Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-12-12
WOMEN AT THE POLLS.
Novel Scenes at Boston's Mu-
 nicipal Election.
PEDDL1NG VOTES IN THE RAIN.

Most of Them Act as If 1t Were No New Thing-The School Question Was the
 Issne-Mayor O'BrIen Defeated for Re-
 election-Incidents of the Day.
 BOSTON, Dec. 12.-It rained steadily all day, from the opening of the polls to the closing thereof Despite this the women of Boston, wearing gossamers, goloshes and looks or firm determination, f1ocked to the ward rooms to exercise their man given right or suffrage by voting for members of the school board. This right they have had for some years, but not until this year have they had any general desire to exercise it.
 A cry was raised in the fall that the Catho- lies were trying to gain complete control of the Boston schools. This started the excite ment The Protestants began registering in order to vote against having any Catholics on the school board Then the Catholic wo- men registered by the thousands to offset the Protestants' votes, and yesterday the battle ragged. To begin with, the women voted early. The polls opened at ', and in nearly every pres the first voter was q woman. Half of tlss total vote cast by the women was in before 10:SO Then, too, they voted rapidly, intelligently and with as much Knowledge of just what to do as the average man. This was largely owing to the fact that there have actually been meetings held and lectures given for instruction on this very point.
 The women came to the polling places in little groups of half O dozen neighbors, in company of some one who knew what to do. Occasionally man and wife walked arm In arm, but this was the exception At the polling places everything was orderly. Not a case of interference with women having business at the polls has been reported. On fha xvhafhor Tinor tn vote or distribute ballots. were received with respect and all needed assistance given them.
 In Ward IS the registration of women has been unusually heavy, and during the fore noon they were in the majority in the ward rooms At Precinct 3 of Ward IS the women were enthusiastic The men had no show at all The fair creatures filled the room, and their white silk badges waved, like the plume of Henry of Navarro, wherever the battle waged the warmest. Evidently the women were not wholly in accord, for one was over heard scolding because another woman was peddling Marshall stickers with which to paste Miss Hastings name.
 Ward Il is on the Back Bay, the aristo- cratic and wealthy section of the city. Here the woman vote was exceptionally large, more than half of those registered having donned their gossamers and cast their little *tsayn for school committee before 10 o'clock. They seemed, on the whole, to know just about what to do, although one who was noticed casting her ballot in Precinct asked three straight questions before dar- ing to place her ballot in the strip. <sWhat does the bell ring for?" The warden told her. "What do the numbers in the front meangn Again an answer "Where does my vote go when you turn the crank?" The war; den looked at her askance, but finally told her, after which she carefully placed her maiden (she was 40 vote in the slip, watched zt disappear, looked at the figures to see if she had been added to the number, and went away contented. In Ward 20 among the many split tickets was one labeled Regular Republican ticket" but bearing the names of the Democratic candidates for school com mittee. The ladies asked innocently if such doings could not be stopped, but, alas, the old ward rounders were obliged to say that they could not under the present system of voting
 The result of the mayoralty election was the deposition of Mayor Hugh O'Brien Democrat, after holding the office for four terms. His successor is Thomas N. Hart, 6 Republican. The vote was: Hart Rep.) g, 760; O'Brien Oem.) 30, ,S4S, Republican majority of 1912 This is the first time ir many years that the municipal government has been controlled by Republicans.
 No less than sixteen different tickets wers in the field for school board, and the coun is not complete. It is probable, however that Republican school board is elected, majority of which is Protestants. The exac number of women who cast ballot canno be stated, but it is estimated that of thu z3 900 women who registered no less thar 20,0O0 voted Seven of the twelve aldermen are Republicans, and the common counci will be about a tie.