The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-07-13
FOR STUFFING THE BOXES.
Election officers of the Silk Stock
ing Precinct on Trial-Smith's
Bail Forfeited.

lut tEtdt Vi tue batAub uOA D taAhcAo IA
the Fifth precinct of the Second district
began today. The defendants In court
were John p. Murray, o. E. Stringham
and NJ. J. Flynn. Thomas c. Smith
should have been with them, but he sent
word that be was at the Catskiils. Coun-
sellor Norman l.. Rowe, Judge DAILY and
Corporation Attorney Hudspeth produced
an affidavit from DIR. Dickinson to the
effect that Smith wxs treated by him for
typhoid fever, and by the doctors instruc-
tions went to the mountains ten days
ago. DIR. Dickinson was in court In per-
son to answer any questions if they were
asked. but his oral evidence was not So
liclted.
The la wyers asked that the trial be nd :
journed until August because Of smith S
absence. alleging that he was a material
witness as well as a adefendantIand that the
three other defendants could not safely go
TO trial without his evidence. The Prose-
ecutor objected, alleging that Que of his
detectives had been sent to the Catskills,
thatlhe saw Smith on Saturday. and that
Smith was not too sick to take drive OF
five miles over the mountains. The Pros
ecutor insisted that man we'll enough to
do this was well enough to return to this
city TO be tried. The Court was OF the
same opinion. aud after prolonged argu-
ment decided that the case should pro-
coed. Exceptions were taken and the
case proceeded.
City Clerk Scott and Marshall Tim
Long looked disgusted when they entered
the Court room. Thomas McEwan aud
Freeholder Pfngsten were also interested
spectators. and Justice Robert Davis sat
beside the defendants counsel
SILK STOCKING.
The precinct where the defendants oper-
ated In the fall of 1889 Is known as the
Silk Stocking precinct. In IL reside Gov
ernor Albeit. Ex-Governor Bedge. Judge
Jonathan Dixon aud many other promi-
nent citizens who live about Van Worst
Park. There was less interest manifested
by the people in this trial than any other
OF tho election cases.
The selection of twelve men from the
twenty-four struck jurors occupied The
attention of the Court until noon The
same questions that were asked in the
other election cases we're repeated, and
the same exception TO the rulings of the
Court.
When the jury was finally selected it
was composed of August Beghaus. fore
man, Smith Z. Mackey, Charles E.
Schultz. Richard Stedman. Frank Ste
vens. George Knemple, Albert Post.
w. Broth aud Thomas c. Sayre. Prosecu-
tor Winfield asked the Court to declare
the bail of the ballot box stu fer, Smith,
forfeited, and the order was granted. The
bondsman Is Bryan Smith, the young
mans father.
TUE CASE STATED.
Mr.. Winfield tnen opened the case for
the State. He told the jury that the men
were indicted for conspiracy at the polls.
He went over the old and oft told story of
the election crime, and said that Smith,
who is at the Catskills, did not enter into
the conspiracy until Election Day. On
the registry days Thomas j. Fallon acte d
s,s j t,d ge, but ne was wanted IN the First
precinct of the First district, and was
sent there. For the work he
did ne was convicted. Murray
who had been appointed Inspector was
promoted to Judge when Fallon left, and
Smith took Murray's position Of Inspec-
tor. The Prosecutor said he would prove
that there was no certificatioR In the
registry book of the number of voters
recorded in II. as the law demanded, also
that copy OF the registry was not filed
with the City Clerk. The registered
names numbered 62l. and Of these the
first 23S were represented by initial letters
contrary to law. There were also 164
abbreviated names, two marked ditto"
and six registered by their surnames only.
The Prosecutor claimed that of these
names 410 were placed illegally on the
registry. He added further on that
the poll book showed 527 names. as voted.
and that the dial on the box showed 527
ballots deposited, but that the poll book
only showed 523 names checked as voting.
Four joker ballots were placed in the box
10 make the 527. In addition to this three
men were recorded as voting twice, one of
whom was John V. BacoI. the lawyer.
There was also one dead man who voted.
When the Prosecutor fnished his ad-
dress ne called John Scott. City Clerk. as
the first witness Mr. Scott testified as to
the boundaries of thesprecinct, and the ap-
pointment OF the election officers.