USA > Michigan > Michigan official directory and legislative manual for the years 1915-1916 > Part 77
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Of Detroit, was born at Elizabeth, New Jersey, July 20, 1858, of English parentage. He attended the Michigan Agricultural College, from which institution he graduated in 1882. Since August, 1886, he has been engaged in the practice of law at Detroit. Mr. Beaumont is married, and has resided in Michigan since 1875. He served in the Spanish-American war, on board the U. S. S. Yosemite. Mr. Beaumont was elected a member of the state board of agriculture April 3, 1911, by a plurality of 131,170.
JASON WOODMAN,
[Term expires December 31, 1917.]
Of Paw Paw, was born in Paw Paw, Van Buren county, Michigan, in 1860, of New England parentage. He was educated in the public schools and the Michigan Agri- cultural College, from which institution he graduated in 1881. He was lecturer of the Michigan State Grange for eight years, and served as chairman of the Van Buren Re- publican county committee for several years. He was also a member of the state senate during the sessions of 1903 and 1905. Mr. Woodman is married. At the election held on April 3, 1911, he was elected a member of the state board of agriculture by a plurality of 130,286.
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ROBERT D. GRAHAM, [Term expires December 31, 1919.]
Of Grand Rapids, was born at Union, Ontario, November 11, 1855, of Scotch parentage. He received his early education in the district schools of Kent county. Mr. Graham has served as supervisor, representative and senator in the state legislature and has been a member of the state board of agriculture since 1913. He is married and has resided in Michigan fifty years. April 7, 1913, he was elected a member of the state board of agriculture by a plurality of 46,741.
ALFRED J. DOHERTY, [Term expires December 31, 1919.]
Of Clare, was born in New York May 1, 1856. He was educated in the Genesee Valley Seminary, of Belfast, New York, from which he graduated in 1876. He came to Mich- igan in 1878 and engaged in the mercantile and manufacturing business which he con- ducted successfully for a number of years. Mr. Doherty is married and has four children. He was a member of the state senate during the sessions of 1901-2, 1903-4 and 1905-6. At the election held on April 7, 1913, he was elected a member of the state board of agriculture by a plurality of 44,783.
I. ROY WATERBURY, [Term expires December 31, 1921.]
Of Highland, was born at Highland, Michigan, October 2, 1869, of American parents. He was educated in the public schools of Highland. Mr. Waterbury has always resided in Michigan and for the past ten years has been editor of the Michigan Farmer. He has served as representative and senator in the state legislature and has also held the offices of treasurer and supervisor. He is a Republican and was elected a member of the state board of agriculture April 5, 1909, and reelected April 5, 1914, by a plurality of 141,583.
WILLIAM H. WALLACE, [Term expires December 31, 1921.]
Of Saginaw, was born at Port Hope, Huron county, Michigan, September 12, 1862, of Scotch-Irish parentage. He was educated in the Huron county common schools and the Detroit Business College. He is at present president of the firms of Wallace Stone Company and Wallace and Orr Company, of Bay Port; president of the Bay Port Bank, Bay Port Fish Company and Ballard Fish Company; vice president of the W. J. Orr Fish Company, Bay Port, and the Saginaw Bay Fish Company of Caseville; vice president and director of the Remus State Bank and the State Bank of Vestaburg, State Bank of Blanchard and State Bank of Six Lakes; president of Brimley State Bank and director Second National Bank of Saginaw. Mr. Wallace is married. At the election held on April 5, 1915, he was reelected a member of the state board of agri- culture by a vote of 260,579 to 116,942 for Angus M. Smith, 26,121 for O. C. Hollister, 14,330 for George W. Eldridge and 10,810 for Wm. S. Lathers.
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
STATE LEGISLATURE.
SENATORS.
GEORGE ALBERT BARNES,
Of Flint, senator from the thirteenth district, comprising the counties of Genesee and Livingston, was born at Howell, Michigan, February 1, 1885, of English parentage. He was educated in the Howell high school and the University of Michigan, graduating from the literary department of the latter in 1906. During the following two years he assisted his father, George Barnes, in editing the Livingston Republican at Howell. In 1909 he purchased the Bellevue Gazette at Bellevue, Eaton county, Michigan, and January 1, 1910, was appointed postmaster by President Taft, which position he re- signed after selling the newspaper and going to Flint to engage in the publishing and printing business, where he is now president and manager of the Flint Printing Company, the largest printing concern in that part of the state. Mr. Barnes is a Republican and was elected to the senate November 3, 1914, by a vote of 6,556 to 5,187 for Joseph Walsh, Sr., 1,661 for Emery T. Middleton, 278 for Herbert L. Bodine and 8 blank.
TERRY T. CORLISS,
Of Mayville, senator from the twenty-first district, comprising the counties of Lapeer and Tuscola, was born at Almont, Lapeer county, Michigan, February 10, 1867, and is of Yankee descent. He was educated in the public schools of Almont. He is married and has always resided in Michigan and for over twenty-seven years has conducted the Mayville Monitor. Mr. Corliss has held the offices of village clerk and township clerk, director and treasurer of school district and was postmaster at Mayville. He has also served as proofreader and assistant secretary of the senate. He is a Republican and was elected to the senate of 1913-14 and reelected November 3, 1914, by a vote of 5,388 to 1,259 for Clare T. Purdy and 576 for J. H. Hayes.
FRANK L. COVERT,
Of Pontiac, senator from the twelfth district, comprising the counties of Oakland and Washtenaw, was born in Waterford township, Oakland county, Michigan, November 23, 1867, of American parents. He was educated in the district schools and the Pontiac high school. In 1890 he was admitted to the bar and has since been engaged in the practice of law. He was married October 2, 1895, to Catherine Cruice and has one son, Hudson C. Covert. Mr. Covert served three terms as circuit court commissioner of Oakland county, three terms as prosecuting attorney and superintendent of the poor for about three years. He is a Republican and was elected to the senate November 3, 1914, by a vote of 9,747 to 7,860 for James E. McGregor, 1,018 for Otto A. Stoll, 217 for Thomas C. Williams and 174 for John Harper.
JOHN ADAMS DAMON,
Of Mt. Pleasant, senator from the 25th district, comprising the counties of Gratiot, Isabella and Mecosta, was born at Madison, Ohio, June 4, 1850, of Scotch and English parentage. His education was acquired principally at the Wisconsin University. When he was five years of age his parents moved to Deane county, Wisconsin. In 1872 he went to Beloit, Wisconsin, where he was married to Ella G. Jewett, and he has a son, H. P. Damon, of Mt. Pleasant, and a daughter, Mrs. Floyd Mitchell, of Weidman, Michigan. He came to Michigan in 1876 and located at Millington, Tuscola county; moved to Mt. Pleasant in December, 1906. Mr. Damon has served on school boards
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for years, was township clerk, representative in the state legislature in 1887 and 1889, county treasurer of Isabella county in 1906 and 1908, and alderman of Mt. Pleasant in 1913 and 1914. He is a Republican and was elected to the senate November 3, 1914, by a vote of 6,350 to 4,060 for Frank L. Convis, 626 for Samuel W. Hopkins and 191 for Lester J. Stimson.
CHARLES J. DELAND,
Of Jackson, senator from the tenth district, comprising the counties of Hillsdale and Jackson, was born at Saginaw, Michigan, December 18, 1879, of American parentage. He was educated in the Jackson public schools and the Michigan Agricultural College. He lived on the home farm until 1900, when he removed to Jackson and in 1903 was appointed deputy county treasurer. He began the study of law in 1900 and was ad- mitted to the bar in 1905. From 1906 to 1910 he was chairman of the Jackson Re- publican county committee. Mr. DeLand was married in 1905 and has one child. He was elected to the senate November 3, 1914, by a vote of 7,051 to 4,713 for Henry R. Hague, 2,992 for J. Weston Hutchins and 123 for Benton G. Brown.
DAVID A. FITZGIBBON,
Of Port Huron, senator from the eleventh district, comprising the counties of Macomb and St. Clair, was born at Point Edward, Ontario, January 1, 1873, of Irish parentage, and was educated in the high schools of Sarnia and Toronto, Ontario. He has resided in Michigan twenty years, and has practiced law seventeen years. He served in the Spanish-American war with the thirty-third Michigan regiment. Mr. Fitzgibbon is a Republican and was elected to the legislature of 1911-12 at a special election held on Wednesday, March 1, 1911, to fill vacancy caused by the death of Charles M. Green. He was elected to the senate of 1913-14 and reelected November 3, 1914, by a vote of . 8,344 to 1,970 for Frank S. Church, 156 for C. Elmer Crissman, 144 for Philip Pellerin, 9 for William D. Brown and 1 for F. S. Church.
CHARLES WOODWORTH FOSTER,
Of Lansing, senator from the fourteenth district, was born in Lansing, March 28, 1873. He graduated from the Lansing high school in 1891; from the literary department, University of Michigan, in 1895 and from the law department in 1896. He has since resided in Lansing, where he has been actively engaged in the practice of law, and prominently identified with the Republican party. He held the office of circuit court commissioner for Ingham county from 1898 to 1902, and was elected to the senate November 3, 1914, by a vote of 8,001 to 1,580 for William S. Steensma, 6,108 for Simon B. Roe, 629 for Edward McAfee, 242 for Arthur Warren and 5 for Rudolph Fredrick.
AUGUSTUS H. GANSSER,
Of Bay City, senator from the twenty-fourth district, comprising the counties of Bay and Midland, was born at Wurtemberg, Germany, July 5, 1872. He attended the primary schools in Germany and the public schools of Bay City where he has resided since June, 1881. He is married and has three sons. From 1884 to 1886 he was em- ployed in a mill; 1886 to 1896 collector and clerk; manager of a carpet store, and news- paper correspondent from 1896 to 1898, and insurance agent from 1898 to 1910. He has served in the M. N. G. since 1892, and participated in the battle and siege of Santiago in 1898. He has been active in many fraternities and is a member of Bay City lodges F. & A. M., R. A. M., O. E. S., Elks, Odd Fellows, K. of P., and National League of Veterans and Sons. He served in the state house of representatives in 1911-12 and was elected to the senate November 3, 1914, by a vote of 5,068 to 3,430 for Martin L. DeBats, 2,776 for William H. Allswede and 262 for William Krause.
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
FRANK A. GROGER,
Of Brooklyn, senator from the nineteenth district, comprising the counties of Lenawee and Monroe, was born in Cambridge township, Lenawee county, Michigan, July 3, 1857, of American parentage. He was educated in the district schools. Mr. Groger is married and has always resided in Michigan, where he has been engaged in farming. He is a Democrat and was elected to the senate November 3, 1914, by a vote of 6,977 to 6,947 for Ernest J. Bryant, 1,366 for Rodolph A. Woolsey, 131 for Leon B. Hawes, 146 for Harold C. Mason and 38 no choice.
JAMES W. HANLEY,
Of Detroit, senator from the third district of Wayne county, was born at Detroit, Michigan, February 27, 1886, of Irish parentage. He was educated in the public schools of Detroit. Mr. Hanley is single and has always resided in Michigan. He has served as estimator of the first ward of Detroit and was also a member of the Republican city committee from the same ward for six years. He has been engaged in the con- tracting business during the past ten years. Mr. Hanley is a Republican and was elected to the senate of 1913-14 and reelected November 3, 1914, by a vote of 9,810 to 3,898 for Sidney E. Doyle, 998 for George E. Leonard, 272 for Lou B. Spink, 83 for Thomas W. Askin, 9 for James R. Murray and 7 for Frank J. Temple.
LOUIS N. HILSENDEGEN,
Of Grosse Pointe, senator from the first district of Wayne county, was born at Detroit, Michigan, March 29, 1856, of German parentage. He was educated at Notre Dame University, Indiana. He has always resided in Michigan where he has been engaged in the real estate business and served as president of the Hilmore land company. He was elected president of Grosse Pointe three terms. Mr. Hilsendegen is married. He is a Republican and was elected to the senate November 3, 1914, by a vote of 10,093 to 6,629 for Herman Natzke, 1,071 for William Karkett, 662 for David E. Reukauf, 117 for Olin N. Thrasher and 62 for James Murray.
EDWARD HOFMA,
Of Grand Haven, senator from the twenty-third district, comprising the counties of Ottawa and Muskegon, was born on a farm in Vriesland, Ottawa county, Michigan, April 12, 1859, of Dutch parentage. He received his education in the district schools and Hope College. In 1884 he graduated from the department of medicine and surgery of the University of Michigan, and has been engaged in the practice of his profession in Grand Haven and vicinity. He was married in 1886 to Elizabeth Pruim of Spring Lake, Michigan. He is a Republican and was elected to the senate November 3, 1914, by a vote of 6,845 to 2,601 for George A. Van Landegend, 553 for Walter Johnson, 155 for Mark B. Covell and 22 for A. A. Smith.
LOUIS L. KELLEY,
Of Farwell, senator from the twenty-eighth district, comprising the counties of Alcona, Arenac, Clare, Crawford, Gladwin, Iosco, Ogemaw, Osceola, Oscoda and Roscommon, was born near Rutland, Vermont, December 29, 1848, of American parents. He came to Michigan in 1861, attended the Ann Arbor high school, clerking and teaching until the fall of 1872, when he entered the medical department of the University of Michigan. He graduated in March, 1875, and located at Farwell, Michigan, May 1, having been actively engaged in the practice of his profession to the present time. Mr. Kelley was married in 1871. He has held the offices of village trustee, village president, supervisor for twenty years, and several terms chairman of the board of supervisors .. He is a . Republican, and was elected to the legislatures of 1905-6 and 1907-8. He was elected to the senate November 3, 1914, by a vote of 6,878 to 2,368 for William F. Johnston,
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198 for Charles W. Hitchcock, 327 for Emerson Terhune, 113 for Benjamin Bennett, 20 for Benjamin Benner and 1 for W. O. Bundy.
FRANK McPHILLIPS,
Of Saginaw, senator from the twenty-second district, was born at Chili, Monroe county, New York, May 8, 1848, of Irish parentage, and was educated in the district schools. At the age of fifteen years he enlisted in the Union army and served two years or until the close of the war, celebrating his sixteenth year in the battle of the wilderness. He was also in the battles at Spottsylvania court house, Cold Harbor and the siege of Petersburg. Mr. McPhillips is the only veteran of the civil war in the present legislature. He is married and has one son. For thirty-five years he worked in the lumber woods, farmed for six years, and was in the cigar and tobacco business for six years. Politically he is a Democrat and was a member of the legislature of 1913-14. He was elected to the senate November 3, 1914, by a vote of 5,932 to 5,797 for G. Leo Weadock, 1,023 for Albert L. Riggs, 378 for Albert Eynon, 100 for John Hood and 1 for Emerson P. Whaley.
J. LEE MORFORD,
Of Gaylord, senator from the Twenty-ninth district, comprising the counties of Alpena, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet, Montmorency, Otsego and Presque Isle, was born at Unionville, Tuscola county, Michigan, June 14, 1873, of Scotch parentage. His early life was spent on a farm, and at the age of fifteen he assumed the sole management of the farm work. His education was acquired in the district schools and the Caro high school, the family having moved to Caro in his eighteenth year. In 1900 he went to Gaylord, purchasing an interest in a furniture and undertaking business with R. H. Russell, and ten months later bought Mr. Russell's interest in the business which had been well established. On June 27, 1904, he was placed in charge of the Otsego County Bank, a position which came unsolicited. He was elected village president in 1906 and held this office four terms. Upon the reorganization of the Gaylord Motor Car Company Mr. Morford was elected a director and he is now its treasurer. He is a Republican and was a representative in the state legislatures of 1911-12 and 1913-14. He was elected to the senate November 3, 1914, by a vote of 8,458 to 4,091 for Samuel C. Bell, 780 for James R. Snody, 602 for Fred H. Thomas and 106 for Samuel C. Smith.
JAMES ALFRED MURTHA,
Of Detroit, senator from the second district of Wayne county, was born at Flatbush, Long Island, New York, September 3, 1870, and was educated in the public schools of Brooklyn, New York, and at Larchmere academy and Columbia University. Since 1891 he has been engaged in the practice of law. He is single and has resided in Mich- igan about twelve years. He was a presidential elector for the third congressional district of New York on the Palmer and Buckner Gold Democrat ticket and was also a Democratic candidate for Congress from the above-named district. Mr. Murtha is a Democrat and was elected to the senate of 1911-12 and 1913-14 and reelected Novem- ber 3, 1914, by a vote of 4,241 to 180 for Charles Erb, 13 for James R. Murray and 4 scattering.
SAMUEL ODELL,
Of Shelby, senator from the twenty-sixth district, comprising the counties of Lake, Manistee, Mason, Newaygo and Oceana, was born at Shelby, Michigan, August 30. 1881, of English parents. He acquired his education in the schools of Detroit and the University of Michigan. He has always resided in Michigan, and has been engaged in business at Shelby since 1902. He is a Republican and was supervisor of Shelby township two terms, a member of the state legislatures of 1909-10 and 1911-12 and was elected to the senate of 1913-14 and reelected November 3, 1914, by a vote of 7,461 to 3,833 for Richard E. Southwick, 1,194 for Burton S. Mills, 583 for Daniel F. Shoup and 109 for Augustine W. Farr.
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
ROBERT Y. OGG,
Of Detroit, senator from the fourth district of Wayne county, comprising the eighth, tenth, twelfth and fourteenth wards of the city of Detroit, was born in the town of Dundas, Ontario, July 22, 1860, of Scotch parentage. His education was acquired in the common schools and the composing room and editorial room of the daily news- paper was his alma mater. He began his business career as a newsboy and learned the printer's trade. He was subsequently newspaper writer, public official and business man, at present occupying offices in the Majestic building, Detroit, as manufacturers' representative for paving materials. He was married to Miss Susie M. McCarthy in 1888 and has lived in Detroit since boyhood. He has always been active in Repub- lican, Labor and Masonic circles. In 1886 he was elected to the house of representatives, being the youngest member of that body. Twenty-two years later, in 1908, he was elected to the house of representatives and was reelected in 1910. In 1912 he was elected to the state senate, and reelected November 3, 1914, by a vote of 6,918 to 4,309 for Hal P. Wilson, 315 for Robert Westfall and 104 for Selden R. King.
JOHN PAUL,
Of East Grand Rapids, senator from the seventeenth district, was born at Whithorn, Wigtonshire, Scotland, April 1, 1849. He was educated in the district schools. While he was quite young, his parents located on a farm in Kent county, Michigan, where he later assisted his father in the rough work of clearing the land, attending school during the winter. He has resided in Michigan sixty-three years, having been engaged in farming and in the real estate and insurance business. He has served as school trustee, village president, trustee, justice of the peace, supervisor and county treasurer. Mr. Paul is married. He is a Republican and was elected to the senate November 3, 1914, by a vote of 5,690 to 4,188 for Perry J. Breese, 829 for Oscar W. Braman, 345 for Loren B. Teal and 201 for George A. Dockery.
EDGAR ALLAN PLANCK,
Of Union, Cass county, senator from the seventh district, comprising the counties of Berrien and Cass, was born at LaGrange, Indiana, September 27, 1868, of German- American parentage. He was educated in the public schools of Indiana and Michigan, and at Valparaiso University and the University of Illinois. In early life he taught school, studied medicine and graduated from the college of Physicians and Surgeons, of Chicago, in 1894. In that year he located at Union, Cass county, Michigan, for the practice of medicine where he has since practiced. He was married in 1892 to Grace E. Hartman and has two sons. Mr. Planck is a member of various fraternal and bene- ficiary orders, including the various branches of the Masonic fraternity, Knights of the Maccabees, Loyal Americans and the Order of Gleaners. He has always taken an interest in local politics. He is a Republican and was elected to the senate November 3, 1914, by a vote of 6,927 to 6,424 for Leon D. Case, 664 for Robert A. Smythe, 240 for Newman Defendorf, 172 for C. S. Preston and 2 blank.
HERBERT E. POWELL,
Of Ionia, senator from the eighteenth district, comprising the counties of Ionia and Montcalm, was born in Ronald township, Ionia county, Michigan, April 27, 1866, and is of American descent. He received his schooling in the district schools and the Ionia high school. In 1887 he assumed the management of his father's farm, part of which, with other purchases, he now owns, giving special attention to raising stock and the breeding of Shropshire sheep. He was married in 1888 to A. May Waterbury, and they have two sons and one daughter. Mr. Powell is a stockholder and second vice president of the National Bank of Ionia, president of the Ionia Hardware Company, and is in many ways identified with the commercial interests of the county. He is a Republican and was a member of the legislatures of 1901-2 and 1903-4 and of the con- stitutional convention of 1907 and was elected to the senate of 1913-14 and reelected
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November 3, 1914, by a vote of 6,107 to 3,816 for Ed. B. Higbee, 264 for John C. Butler and 185 for Judson Seymore.
ALTON T. ROBERTS,
Of Marquette, senator from the thirty-first district, comprising the counties of Alger, Dickinson, Gogebic, Iron and Marquette, was born in Stockton, Maine, March 9, 1880. He was educated in Phillips Exeter Academy and Harvard College. He removed to Michigan six and one-half years ago and has been engaged in the real estate and publishing business. He is a Republican and was elected to the senate, November 3, 1914, by a vote of 9,231 to 3,784 for Edward P. Monteith and 2,352 for John H. Lewis.
GEORGE G. SCOTT,
Of Detroit, senator from the fifth district of Wayne county, was born at Detroit, Mich- igan, September 16, 1874, and is of Scotch descent. He is the son of Rev. John P. Scott, deceased, former pastor of the Second Avenue Presbyterian church of Detroit. He received his education in the National Normal University of Lebanon, Ohio, grad- uating from the scientific and business departments, and later graduating from the law department of the University of Michigan. He is a member of the bar of Ohio as well as of Michigan and is now engaged in the practice of law with offices at 713 Ford building, Detroit. He was married to Miss Hattie A., daughter of Otto and Johanna Krause, June 5, 1907, and has two sons,-Gifford G., age six years, and Milton J., age three years. Mr. Scott is a Republican and represented the fourth district of Wayne county in the legislature of 1905-6 and the first district in 1907-8 and was elected to the senate of 1909-10, 1911-12 and 1913-14 and reelected November 3, 1914, by a vote of 6,473 to 3,460 for Frank Burk, 650 for Charles H. Granger, 242 for Paul Oldenberg and 95 for Charles S. Rennells.
ELBERT V. SMITH,
Of Nashville, senator from the fifteenth district, comprising the counties of Barry, Clinton and Eaton, was born in Castleton township, Barry county, Michigan, October 26, 1864, of American parents. His early education was acquired in the district schools. He has always resided in Michigan where he has been engaged in farming, buying grain and in the insurance business. He served ten years as supervisor and was assessor six years. Mr. Smith is married. He is a Republican and was elected to the senate November 3, 1914, by a vote of 8,417 to 5,485 for John H. Palmer, 707. for William S. Leavenworth and 121 for James M. Stone.
HENRY E. STRAIGHT,
Of Coldwater, senator from the ninth district, comprising the counties of Branch and Calhoun, was born on a farm in Coldwater township, Branch county, Michigan, De- cember 26, 1864, of American descent. His education was acquired in the district schools, the Business College, Valparaiso, Indiana, and the State Normal College, at Ypsilanti. He followed farming and school teaching for two years and held several township offices. Early in life he identified himself with grange and farmers' institute work, holding the office of worthy lecturer of Branch county pomona, and for four years held the office of secretary and treasurer of the Branch county farmers' institute society. He was committee clerk in the senate in 1900. He is a member of Coldwater lodges B. P. O. E. and I. O. O. F. and was for six years a member of company A, second regiment, M. N. G. In 1899 he married Sarah B. Depue, and to them have been born three boys and two girls, all of whom are living. He is engaged in the clothing and gents' furnishing business in Coldwater. Mr. Straight has always been a Republican. He served two terms as county clerk of Branch county and was a representative in the state legislatures of 1909-10 and 1911-12. He was elected to the senate of 1913-14 and reelected November 3, 1914, by a vote of 5,960 to 5,234 for Hassan A. Love, 1,800 for Walter S. Powers, 440 for W. J. Rogers and 191 for F. C. Demorest.
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