The morning news., 1889-01-31
WAYS OF VOTE-GETTING.
THE GRAND JURY STUDYING
ELECTION PRACTICES.

Az Investigation of the Charges OF
Corruption at TIE Recent County
and City Elections BeRun-Mayor
schwarz, Ex-Alderman Thomas and
several Candidates for County and
Municipal Omces among the Wit
nesses-The Investigation 10 be Con-
tinued Next Week.
The grand jury Of the superior court was
in session yesterday afternoon, and after
framing one indictment and hearing num-
Der OF witnesses IL regard to the charges Of
corruption at the recent city aud county
elections, and the keeping Of barrooms open
on election day, adjourned until next Tues
day for the further consideration OF cleo
tion matters
There was crowd of witnesses at the
court house to be heard as to the manner of
electioneering about the polls on election
day. MAYOR Schwarz and his principal
workers and OK Alderman d. r. Thomas
and his heutenants were IN te lobby
Three or four press representatives
were there and most Of the
county and municipal candidates were
present beside the c0lored leader Pleas
ants, Devesux, Habersham and others All
Of them had a subpoena commanding them
to lay aside all busine 8, and notwithstand-
ing any eXcuse to be at the court
house at $3.50 O'clock 2. m, to testify and
speak the truth in a cause pending which
was alleged 10 be between the state aud
Percy Moulden ct al for misdemean,r.
THoUGHT IT BIG MISTAKE.
Every man who got a subpoena was sure
that it was a mistake. No one knew Percy
Moulden; had ever heard of him, ana il
Percy had ever been guilty OF
misdemeanor the recipient Of the
subpoena was willing to swear
that 1t was the freshest kind Of news.
They all felt sorry that the solicitor general
had made such II mistake. When th9 army
of witnesses was assembled and compared
subponas it began to dawn upon them that
there WIS something behind the subpoena.
Such an array Of politicians meant some
thing else besides what Percy Moulden
might have done. Who distributed the
Doodle on the day of the election, was the
inquiry the grand jury was going to make,
and Percy Moulden was but figure Of
speech so 10 speak.
When tho truth dawped upon them,
Mayor Schwarz considered it such good
joke that he laugehd so immoderately over it
when his late opponent came upstairs in
quiring who Percy Mouden could be, that
Deputy Sheriff Franklin came out Of the
superior court room and stopped the mirth
IDe Sneliu wore Il -CHilD6E lTOWu as u6
informed the politicians that the superior
court was in session and there was too much
noise
A GRAND JURY SECRET.
Just how much information the press rep
resentatives and the few politicians who
were called gave the grand jury is Of course
unknown on side the grant jury room.
Some Of the witnes es we're detained only
few minutes; others were Rept for a much
~ 4
not discouraged with its investigation as it
will renew 1t next Tuesday, and has fixed
the time OF meeting at 10 o'clock in the
morning
While it was well-known on the day of the
county and citv elections that votes were
bought With little attempt to conceal the
fact, there u Y be- some difficulty in fixing
the offense directly upon the parties, for it
was reduced to q system. 1t is understood
that heads Of bl ckS of men received a com
mission upon the men they could furnish
These mon when voted were given check,
which when presented to the proper party
was casaed. IL is doubtful if any questions
were asked by the cashier. or any infOrua-
tion vouchsafed by the man who exchanged
the check for the hoodle.
DIFFICULT TO GET AT.
To get at the inside of tho iuiquitous
work which was resortsd to will il is
IHouEuLs be n u!AACuIL IUdeLbE, hs NJ one
viii tie expected to crminate himself. 1t
is claimed tnat bribery AZ elections cau be
defeated at future Gle tioas, or the brbers
and the brlbe1 punished, If bribery is ra-
sorted 10, by having skilled and Trustworthy
detectives wstch IN tho neighborhooJ Of
the polls, and remote from them K neces-
sary, C llecting augibe evidence to secure
Indictment and conviction.
a gentleman discussing the subject said
that - q is4ly aNH EvrI
the organization Of d committee of citze is
who have never encouraged the securing of
votes hy promises of reWard, and men who
would not LOT personal friendship7 for any
one or partisan zeal for p candidate come
between an earnest effort to sop the dis
graceful method OF vote-getting Mt the last
city and county election. aud it has been
suggested that the organization OF such a
committee De effected early that 1t may be in
perfect working order before another general
election, and that information should be
collected as 10 what laws will be necessary
10 further purify the ballots, and have them
enacted by the general assembly.
THE ENGLISH PLAN.
1t has been remarked that the English
elections ct one time 60 SO C rrupt that
strenuous laws were necessary to purify the
ballot, so that now member who stands
for parliament is not ly limited in the
amount Of money he is permitted 60 spend
during campaign, hut he is required to
furnish a detailed statement of bow 1t has
besn spent. The Canadian election la VS. are
also said 10 be so rigid and 50 well enforced
that the scenes which disgrace American
elections in many sta es are unknown
among the Canadians. No one coul1 vote
blocks Of Eve" after the Dudley plan, in
Csnsda.
- am in favor Of a committee to prevent
bribery, SAID citizen tie Other day, ami
also Of keepi a ok in which ssould be
SIT uown witnou. favor against public ser.
wants what CONNIE eld3ble things thev do:
on the other page Of the book the things
which they sloull not do. The books
s1ould be balan Ell when the public servant
becomes a candidate for reelection, and il
the balance is on the wrong page he should
be defeated