The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-06-23
THE BIG FRAUD Trials
Four OF the Indicted Election Omcers Mus
Face Jury To- Day

Four of the Indicted Election Omcers Must
Face Jury To-Day
Thomas Fallon, Jacob Moschell, Thomas
Hart, and George De Rancy will be placed on
trial In the Court OF Sessions in Jersey City
this morning on an indictment accusing them
OF conspiracy. They compose the Election
Board OF the First precinct First district. in
Jersey City. and are the first Of the indicted
election officers 10 DO brought to trial The
three first named are Democrats. De Rancy
Is Republican He is n chief clerk in the en-
ploy OF Gen. John Ramsay u Republican lead
er. The trial is the first OF the kind in more
than twenty years. The Oldest iuhabitant can
hardly remember when IN Election Board was
tried for crime against the election laws.
For about two weeks the report has been
circulated in Jersey City that De Rancy has
turned States evidence and will appear as a
witness for the prosecution. 1t was said YES
terday that he might apDaar rs witness but
II will not be as u cOnfessor t. save himself He
tod Sun reporter recently that last fall was
his first experience as an election officer He
was warned by ten. Ramsay before he accept
eli the place. no said. that the precinct was
crooked and the other election officers would
get the best OF him unless he kept sharp
and he thought things were going ali right
but when TIE polls closed at night he found
Il couldn't believe my eyes" he said, and
can't to this daY understand how thoy did 1t,
I've made IN my mind that at election times
ono man can't watch three, and III never be
an election officer again"
70 prove their innocence OF the charge
against them, the men tried today will nayo
to explain how II was hat more than 200 votes
were cast and counted in their precinct than
there were names on the poll book how liG
joker ballots cot into the ballot box without
anybody seeing them voted, and how 1t came
that twenty names appeared on the poll list
that were not on the registry list Prosecutor
Winfield says no is sure no can prove that the
Irregularities were the result of q conspiracy
between tho indicted men and other persons
says he will prove that the Joker ballots were
voted inside OF regular ballots by repeaters:
that the jokers were previously stamped so as
to appear when taken from the box MS though
Those repeaters he expects to prove, Sig
nailed the Election Board whom they
voted. and told how, many votes they
number OF names might be written on the poi
book. An effort will also be made by the Pros
ecutor to connect Democratic leaders with the
crook edneSs; 10 prove thar loker ballots were
all stamped beforehand with Stamps furnished
by \ Newark man, and that they were given
out to right men tho niEht before election
at Demorratic headquarters. The Newark man
for tho Jokor ballots Disappeared from that
city the night OF the dav that the first ballot
box was opened by tho Senate investigation
committee In Trenton. lie has not been seen
stamps made by a rubber stamp manufacturer
III this city.
Among the Witnesses who have been subpr-
naed to testify to-day are Sheriff Davis, the
second ligRcs Democrat n the county, Assem-
blyman Blrue, City collector O'Neill tho Chair
man OF the city l)em"crniic Committee. and
Tax Commissioner Michael ]. O'Donneil, tho
tee. II is thought the trial Will last u week and
possibly longer