Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-11-04
ILLEGAL VOTERS.
Many Thousands or Them Registered |
i'm New York-Startling Amoant OF
RAscnlity Developed by Detectives. |

Many thousands OF Them Registered
i'm New York-startling Amoant OF
RhscnIity Developed by Detectives
NEW YORK, November S-Thousands and
thousands of illegal voters have been placed
on the registration lists. 1t is the last card
of the Stalwarts to elect Folger. The
scheme has been discovered and long list
of indictments of parties engaged in the
fraud sent to the grand jury. For the last
six weeks District Attorney Mexican has
had a large force Of Pinkerton's detectives
at work gathering facts in regard to con-
plated election frauds and esPecla lily in re-
spect to illegal registration. Each OF the
men so employed has made a daily report
in writing OF all that he has learned on the
subject. The results are OF startling
character, showing systematic frauds OF the
grossest kind on the part Of some OF the
Republican managers. The
Amount Of False Registration
has been enormous COLONIZATION" has
been practiced on an extensive scale troops
OF alleged voters having registered from
cheap hotels and low lodging houses, where
they have never stayed more than few
nights. In some cases the registers OF such
inns have been "dOctered,' or so filled with
fictitious names as to indicate that the men
registering from the place have acquired
legal residence in the district. Tramps
have been given q local habitatiou and a
name. and the same men have been regis
tered at a number of different polling
places. The heaviest frauds have been COM
mitted in the Seventh Assembly district,
where Mr. Van COtt is prominent in Repuo-
lican politics; in the Eighth district, where
John J. O'Brien, Chief OF the Bureau OF
Elections and Republican candidate tor
County Clerk, is the Republican manager,
and in the Sixteenth, where Mix" Cregan
and Barney" Biglin are the leaders OF the
Republican forces.
A Mass OF Evidence Collected.
According to Assistant District Attorney
Allen q mass OF evidence has accumulated
against the perpetrators OF the frauds. Dis
trict Attorney Mekeon, he said gave orders
at the beginning that all cases OF apparent
yropg-doiag in connection with the cleo
tion shoaid be investigated impartially,
without regard TO party or persons,
but the reports OF the many detectives EN-
ployed show that all the frauds in qusS.
tion were perpetrated IN tae interest oil
ports was borne ont by the fact that the
Pinkertons were Republicans and that
their detective bureau was, in general 3
Republican concern. Ii was well under.
stood that some Of the Republican leaders,
while openly
Giving mp Their Cause ~ Lost.
were privately boastiuS that Folger would
carry the State and O'Brien be elected
| County Clerk. Mr.. Allen said that he be-
| Eeyed the number of names now fraudu-
| lently registered as those OF voters was not
| less than twenty thousand. OF this num-
| Der, in his opin ion, not more than ten per
! cent. would be pOlled on election day, ow-
( ing to the measures taken by the District
! Attorneys Office, which would, OF course,
| endeayOr TO keep out the illegal votes en-
! tirely. Fraudulent registration or an at
| tempt 10 commit il was itself felony, pun
| ishable by imprisonment for not less than
/ one or more than five years. As many
| cases as possible of 'colonizers' and re
| peaters," with the bar room keepers, land
! lords, etc, who were their instgators.
! would he prepared and given to the grand
/ jury tomorrow.
Buying Up inspectors.
Mr.. Allen said that on election day 1t
I would be a very risky thing for any man
I TO attempt to cast vote to which he was
| not entitled, although in some of the dis
| tricts the inspectors, as we'll as voters, had
| been bought by the conspirators. PlnSer-
| toms men would be stationed In and about
| all the polling places and as their identity
would be carefully concealed, and as many
7 OF them had already secured the confidence
| OF ward politicians, no man would be sate,
| in attempting any violation OF the election
Law. Mr.. Allen added that evidence had
teen secured strongly duplicating certtn
candidates for office in The frauds COM
mitted or attempted, but 1t was
Not Considered Advisable
to nake tine facts public at present, as the
District Attorney did not wish TO be sus-
pected Of attempting to influence the cleo
ton. .
I'VE have prepared q list OF cases" said
District Attorney McKe0n, that will star
tie the city. had no idea that this vii
lainous system of colonization could have
been carried on to such an extent as We
have discovered. II seems To have Hour
iShtd in former years without any attempt
having been made to check it. We have
struck il now, and you will ind that most
Of the ringleaders in the frauds will be in
state Prison before am through with
them. | gave ample warning TO the police
commissioners of my Intention in this re-
spsct, and vet the offenders. evidently
relying on the immunity enjoyed IN former
wears. treated the matter with indifference,
Surprising that they would. as usual, be
shielded from the consequences"
This work Of colonizing voters has been
going on for some time. The exposure
has caused a sensation. Folger was nomi-
mated by forgery and it is expected to elect
him by the groSsest frauds. This false
realization is nothing new. 1t is an in
stitution OF New York politics The inter
eslinE point sbout IL all is that the con-
spiraLoss viii be punished.