| Show THE ARKANSAS IMBROGLIO IN the election for state officers in arkansas in 1872 the republican candidate for governor was ellsha elisha Baxt baxter erand and the democratic candidate was joseph brooks the vote as reported by the secrete secretary iry try of state was for baxter brooks 3 baxter being thus elected by a majority of 3 2 As usual there were charges of fraud and irregularities on orl both side no returns from green Johnson Poin sctt sett and scott counties were included in these totals the votes of those probably have amounted to less less than 1600 about evenly divided or at most with not more than a hundred majority either way the point of dispute therefore between the rival candidates was the correctness or incorrectness reet ness of the tile le ie turns for although so some me township returns were also rejected the missing and rejected returns could not counterbalance the majority reported brooks claimed that lie had bad a majority of the votes actually cast and lie he commenced suit in the circuit court in pulaski county for the governorship the attorney general also commenced suit against governor baxter by quo ivar zv evanto anto fanto in the supreme court which court decided that the courts of the state had bad no power over a contested election for the office of cf governor and it was left for the legislature to decide the matter by the usual canvass of the returns the legislature had a republican majority of fifteen in tile the senate and twenty five in the house and i as might have been expected after canvassing the vote declared the entire republican ticket duly elected the case remained ou on the docket of the circuit court of co and to get it out of the way the attorneys for governor baxter moved that it be taken up on demurrer and disposed of an agreement was entered into between tho cou counsel n on both sides bides for the arguments to be heard beard the latter part of this month then two of the three judges went home and the attorney for brooks told the remail remaining aing judge that it had been agreed that the case should be submitted without argument next morning judge shylock announced his decision overruling the demurrer and issuing in a decision of ouster in five minutes brooks and an armed band took possession of the state house forcibly ejecting governor baxter the state arsenal was broken open and the arms distributed to the supporters of brooks meantime governor baxter laid the matter before president grant and asked federal aid in establishing his position as GoVe governor knon Knor this president president grant declined to render although it is stated he be favors baxters claim our recent dispatches tell the remaining part of the story so nar far as it has progressed this account is from a republican source and has an evident bo publican flavor |
