Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-12-04
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.

Emmet RiOrdan Charges Politicians With Open Violation of the Pro-. visions of the Secret Ballot Law. To the Editor of the DEMOCRAT:
 Dear sir:-Some days ago Iconcluded, after giving the subject much thought, not to give publicity to the case of the crookedness in the fourth ward during the last election. The letter of s'Nage," published in your last nights issue. compels me to explain my position in the matter. was acting as challenger in the fourth ward voting room. I was expected to aid in discovering all irregu- larities in voting or any violation of the election laws. At just a. m. Eugene J. Sullivan passed through the voting room and by the moderator, having come through the private voting booths. As he made no preteIse to vote and as it was against the law for any person to do this, brought the matter to the attention of Moderator Fred LaForge. The only thanks I got for my vigorous protest against MT SuIlivan's course, was rebuke. MT LaForge in unmis- takable language gave me to under stand that he was moderator and must not interfere. I continued my protest notwithstanding the re- buff. insisted on Mir Sulli- vans giving up the empty envelope
 
 no purpose. At o'clock in the after noon Mir Sullivan returned to the voting room by way of the back door and cast his ballots. I again protested that his vote was clear violation of the election laws. reported the case to the prose- cutting attorney, John P. Kellogg, but he refused to prosecute either MT Sulli- van or MT LaForge. Failing to impress MT Kellogg with the seriousness of the 14sl Juror Mark Warner, where I had the same success. I endeavored by every possible means in my power to bring the matter before the court, but all to no purpose, and this notwithstanding the fact that able lawyers say that MT Sulli- vans action was in plain violation of the electnon laws. think Mir Kellogg's course in the matter is clearly neglect of public duty. The case was a plain violation of the law and admits of no quibbling. EM3IET RIoRDAN.
 Waterbury, December 4.
 Section 10 of the act concerning cleo tions, enacted by the general assembly in 1889, provides that an elector, after preparing his ballot in the booth, shall pass into the room where the ballot box is placed, and under the direction of the moderator shall deposit his sealed en- velope on the ballot box. After the
 
 checked, it shall be the duty of the box tender to deposit the envelope in the ballot box. Every elector who shall fail to deposit his envelope on the ballot box shall, before leaving the enclosure, return the same to the moderator.
 Section 15 of the secret ballot law provides, among other things, that any person who violates any provision of the act, or who shall wilfully fail to perform any duty imposed on him by the act, shall upon conviction be pun ished by a fine not exceeding $1,OO6, or by imprisonment in the Connecticut state prison or county jail not exceed ing five years, or by such fine and inn prisonment both.
 MT Sullivan was seen by DEMOCRAT reporter to-day, but refused to say any thing about the matter.
 Prosecuting Attorney Kellogg, when spoken to about the matter, had nothing to say, further than to declare himself ready to proceed against the accused when evidence sufficient to prove that there had been violation of law, had been produced.