Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 21, Number 65, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 May 1900 — A Bad Case of the Scratches. [ARTICLE]

A Bad Case of the Scratches.

Was 'What-Ailed the Republicans Here Tuesday. But “Honor is Saved” Also Most u of the City Officers. Mayor, Marshal and One|Councilman ds the Sad Roll of Our Afflictions. The election here Tuesday was a good deal of a surprise, not so much that considerable scratching was done, but that it should have been so generally indulged in. Exact statistics . of the extent of the scratching of tickets are only obtainable from the Third ward. There all the straight tickets were sorted out and counted first; and there were just 36 straight Republican tickets and 52 straight Democratic tickets cast in the ward. The number of scratched tickets in the same ward was 111. Thus nearly--60 per cent, of the voters in the ward scratched their tickets. In the first and second wards the scratching was probably about as extensive. If any member of the election boards is asked his opinion, he will say that three fourths of the votes were scratched; but probably that is too high an estimate. Of the 111 scratohers in the third ward ward, about 23 were Democrats and 85 Republicans. Thus the scratching was pretty extensive in both jarties. The result of the election is that the Republicans have elected city clerk, city treasurer and four councilmen. The Democrats have elected city mayor, city marshal and one councilman. The following is the vote by wards. < - FIRST WARD. For Mayor. ' John Eger, Dem 100 B. F. Ferguson Rep 87 Eger’s Majority 13 For Clerk. Earl Mann Dem 80 S. C. Irwin, Rep 103 Irwin’s majority 23 For Treasurer Jerry Healy, Dem 85 J. H. Chapman, Rep 99 Chapman’s majority 14 For Marshal. Abe Simpson, Dem.. 89 John Jones Rep 94 Jones’s majority 5 For Councilmen. Moses Tutuer, Dem 77 Joe Sharp. Dem .92 £C. J, Dean, Rep....'. 95 H. J. Kannal, Rep 97 Dean’s majority 3 Kannal’s majority 5 ' SECOND WARD. Mayor. Eger, Dem 78 Ferguson, Rep 83 Ferguson’s majority. 5 Clerk. Mann, D {47 Irwin, R .. 109 Irwin’s majority 62 Treasurer. Healy, D..... 54 Chapman, R 105 Chapman’s majority 51 Marshal. Simpson, D..-.... 66. Jones, R.. 94 Jones’ majority 28 Councilmen. F. M. Parker, Dem 52

I. J. Porter, Rep .104 Porter’s majority 52 THIRD WARD. Mayor. Eg p r, D 120 Ferguson R 75 Eger’s majority 45 Clerk « Mann, D .... 74 Irwin R 112 Irwin’s majority 38 Treasurer. Healy, D . 89 Chapman. R. 101 Chapman’s majority 12 Marshal. Simpson, D 124 Jones, R 69 Simpson’s majority .55 Councilmen. J. 0. Chilcote, D 112 C. E. Hersh man, D 94 J. F. McColly, R 98 J. C. Gwin. R.... 89 Chilcote’s majority .14 McColly’s majority 4 The total net majorities of the four officials voted for by the whole city are as follows: Mayor, John Eger, D 53 Clerk, S., C. Irwin, R 123 Treas. J.H. Chapman, R. ..... 77 Marshal, A. Simpon, D... .... 221 The total vote cast was 543. A suprisingly large number, / The largest ever cast in the town before was in 1896, the first city election, when the total was 487. The stay-away vote was pretty large, and nearly all of it Republicans. In the Ist, ward 6 Republicans and 1 Democrat; in the 2nd, ward 21 Republicans and Prohibi - tionists. and 1 Democrat. In the 3rd ward, 43 Republicans and 2 Democrats. In all 73 votes. There were very few votes spoiled, owing to marking with a pencil, instead of a stamp. In every ward, however, there were a few tickets only counted for mayor.