years to
which his predecessor had been
elected.
Attacks Griffin Vote
Leslie in answer TO Griffin's allie
cations contained in the contest
which was filed several years ago
states that while the election board
declared Griffin received 1884, in
reality Griffin OILY received 2573
legal votes.
The difference between the cleo
ton board figure and Leslie's are
charged to be illegal votes. The
votes are described rs illegal by Les
lie who 81 ties IN his answer that
tie~ were cast BY persons who did
NO have the LEGAL right to vote.
The answer sos est ihlt 13l per
cons vctrd tc- Crif n wna hrd not
resided IL the state for - months;
tnat IlS votes were east for Griffin
by persons who had not resided in
tho .Iunty for six months preceding
the election; that 100 votes were
cast BY persons who had not resided
IN election precincts IL which they
cast their ballot; that lis votes east
for Griffin were cast by persons who
did not reside in the election pre-
circts in which they east their bal
lot on the dlte of the election; that
$50 persons wrOrgfully cast a bal
LIT in the McAllen box upon which
the presiding judge Of the election
had not written his signature as
provided for hy law: that 20 per-
sons cast their ballots for Griffin who
were not citizens &C { he United
States; that 355 votes were cast for
Griffin by persons who had not paid
their poll tax for The year 1927; that
3s3 were counted BY various cleo
tIn judges for Griffin when rs q
matter of fact these votes had not
been cast for his opponent, Griffin;
that 101 votes were cast for Griffin
By persons who had not -eached the
Ego Of q; that 315 votes were cast
for Griffin By persons whose names
did not appear on the poll lists and
that they did not make affidavit be-
fore presiding judge that they yer
entitled 70 n vote; that al persons
voted for Griffin who made false
affidavits for the purpose Of voting;
that 234 persons cast their ballots
for Griffin who after having receiv-
ed a ballot used n paper, card. a
pocket book. a vanity case a spec
tacle case. the hand. cuff sleeve or
other thing upon which was a written
memorandum or lists Of persons for
whom they intended TO vote; that
200 persons w%rongfully voted in the
San Juan box and that their ballots
were void because the presiding
Judge failed 70 write his signature