Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1889-12-19
THE REGISTRARS CASES
The Evidence For Both Sides Com.
pleted,


had watched Registrar Hyams while
making his house to house canvass
and that Hyams had spent much OF
his time Gu Main Street, in stores,
saloons, etc, instead Of devoting il tC
his work. Had rot noticed Hyams
skip any Peoples Party residences.
II. b. Aldous testified to having
hunted up registered voters and
bringing them to the registrar. Up
till November I'D had no;-seen by.
ans at work registering.
II, NJ. Wells testified to having
had a conversation with Registrar
Hyams about registration, and he
told him that he did not expect to
visit all the houses In his precinct,
in fact, did lot think there was time
enough allowed by law TO do so.
William Naylor testified to hav-
ing cOnversei with Hyams about
registration, and wanted him TO reg
lister aaguus Olsen. This he prom
ised TO do, and did so when Mr.. o.
sen was taken to his office next day.
] The registrar told witness to bring
/ any Of his friends around and he
would register them on his recon-
incubation. In a few days he
brought others TO his office and Hy-
ans refused TO register them, srving
he was not registering that day and
was not going &c.
F. :. FeEnstrom testified to hav-
ing gone in company with Mr..
MOyle, on March %, to Hyams, aud
the registrar told them then he had
only visited the southwest block of
his district.
Cross-esamined by Judge Hoge-
The Judge wanted To- know lot Of
matter that Fernstrom had said in
the district court when n witnessing
in naturalization cases.
Chairman Godfrey got tired Of this
strain, and wanted 10 know what
that had to do with the CaseS.
This interruption rather broke
Hoge up 80 Dickson came TO his aid
and said they wanted TO show the
witness was a liar.
The examination was then con-
tinued n little further, but nothing
was brought forth, excepting that
FerHStrOm was mtUk Interested in
the cause Of the People.
Mr.. Moyle took the stand and cor
rObcrated Mr.. FcrnstrOm's state
ment.
Louis Hyams then took the stand.
said that he commenced registration
November 4lh. Had made it rule
not to register at his house. Gener-
ally registered men wherever lac
found them, If he had called at
their house previously or knew the
parties. Mr.. MOyle's statement was
about correct, but that block con-
tanned more voters 10y far than any
other on his beat. Registered Mr.. |
Cummings at his house ON account !
Of a previous engagement he had |
broken. Had to skip some houses
because the inmates would not let /
him in. He could name hundreds |
of Liberals he had not visited at 1
their homes.
Cross-examjrcd-Ec denied hav-
ing said that he could not visit all |
the houses in his precinct in the 1
time allotted by law. He placed 4 1
notice on his Office door TO keep /
persons from troubling him for .
registration. He denied having
registered crowd at the Scandina- !
Wan saloon. Never registered
soldiers at Fort Douglas. Could
not say that he visited houses in
Social Hall alley.
This finished all the evidence Of
the charges against the registrars,
and ten O'Clock today was fixed for
the arguments to commence.
J. II. MOyle opened the argument
in behalf Of the Peoples Party: An
election IS at hand; both
parties are suspicious Of each other;
and many members OF the Peoples
Party have matte complaints of un-
fairness in respect to the rcgistra-
ton. The fact that the registrars
we're all Of the opposite party, and
partisan, tended to increase
;he belief that they had acted ILL
Justly. Perhaps charges had been
made against them that were not
true; but some things that have
pecu amply proven and admitted
look very strange. None but volun-
tary witnesses had been, or could be
produced 10y the Peoples side, and
they were exclusively Of the PeO-
Pies Party. 1t was impossible to
procure n single .'I4iberal'' witness.
I believe Mr.. McCallum, Mr..
Winters and Mr.. Morris, the latter
with some exceptions, have been
diligent in visiting
houses. But Mr.. Morris has missed
some houses. Mr.. Hyams has made
)nly partial house to house can
vaSs. When Mr.. Morris missed n
house where a Peoples Party voter
it looked had, yet he had
lone this in repeated instances, As
had been amply proven.
Mr.. Hyams admits not having
visited the homes Of hundreds OF
voters in his precinct. In one
breath he says he does not regard
he politics Of n voter applying for
yet in the next he ad-
nits registering lIundredsOft Liber-
lis, " known by him, without visiting
heir homes. This was n frank al
Of gross failure to perform
MS duties in the manner provided by
tatute. Others Of the registrars had
admitted registering "Liberais"
visiting their homes on
heir being vouched for. Here
n all Of the registrars have
their duty. and have been
guilty Of discrimination. They
nave not afforded members of both
,arties equal opportunities for regis
crinS. Some men they have regis
erred at the mems homes, hut have
-gfuscd others; some men they have
at the registrars homes.
md refused others; some they have
on the street. and refused { ,
ithers. This is amply proven and
OMITTED.
One OF the registrars had refused
o register man because he thought
lie was n colOnizer, and had after
yards discovered aud admitted his
mistake. All the registrars had re-
used TO register men whom
hey suspected Of being colOnizers.
nd had assumed n discretion which :
hey had no right to exercise. Their
secretion does not begin until the
st il completed and the work of
.riking of names begins. The reg
,tTars may exercise discretion in !
.riking Off names on evidence that !,
he parties have become disqualified /
Y reason Of having committed some
deusc defined by the Edmunds law.
uch is the law rs laid down In
udgc Zane's recent mandamus de-
isiOn.
The speaker here read from this |
showing that in respect to |
&c, residence, naturalization. etc,
he oath Of the voter must he accept
1 by the registrar rs conclusive
roof, aud the officer refuses TO ac-
.pt the proof at his peril.
The registrars all admitted having '
fused to take the oath of the APP r
licaut as proof Of his right to regis q