Whenever the election of a United States senator is contested before the United States senate, or notice of a contested election for United States senator may be given, or whenever any judicial proceeding may be instituted preliminary to a contested election involving the right to a seat in said United States senate from the state of Michigan, and it shall be made to appear to the supreme court of the state of Michigan that there is danger that the ballot boxes used in the election of said United States senator within said state will not be properly preserved, the seals upon said boxes interfered with, said ballot boxes opened or the ballots therein interfered with or destroyed, such supreme court shall grant a restraining order directed to the officers having custody of said ballot boxes within said state restraining them and all other persons from interfering with said boxes, seals or locks thereon, or the ballots therein, except as therein provided.