Public-domain · open source
OpenJurist

35 Tex. Civ. App. 410

80 S.W 675

Bailey v. Fly

Court of Appeals of Texas

Decided April 9, 1904

Court of Appeals of Texas · decided 1904-04-09

<p>1. —Contested Election—Pleading—Amendment.</p> <p>In an election contest the rules governing the amendment of pleadings in civil cases apply. Following ruling of Supreme Court on certified question in this case, as reported in 97 Texas, 425.</p> <p>2. —Same—Inability to Pay Costs—Affidavit.</p> <p>An action to contest an election may be maintained upon an affidavit of inability to pay costs. Following ruling in 97 Texas, 425.</p> <p>3. —Same—Ordering New Election.</p> <p>Under the statute the court trying a contested election case may order a new election only where pie result of the contest as shown by the vote is a tie, and if there be a majority, however scant, the court has no discretion to make such order.</p> <p>4. —Same—Influencing Votes—Threats, of Eviction by Landlord.</p> <p>, Threats of a landlord to evict his tenants unless they voted for the candidate he favored do not warrant throwing out the box at that polling place where it is not shown that such threats were addressed to the tenants, nor how they voted, nor that the candidate was privy to such conduct. Evidence held to show that a tenant was not so intimidated or influenced in casting his vote by such threats of eviction as to render the vote illegal.</p> <p>5. —Same—Evidence—Post-Election Peclarations—Impeaching Witness.</p> <p>While declarations by a voter as to his place of residence, made after the election, are not admissable as original evidence, they may be admissible-for purposes of impeachment where the voter had testified, as a witness in. the case, that he had cjaimed the county of the election as his home for six months prior to the election.</p> <p>6. —Same—Illegal Voter—Identity.</p> <p>Where no identity of person was shown proof that the vote of Jesus Nieto was illegal did not warrant the exclusion of the vote of Terus Mieto.</p> <p>7. —Same—Ballot—Erasing Name.</p> <p>A ballot should not be counted upon which the names of two candidates, are printed and neither of the names is erased, although a pencil mark is drawn under one of the names, but not touching it. Rev. Stats., art. 1741.</p> <p>8. —Conclusions of Law and Fact—Refusal to File.</p> <p>A refusal of the trial court to file conclusions of law and fact is not reversible error where request therefor was not made until the last day of the term, and the court certifies that there was not time to prepare them.</p> <p>9. —Evidence—Baptismal Records—Hearsay.</p> <p>Where the keeper of a baptismal record, since deceased, had made an entry on the record of the date of the party’s birth as well as of his baptism, the date of birth could not be proven by the record since it was a fact not appearing to have been within the knowledge of such keeper, and hence hearsay.</p> <p>ON REHEARING.</p> <p>10. —Same—Bribery and Intimidation.</p> <p>In the absence of a showing of connivance or proc rement, on the part of a candidate for office, the box at a voting precinct w’U not be entirely thrown out upon an allegation that a partisan of such candidate influenced a portion of the voters at that point, by bribery or intimidation, where the proof fails to idenffy a single voter who was influenced or to establish that any were so influenced.</p> <p>11. —Same—Throwing Out Box.</p> <p>The rule requiring the elimination of ail entire box where practices are resorted to which necessarily or probably influence a large number of voters, and which by reason of its nature and effect is rendered impossible of definite ascertainment, held not applicable to this case.</p>

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1904-04-09

How this case has been cited

Cited by 11 later decisions — most recently May 1957

11 state decisions

40190419101920193019401950decided

Later decisions citing this case, by decade. The current decade is in progress, and our corpus holds fewer opinions from the most recent years, so the latest bars are undercounted — not a real decline.

View the full empirical analysis of this case →

¶1In passing on the contention of appellant that the Guadalupe and Pleasant Green boxes should be thrown out and not counted at all because of the misconduct of one Traylor, we stated in the main opinion that as Fly was not shown to have been privy to the practices complained of the contention could not be upheld. Counsel for appellant seems to have misapprehended our meaning. Of course we did not mean to be understood as holding that Fly would not be the loser to the extent of any votes shown to have been improperly influenced whether with or without his knowledge or consent. We meant no more than that in the absence of Fly's connivance or procurement the box would not be entirely thrown out merely on the showing *415 that Traylor had improperly influenced a portion of the voters at that point, or of efforts on his part in that direction not shown to have been effective.

¶2We are still of opinion that if bribery or intimidation is relied on to defeat an election or to secure the elimination of a part of the vote the allegation must be proven as any other, that is to say, either by circumstances or direct proof. In this case, except as to John Coleman, whose vote is disposed of in the main opinion, the proof fails to identify a single voter who was influenced by the conduct complained of, or to establish that any were so influenced. Appellant confesses his inability to name or identify one. We know of no reason why the rule as to the quantum of proof should be more liberal in this character of case than another. In every litigation the plaintiff must make out his case.

¶3We are aware of the rule requiring the elimination of an entire box where practices are resorted to which necessarily or probably influence a large number of voters, and where by reason of their nature the effect is rendered impossible of definite ascertainment. But this case does not present such a situation. The bribery complained of and sought to be established was brought to bear, if at all, upon individual voters. It is not shown that the efforts were in any instance effective, even if it be conceded that the efforts were shown to have been made.

¶4As to the general threat of eviction against the tenants of Traylor's relatives, they could have been identified and their votes shown. This was not done.

¶5We think we were justified in our conclusion that on the issue of threats and bribery we were not authorized to disturb the judgment.

¶6The issue was made by plaintiff as one of the grounds of contest and was affected by the amendments complained of as having been erroneously allowed. On the question of the amendments we must adhere to our first conclusion. Whether the amendments were of such a nature as to operate to the injury of appellant was a question addressed first to the sound discretion of the trial court. The incidents of the trial seem to have justified his action. No absent proof was suggested, though the trial extended over several days. Every material issue was sharply contested and the facts developed. The new matters complained of as having operated as a surprise consisted of assaults on the legality of certain votes for Bailey.

¶7The brief complains of the court's action as to but two of these, and as to them not upon the ground that contestant was not prepared upon the issues. We think it fairly appears the surprise complained of resulted in no injury to appellant. We deem it unnecessary to add anything further to what has been written. The motion is overruled.

¶8Overruled.*416

/35/texcivapp/410 · .json · Public domain