The Portland daily press., 1890-03-05
They PUT A BALLOT IN The SLOT
And the Voters Politics Determines
What Becomes of 1t.
How Ingenuity and Shot Guns won
Victory In Arkansas.
Senatorial Dignity and the ubiquity
of the Correspondents.


Especial to the Press
WASHINGTON, March 4.-The Republicans
of the House owe the sheriff of C,ittenden
county. Arkansas, debt of gratitude for the
entertainment that has been afforded them
by an invention of his which has been
brought to Washington in connection with
the contested election case of Featherstone
VS.. Cate. In Arkansas the sheriff of the
county has to furnish the ballot boxes, and
this sheriff, in order to get real good ar
ticle, sent up to Memphis, Tenn, and had
made some tin boxes of rare pattern. In
form they resemble much the peanut roast
ers used by the venders on the street corners
of the Maine cities. The ballots are put in
through slot in the curved roof of the box.
1t was upon the construction of this slot that
the sheriff of Crittenden county exercised his
rare ingenuity. He made the slot double
so that one section of it led into the ballot
box, while the other led down on the outside
OF the box and thence into waste basket
In Arkansas the voter hands his vote to a
judge, who folds it, numbers it with the
voters registration number, and puts 1t into
the box. When Democrat would vote the
ballot was put by the judge into the half of
the slot that led into the ballot box; when a
Republican would present ballot the Judge
would put it into the side of the slot that led
into the waste basket. As the voter has to
present his ballot through a high window
this could be done without detection. The
slot Is removable, so far as the double part
OF 1t is concerned, and may be made to
appear innocent enough as soon as the
f5 Tn nrdnr fav he alo
Crittenden county to be able to work his re-
markable invention it was of course neces.
sary that there should be no Republican
election judge to see the ballots going into
the waste basket. But our mechanical genius
was equal to that. The county officers who
appointed the election judges in Crit
tenden county happened to be Republicans
and appointed Republican judges. So the
Democrats hold series of surprise parties
over the county, in the course of which they
visit the Republican county officers and the
newly appointed election judges. These
officers are sent on free trip up to Memphis
with directions to stay there on pain of be-
ing shot if ever they come back to Arkansas.
One came back and was shot. The others
seem to have developed strong attachment
for the classic city of Memphis, for they
have remained there since. The governor of
Arkansas, finding one of his counties with
out officers, promptly appointed new
board. And In order that the attractions of
Memphis might not again embarrass the
business Of the county. he made the new off,
GERS all Democrats, and they appointed DEM
0cratic election judges for Crittenden county.
With these judges the sheriff's ballot boxes
worked beautifully. There is reason to be-
lleve, however, that that worthy did not
think that his invention would prove of such
interest as to be carried to Washington and
there be put upon exhibition in the National
Capitol 1t is here, and is much wondered
at by those who see it. 1t is surmised that
the Connecticut congressman may be little
envious that Arkansas should appear to he a
rival for the palm of ingenuity which Con
necticut has long held as the champion of
Yankeedom.