The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-04-10
Four Ballots Needed
 To Nominate Burgess
Republican Caucus Proves "Comedy of Errors"-j
 Rudolph Anderson Finally Declared Victor

Naugatuck, April l0-The Repub- lican convention will be held to- night, but 1t Is not expected to equal in excitement or interest the first ward Republican caucus last night at which J. Rudolph Anderson was nominated as burgess, after what might have been titled "A Comedy Of Errors"
 It was the most unusual situa. ton. in the opinion of seasoned politicians, that ever took place ct Q caucus here, for 1t required four ballots to nominate Q burgess.
 Mir. Anderson and Norman J. Wood were the two candidates, whose names were offered in ,1orn- ination. The first mistake occurred during the first ballot when Miss Lorraine Hoadley, who came in near the close of the ballot, wrote hur- riedly on her balot slip "R. John. son." she later said. She said she meant to vote for MT. Anderson.
 But the tellers had to declare that ballot void because 1t was for neither candidate. A total of 73 voted on this first ballot and the assemblage was astonished when Compensation Commissioner Joseph E. Talbot, who presided as chair man of the caucus, announced that 36 votes had been cast for MT. An derson ati dan equal number for MT. Wood, with one ballot being de- clared void. So . tie resulted. William Painter, who had rornl- mated MT. Anderson, then asked If on c second ballot the list of those registered as Republicans would be double checked, meaning that only those who had voted on the first ballot would be allowed to vote on Q second ballot.
 MT. Talbot declared 1t would and later explained he had misunder. stood the question. The second bal lot was taken and showed that two more had voted than on the first ballot, total of 75 votes having been cast. Mir. and Mrs. Clarence ouackenbush were the ones who voted on this ballot who had not voted previously.
 Declares Ballot Void
 On the second ballot, MT. Wood got 3e votes to 37 for MT. Ander- son. Adherents of MT. Anderson then protestedf, claiming that If they had known others would be permitted to vote, they would have attempted to get more ia the short interim between the first and sec- ond ballot.
 Chairman Talbot held that any on the list of registered Republi. cans in the first ward had a right to vote on the second ballot, but felt that mistake had been made when the impression had been con. veyed to some that only those vot. ing on the first ballot would be allowed to vote on the second ball. lot. So, after c long discussion, he declared the second balolt void and called for third ballot despite the objection on the part of some of MT. Woods supporters. MT. Talbot told the group they could appeal his ruling but none did.
 MT. Talbot allowed 30 minutes for the third ballot to be held, and both groups sought to increase their numbers in this period. After the ballot had been completed, but be. forfe the balolts were counted, still another surprise occurred when MT. Talbot announced that one woman who thought her name was on the list of registered voters had dropped Q ballot in the basket while the checker, Charles R. Andersen, was trying to find her name. Her name was not on the list, but 1t was then impossible to take the ballot out of the basket.
 So Mir. Talbot announced that if there wes @ difference of only one between the respective totals of the two candidates when the vote was counted, he would have to declare the entire third ballot void, because 1t was impossible to tell ofilcially for whom the illegal vote had been cast.
 Another Ballot Out
 And this is just what occurred. The ballot count showed 40 for MT. Anderson and 80 for MT. Wood, and MT. Talbot declared this entire bal- lot also void, and asked for a re- ces of five minutes, indicating he would entertain Q suggestion for other candidates and asking MT. Wood and MT. Anderson to get to- gether for Q talk. Apparently neither