New-York tribune., 1889-11-04
TAMMANY,S DARK WAYS.


SPECIMEN ELECTION FRAUDS PRACTIsED BY
THE wIGwAM's INMATES.
1t is an DID, old saying in local politics that when
Tammany cries Fraud therc IS sure to be some new
species Of devilry foot among the followers Of the
Wewam The correctness OF the observation has been
verified 50 frequently that Will be surprised
10 ma IN the present campaign another conspicuous
Illustration Of IFS truthfulness. Tammany is Tam
many, the same old graspng conscfenceless political
monopoly, no mater who directs its policy The
capture of spOls IS the object of IFS existence and
Its methods are perfectly consistent with such
purpose. This year It realizes that its continuance
OF power IS threatened that fact ITS life as an all
powerful organization in this city is stake and II Is
perfectly natural that 1t should resort the most
desperate tactics to prevent defeat.
MOST OF the schemes that it Will put in practice
are wcllwOrn, familiar devices that have long dis
graced elections in this city. Chief among them IS
the colonization Of voters in cheap lodging-house
and other convenient places. This scheme will be
worked this year by Tammany for all It is WORTH
and no amount Of simulated indignation on the part
Of Dck' Croker against pretended unfarness on the
other side ought to blind the eyes OF
anybody to the wholesale manner in which these
frauds going to be carried out unless something
Is done TO prevent them. These charges may seem
general, but they based upon tho most specific
kind of evidence that is within the reach of any
Cl'iLcn W no cares 10 nNeSllgdte tne matter
Let any ono take a copy Of The City Record
and look over the Isis OF registered for the
year and he will find ample grounds for belief in
all that is here stated. He will find house after
house credited with score OF voters He will find,
for example. one house I'm uptown district. with
over thirty y-fve electors accredited 10 It another one
with fifty. To be sure, these men may be legal
voters. They may have complied with the
law; but certainly 1t is matter
that should be investigated by the proper authorities
The cheap lodging houses along the BOwery are not
the only places where colonization will be attempted
The official lst OF registered voters should be I'm the
hands of every Republican district leader. and he
should TO It that the odgnghouSe contingent arr
closely watched. The police authorities have already
been informed and will be expected 10 act upon the
Information furnished them
Another scheme is Of coercve character. II
explained at this office by a respectable business
man of slxthave. lie said that days ago
emissares from Tammany came into his and
tried TO persuade him to support the Wigwam ticket.
As a good Republican, he refused 10 do It. so did
dozen or more OF his ncghbOrs who had been ap-
preached by the same people. The Tammany men
went away, but Saturday they showed their feel
ings. The expression came TO the merchants in the
form of message. from the Public Works Department,
ordering each OF them TO take down hs sign, the de-
partment finding them to be encumbrances."
Most people would suppose that Thomas +. Gilroy
would be above such pcttiness, but it shows how
every follower OF Tammany has 10 bow 10 the organi
cation, and do whatever dirty work is required at his
hands.
OF there Will be Of other devices used
TO gain the election. They are, however, familiar
TO all ward workers. and with proper vigilance they
can be detected and frustrated. A gentleman living
in the Xth Senatorial District sends The Tribune the
details Of a plan that he finds IS TO be put in opera
ton in HIS district and throughout the city. He says:
"I informed by good authority that IL Is the In
tention OF the leaders OF Tammany Hall 10 purchase
every obtanabe vote under the preteXt OF hiring men
to work the boxes, and for that purpose. from 1900
10 $500 has been set apart for each election district
which will be furnished the leaders OF each Assembly
district use In the purchase OF the floating vote
The plan found. 10 work successfully in my district
(Xth Senste IS as follows The workers procure all
the mon they can those who want to sell their votes
and take them TO the district leaders
the men intrused with the money FOR tha'
district. This man gives each card 10 the
captain Of the district in which he has VOTE HE
Is placed around the ballOtboXes for short tlme'
say ten minutes. When he presents his card he re-
celves set Of ballots from the captain who secs 10
II that he votes them straight After he has Vo'eu
he returns 10 the man entrusted with the money re-
ceives his five dollars and goes about his business
In this way the law + evadel. II can be ana snouud
be stopped BY the authorities. / hope inc lrIDune
will exert It's powerful influence 10 put doWn Heso '
efforts to corrupt the franchise at the coming eiec-