The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-10-14
DISHONORS WERE EASY.
How the WiCkedest City
on Earth Runs Elec-
tions.
THERE MAY BE A CONTEST
No Attention Paid to the Ballot
Law Except for the Pur-
pose Of Evasion.

and Herman Lelhbach for the Mayoralty.
Haynes was victorious. but by a much
reduced majority; but this, it is alleged.
was accomplished by the most atrccious
frauds and the lavish expenditure of
money. Both sides beyond doubt resort
ed to bribery as far as possible under the
ballot reform law, and in the mat
ter of repeating and colonizing, hon.
ors were about easy between the two
parties. Soon after nine o'clock yester-
day morning a local politician, whose
long experience as an election expert has
given him an acq uaintance with the men
and methods used to overcome an adverse
majority, was in the Pennsylvania Rail-
road station in Jersey City, and said he
saw large uumper of professional re-
peaters from New York take the train for
Newark.
Owing to the new ballot reform law,
the election passed off quietly and with
out any serious disturbances. notwith-
standing the high tension to which every
one was strung. The law forbidding the
presence of workers and others from con-
gregating within one hundred feet OF the
polls was vigorously enforced In most
cases. The course of an evening news
paper in offering reward Of $500 to the
citizen who first detected and who caused
the first conviction In the courts of any
one committing fraud. and $500 to the
citizen securing the second con-
viction started q great fraud de-
tecting competition. Many 'citizens"
of doubtful reputation set out to secure
some Of the newspapers Doodle with the
result that there were many unjustitiable Q
arrests made during the day. The
Police Justices held court most of the day
and those of the arrested who had suffi-
cient pull" to secure bail were speedily
released, while the less fortunate ones
went behind the bars.
SOME OF THE SUSPECTS.
A man named Ralph Naibes was ar
rested in the Sixth ward upon complaint
of a Republican heeler. who said he ever
heard Democratic worker say to Naibes
that he had the STUFF for him as soon
as he put his ballot into the box.
George Meehan, a well known New
York crook, was arrested while trying to
rob a man, and he told the police he had
come out from New York with five others
to vote the Democratic ticket. The Repub-
licans came out strong. and one OF the
features of the election was the remarka.
BILE increase in the Republican vote
polled
It was after the polls had closed and the
returns began to come In that this quiet
country town became alive and assumed
the resemblance of large city. Ofcourse
the ubiquitous small boy was out
in force ana huge bontires blazed
in all parts of the city, In consequence of
which many merchant today mourns
the loss of fine packing case and more
than one good housewife refuses to be
comforted because her ash barrel is not.
The Daily Advertiser at Broad and Mar
ket streets and The Daily Journal few
doors below on Market street had large
transparencies In front of their buildings
upon which they exhibited the returns as
soon as received.
A BIG CROWD.
The vast space about this corner was
packed with cheering, good-natured
crowd which ran up into the thousands.
It was with difficulty that the horse cars
made their way through the throng, and
the only way in which thoroughfare
could be maintained for pedestrians was
by policemen walking continually back
and forward through the crowd, as In
winter a tug keeps cruising up and down
in front of ferry slips to keep the ice
broken.
The adherents of Lehlbach gathered in
front of the Advertiser office, while those
who supported Haynes rallied around the
Journals bulletin. AS return favor
able to the Republican candidate was
thrown upon the Advertisers Sheet a
howl of exultation went up from the
Lehlbach crowd, to be answered In few
minutes by a similar roar from Hayne' s
b,
the cheering was loudest and more fire.
Quent about the AdUerttScr's bulletin.
All the districts showed an increase in
the Republican gains, and the Haynes
people began to look blue.
Mavor Haynes, with several bosom
friends, received che returns In his pri-
vate office at the City Hall, to which, OF
course, no newspaper man was admitted.
The official returns were brought to Police
Headquarters, where they were real of
| to those present by Sergeant or Lienten-
ent, as they call them out here. This
place was jealousy guarded, too, and 1t
was no easy matter to gain access.
AT THE COMMITTEE ROOMS.
The rooms of the Democratic City Com
mittee down on South Broad street were
comparatively deserted. In one end OF the
hall was table where young man sat
tallying the returns as they were read by
Col Price as rapidly as messenger boys
brought them. There were few around
the table, and they were discussing the
Democratic chance of securing the Board
of Aldermen. At the other end OF the
hall there was keg of beer on tap. but
even that was comparatively deser ted,
strange to say. One or two of the leaders
shook their heads. and looked blue when
/ asked them how things stood. Col:
Price, although much of his wonted
cheerfulness was lacking, manfully stood
by his colors, and said that from the re-
turns then in Haynes would probably be
elected by 200 plurality.
Over at the Republican headquarters
Oh HRlsey street 1t was impossible to get
inside the hall unless you knew the ck
entrance which led to the platform. There
was another table there with young
man tallying and another man to read
off the figures as received, which
were welcomed by the sweltering surg
| ing mob with howls of delight. Down
| stairs in private room were gathered
several of the leaders, who were also dg-
uring on the returns.
| One district came in where Haynes had
| received big majority. This was evi
| dently disappointment, and a look OF
resigned despair settled on the faces OF
| those present.
THAT settles it, gentlemen. you cannot
| elect your man. II is not in the books, y
| said one of the men. He had hardly
! spoken before low spiteful little steam
| whistle began to be heard all over the
| city.
.'There goes Kruger's whistle" ex
| claimed everyone who had heard thu
| sound, Hayes is elected"
| Mr.. Haynes was elected by the narrow
| plurality of 20S votes over Herman Lehl-
| bach, the Republican nominee Mr.
Haynes total vote of II, ,050 was 226 behint
| that of Mr.. Crane, his party's candi-
date for Trustee of the City Home. Mr.
Lehlbach's vote of 16,642, was 1876 vote
| ahead of that cast for DIR. Ill, the Repub
lican candidate for City Home Trustee
! Tyler Parmly, the ffersonian-Jackson
| ian nominee, polled only 273 votes, Will