Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1887-1890, 1888-11-07

Election day opened cold but clear.
The skies had a leaden hue and it appear
ed to be showing near the Belt mountains.
But the weather could not depress the
ardor Of the politicians or of the voters.
Before the opening hour there were
groups Of people around the school house
The judges, Messrs. Beachley and Mitch
ell, were on hand; so were the clerks,
Messrs. George Stanton and Hickory.
MIR. Leslie was chosen as judge in place
of Will Hanks, who was candidate. The
whole official machinery was thus render
ed complete. Poll books had been pro-
vided and nought remained but to place
a board with slit in it under the window
and declare the polls open. Among
those present at the opening of the polls
and before were Messrs. Paris Gibson,
Downing, Stanton, Harris, Churchill Gar
rett, Taylor, shary and Longeway. Joe
Hamilton was rather active and made
things lively as he peddled republican
tickets. But the Young Democracy were
soon in the field and handed around tick
cts with great energy. In the first 20
minutes 80 votes had been cast. The
voting was simple. The voter stood at
the opening in the window, announced
his name and handed in his ballot. The
clerks took it down, Judge Beachley
dropped the ballot into the tin box and all
was done. The next voter who came fast
on the heels of the other went through
the same routine. Sometimes a voter
took out his pencil and very deliberately
proceeded to substitute one name for an
other. The impatient voters scowled and
expressed relief when the tardy elector
stepped down.
About 8 o'clock voting became more
lively. Hacks, varlegated hacks they
might be called, from the colors and
placards which Trey wore, arrived freely
with voters and then set out for more.
There were democratic and republican
hacks, but folks seemed to use them in
Discriminatory. There is suspicion also
that many of the "boys" took repeated
free rides at the candidates expense.
The hackmen were certainly not discrim-
mating, but seemed to be in the best Of
humor.
AS rule the voting was done quietly.
One colored man was rather demonstra
tive in showing the ticket which he was
about to vote. Some drunken men who
had not recovered from the nights de-
bauch persisted in giving aloud their
opinion of the several candidates, but
people discreetly refrained from arguing
with them and they soon disappeared.
Blanks had been prepared for use in
case lawful voters were challenged, by
the republican committee, but up to
late hour none had been required.
Early in the day straight tickets were
generally used. "Stickers'' were not in
request and few were seen. Gradually
the "stickers" came forth from the pock-
cts of candidates and their friends and
anyone who wanted to alter his ticket was
readily accommodated. On the demo
cratic side, at least, there was not much
scratching Any changes that were
made seemed to be the result of personal
preferences.
1t was found early in the forenoon that
democratic tickets had been printed IN
which Downing's name had been substi-
tuted for Turner's. Such bogus tickets
were not issued from this office, which
printed democratic tickets for the entire
county. Placards were at once printed
denouncing the fraudulent tickets and
were circulated by the democratic COM
mittee, vi