Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-06-29
New Elections
Demanded by 6
In Brentwood
lrreeulority Charged;
Another Is Contested
In Lundover Hills

7IOtuCt - SObItSStSu
In Lundover Hills
Six Brentwood citizens have
demanded that a new registra-
ton and election be held there
because Of alleged irregularities
in the town election Tuesday.
IN another election dispute in
Prince Georges County, the Land
over Hills Town Council decided
by Az vote last night to carry
q contested ,nayoralty election
there to the Maryland Iourt Of
Appeals.
The Brentwood citizens filed
a complaint with Harry I,ongley.
supervisor of registration and
Judge of elections for the town,
which charges that 259 of the
384 ballots cast Tuesday were
marked with an identifying num-
Der by an election official.
Prepared to Go to Court.
The complaint demands that
the registration lists and ballots
be destroyed. Mr.. Longley said
today he has no authority to do
that and that the matter properly
belonged before County Circuit
Court.
j. Howard Malone, 4315 Thirty
ninth place, one Of the protesters,
said his group was prepared to go
to court If town officials are unable
to satisfy their demands.
The voting Tuesday resulted in
the apparent reelection to third
term of Mayor James L. Russell.
Mr.. Russell received 265 votes to
|9s for his opponent, Robert ].
|Englehart. according to the an
lnounced returns.
Says Ballots Were Numbered.
Mr.. Malone, who supported Mr..
Englehart, said that an election
official numbered each ballot as
she handed them to the voters.
Then on a separate sheet Of paper,
Mr.. Malone said, she listed the
names of the voters alongside the
number Of the ballot they received.
Mr.. Malone identified this Of
ficial as Mrs. Hiram Wohlfarth, Of
1921 Fortieth street. Mrs. Wohl-
Ifarth refused to talk with re-
lporters.
State election laws specifically
prohibit any identifying mark on
a ballot.
Mr.. Malone said several people
complained to Mr.. Longley and
Mayor Russell before Mrs. Wohl-
farth was finally directed to cease
numbering the ballots.
Others who joined Mr.. Malone
in the complaint are William A.
Ehrmantraut, president of the
Brentwood Citizens Association.
Charles B. Simpson, Robert w.
Harvey, Russell j. Bury aid John
Il. Abel. ST.
/ Refuses to Comment.
! Vance v. Vaughan, Brentwood
town attorney, had said earlier
that only so ballots had been
marked by Mrs. Wohlfarth. Mr..
Longley refused to comment on
the number of ballots marked.
4 After the election. Mr. Vaughan
directed Mrs. Wohlfarth to put
her list of names in the ballot box
with the ballots. Then the box
WAS sealed and was taken to the
supervisor of elections Office in the
county courthouse at Upper Marl-
boro for safekeeping.
Mr.. Longley said that Tuesday
was the first time Mrs. Wohlfarth
had served as town election Of
fetal, but that she has been an
official in State elections for IL
Tor IA years.
! Mr.. Longley commented that
I"everything possible was done to
give Brentwood a good, fair and
clean election"
To Appeal Ruling.
i The Landover Council last night
voted to appeal Tuesdays ruling
by Judge John B. Gray of the
Prince Georges County Circuit
Court, declaring Joseph A. Brandt
the new Mayor by a margin Of
one vote over Mayor William Zun-
del.
4 In the original election in May,
mfr. Zundel had been declared the
winner with 200 votes to 1913 for
mfr. Brandt. Mr.. Brandt appealed
to the courts, however, and a re-
count ordered by Judge Gray
Ichanged the final tally to 200 for
Mr.. Brandt and 1919 for Mr.. Zun-
'Idel.
Mr.. Zundel cast the deciding
lyote at last nights special council
injecting, held at his home. Four
Votes are required for any council
action under the town charter.
i Voting with Mr.. Zundel for the
appeal were John H. Kruger, au-
thor Of the motion; James j. Con-
Iway, and Charles Kline. Coun-
lcilmen Brendan O'Dwyer and
Frank Chinn voted against the
appeal.
Mr.. ODwyer, who had strongly
supported Mr.. Brandt during the
election. argued that the town
cannot afford the cost of the APP
peal.
1virninia (1rolln Seeks