Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1889-12-18
HEARING THE CHARGES.
Investigation into the Conduct Of
the Registrars.

-, officer, while on his house-to-hous
4. visits, had cut through blocks an
avoided going to houses where Pee
Plies party voters resided.
Mr.. Winters took the stand on hi
own behalf and made the followin
statement: Concerning Mr.. Hamil
ton. who had testified to having
asked if his name was on the book
he said that he remembered tina
Hamilton called on him, but IN
was without his book. Hamilton
!. asked if he had his book, but saiC
nothing about his name being OIL
the book.
, Concerning what he had said tC
! Mr.. Moyle about the plan Of regis
tration, commencing at n certain
point in the Fifth Bishops Ward,
1t was strictly followed with the ex-
ception that he might not have
started TO work the exact time men,
toned when in conversation with
Mr.. Moyle.
He said that he never Intentional
ly missed house in his precinct, but
would say that the people many
times seemed to avoid him as though
he had come to steal sOmething, and
in some cases they would not let
him in the house.
Cross-eNamined by Mr.. Moyle-
He had completed the Fourth pre-
cinct in October, and afterwards
taken the city directory to see if
any names were missed. Remem-
bered cutting through one block;
he had cut through several corners
Of blocks. He had registered men
when not ut home if he knew them.
He generally talked to a man about
his politics, but never before regis
tering them. He was n thorough
Liberal himself.
To Mr.. Young-He said he had
/ struck no man of because he thought
they were polygamists. Concerning
I the name of Mr.. Roe, he had rca-
sons 10 believe that he was 4 polyg-
amist.
"What reasons did YOU have
Objected 10 by the defendants.
SAlr. Winters ended the dispute 10y
saying he would testify. 1t had
been told him that four Young ladies
often went TO ROe's house; had not
seen them there himself, but was
told -; he then thought the ''cock
bind" must belong somewhere
about the premises.
Objection was again raised by the
defendants, and the commission
stated that they could see no particu-
lar necessity fer continuing IN ROe's
case; the mans name appeared on
the list, and cases Of the kind where
names appear all right on the list it
was no use of investigating. The
instructions Of the commission were
that registrars might question a man
whom they had reason TO believe
was pOlygamist, and they did not |
hold that registrar must necessity |
tell why he believed n man 10 4
be n pOlygamist.
Examinations We're then con- |
tinued. The name Of b. ;. Young
the registrar had questioned, but
learned it was a case Of mistaken
identity.
He said that the Peoples central
committee had come to him and
wanted him to name the time ami
place for unregistered voters Of their
party To- come TO for registration.
He stated that he could not do that,
but If they would make list Of such
persons names he would try and
visit them. He had never heard Of
the matter since.
Re-direct-Hes said that in the case
Of Walter l.. Hanks he was charged
with not registering him. The fact
was that he had Hanks take the
oath once and then he appeared
again to he registered a second time.
Hanks had applied to L. r. Clute,
registrar, to have his name changed
from Second precinct. where his
name was on the list.
Registrar J.. II. Clute testified in
the case. He said that he had
Hanks name on the list in his book.
THE CASE OF E. r., cLUTE
was then taken up, and the registrar
admitted certain charges Of having
registered Dir. Bachman and Others
one day, and then refused his
brother, telling him he would have
to wait.
George Lewis was then placed on
the witness stand by cOmplainants.
He had lived in the Fourth Wari
four months. Owned n house in
the city; was unmarried. He had
applied TO +. r.. Clute for registra-
ton and he would not register him.
ClOte said he must wait until he
came to his house. He is still I'M
Cross-eXamined-He had been
away from the city about three
years employed on the Utah Cen
trail Railway; had lived at Lehi
and Frisco; he came to the city be-
cause he could do better at working
here; at the present time he worked
ln the sewer; had applied TO Mr..
James for work; had no recon-
mend from n Bishop 10 him. He
loarded at n Mr.. Green's place in
he Fourth Ward. He had owned {
in the city since 1860.
Il. L.. Sloan was the next witness
~ the cOmplainants. He testified
IS TO what Registrar Clute had been !
ioing on the first days Of December. {
lie had mostly spent his time on l
Vain Street about saloons and at '
he Masonic Hall and the "LiberaI'' |
headquarters. Nearly every morn '
ng he first called at the Liberal, O
When lac did 20 10 I
work in his precinct il was usually l
little while, late in the afternoon. I
CrOSs-eNaminei-He stated that 4
.e worked in u. G. NJ. /; went on L
he streets TO watch Clute on the d
avs mentioned; saw him 20 into d
he building where the Liberal o
eadquarters were; did not see him n
inter- their Office; knew there were h
Their offices in the building; sup q
osed that Clute went In to Liberal n
eacquarters; did not watch him Il
n money; could not say that he a
'ould be paid for it. Q
Mr.. Young, Of the Peoples central {
interpOSed and said that q
illnesses would be paid. "
Edward Best testified to having q
'atched the registrar on the last
avs Of November. The conduct
zen was much as testified to by Mr.. y
loan.
Dick Wetzel also testified TO what
le registration officers had done on Y
:veral days Of the present month. =,
he conduct was much the same as :,
nat mentioned by the former wit !.
esses, with the exception of the last n,
~ days, when Clute worked lit
e more diligently.
w. II. Jones testified that Regis =
ar Clute had told him on Decem- :,
er l that he was not near done
18th the Fourteenth Ward, and p