Glancing Back for Nov. 13: Voting machines damaged

Nov. 13, 1924

TUSCOLA — The state is all set for the Sherman Denny murder case to open in the Douglas county circuit court next Monday morning at 9 a.m. At that time Lee Roy Benskin, Harley Campbell and Leonard Campbell will be placed on trial for Denny's murder. For several weeks they have been girding their loins for a great legal battle, for it is an important case, the most important murder case in the history of Douglas county. Sherman Denny, a plumber, was called from his home about 10 p.m. Saturday night, May 17, shots were heard and Denny was found dead a short distance from the house. The above named parties were indicted, and held for the murder, having been confined in the county jail since their arrest. State's Attorney Cotton has spent much time on this case and will be assisted by John H. Chadwick, a former state's attorney. The defense will be represented by Joel Davis of Tuscola, assisted by Lott Herrick of Farmer City...MATTOON — Harry Sullan is confined to the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Sullan, 2421 Western Ave, suffering from an injury caused by a spike driven into his left foot when a pole fell on it while he was at work in Hudsonville on Tuesday. It is expected he will be laid up for two weeks or more. Sullan is an employee of the Central Illinois Public Service Company, and it was while engaged in his duties that the accident occurred.

MATTOON —Election judges have disputed a claim that votes lost Nov. 5 resulted from errors they made. Voting machine malfunctions in three precincts in Mattoon and Charleston during last Tuesday's election resulted in the loss of 275 to 300 votes. The president of the firm that manufactures the machines said Friday that the malfunctions were caused by human error. Frank H. McKay, president of the Frank Thornber Co. of Chicago, which sold the voting machines to the county, said a green light shows the machine is in operation. He said if it flashes, the machine is not operating properly. McKay said if the cover was not properly secured on the voting machine the warning system would not be perceived. The JG has tried unsuccessfully for several days to contact McKay for an interview. McKay's statement was made in a telegram sent to area news media. Election judges in the precincts where the votes were lost don't accept McKay's claim that they were are fault, not the machines...CHARLESTON — A voting machine in Charleston Precinct 11 was damaged the day before the election when it was "played with," the JG has learned. The Journal also learned that it took 45 minutes early election day to get a serviceman to come to fix the machine because there was no telephone at the polling place. Voters cast their ballots in Precinct II at the state highway garage on south University Drive. The Journal contacted two of the election judges for the precinct after learning about the incident. Contacted were Republican judge Mrs. Harry Shannon and Democratic judge Mrs. Virginia Atkins. Both women confirmed that the voting machine had been played with the day before the election. They said there was no intent to damage the machines. Mrs. Adkins and Mrs. Shannon said several men had played with the machines. They did not identify the men. Mrs. Adkins said the men told one of the election judges "they had a lot of fun playing with it. The next morning, the machine didn't work," said Mrs. Adkins. ""To the men, it was just a toy, they didn't know." Mrs. Adkins said the write-in window on the machine had been forced open manually. "It was supposed to be operated by a little motor."

WASHINGTON — No one actually thought doughnuts and cookies were health foods. But it will be harder to hide from just how unhealthy they are under new nutrition labels that would list a little-known artery-clogger called trans fat. The Food and Drug Administration on Friday proposed the change, the first since the government required labels on food products in 1994. Experts believe that trans fatty acids, the stuff that makes french fries, crackers and lots of other foods taste so good, may be even worse for the heart than saturated fat. But consumers have had no way to know how much of it is in their foods...CHARLESTON — Coles County Clerk Betty Coffrin has the respect and admiration of her peers to the point that they think she's the best public official in all of Illinois. The Illinois Association of County Clerks and Recorders nominated Coffrin to receive the Official of the Year Award from the Illinois Association of County Officials. "I felt that being nominated by my fellow clerks was honor enough," Coffrin said Friday.