Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-07-23
KANSAS CITY CENSUS FRAUD.
Superintendent Porter's Report to Sec
rotary Noble.

Superintendent Porter has reported to Sec
Rotary Noble the result Of the recount of
twenty-four districts in Kansas City. He says:
while the fequest for a recount of Kansas
City was similar to that made by q number of
| other cities, it differed from them in
one particular, that DIR. William II. Miller. the
| supervisor, Joined with the local committees
In requesting recount on the ground that he
feared the enumeration OF twenty-four dis
tricts had been badly done because the num-
Der OF inhabitants returned fell so far short of
his estimates. He also admitted that in some
districts the enumerators had been inefficient.
Under these circumstances felt that the re-
count in the districts referred to was justified.
That this Office should be properly represented
In the matter l detailed to take charge of the
RECOMMENDATION Mr.. W. II. Olcott, one of the
most efficient Of our employees. and a man who
had considerable experience in the tenth CEN
sus. MIR. Oicott went TO Kansas City and act
ing under my instructions, and in cooperation
with the supervisor, prepared a scheme for re-
enumeration by subdividing the districts
Each district was divided into two and the re-
count was completed in six DAYS. commencing
on Monday, July ., and ending Saturday
July II
EVIDENCES OF FRAUD.
'From reports received at this Office both from
Supervisor Miller and Mr.. Oicott / am satisfied
the first count was approximately correct, with
the exception of district I6l. where on
the second count evidences Of fraud were dis
covered, and the enumerator of that district is
now under arrest The recount shows a falling
OFF OF about L. 200 from the original count after
suptracting about 900 that were found to
be fraudulent in distric. I6l. At the compile
ton OF the first count the Commercial Club Of
Kansas City employed a man named Chambers
to look up those who were supposed to be
omitted This man turned in about $4,000
names 70 the supervisor, but after careful yeri-
fication OF the enumerators only about 5000
could be properly added throughout the city.
and these appeared in the original rough esti-
mate as made by the supervisor.
A CoNvrcT's COUNT.
81 am reliably informed that this man Cham
bers is a person OF very bad repute, an ex-
convict, having served one or more terms in
the penitentiary, and that he has recently
left the city, taking with him GER
Club which had been entrusted to his care TO
pay persons employed by the club to aid the |
enumerators in their work The members of |
the club express themselves as much mortified at
the character OF the man employed by them. |
who, they claimed, was well recommended
Both MIR. Miller and Mr.. Olcott assured me |
that the club and citizens of Kansas City were |
imposed upon by this man, and the work |
planned by them was entirely in the interest of |
falr ana accurate recount OF the population /
of this city. l am satisfied that the supervisor,
Mr.. Miller, has performed his work faithfully
and well and deserves the confidence and sup
port of this Office. The members of the /
Commercial Club and other citizens
recommend to this Office, and this recon-
mendation is supported by both MIR.
Miller and Mr.. Olcott, that we should accept
the first count-that of June 2 After purging
it Of the district already referred TO, in which
fraud was undoubtedly committed. 1 should |
strongly favor the first count being accepted,
as no recount Of any city has been made, and
it is undoubtedly advisable to have the emu
meration as of the I'd of June throughout the