The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-11-04

Election day passed off very quietly
here and not single incident marred
the perfect tranquility of the balloting.
Blue skies and warm, congenial sun
shine added their contributions to tho
workers at tho polls and, everything
considered, it was an ideal day for cast
ing votes.
But the vosers came not in herds, as
had been expected. When old Sol
awoke yesterday morning and gazed
upon Roanoke, he found devoted work
ers standing around the several polling
places, with stacks of ballots in their
hands, waiting for tho voters to come.
They came early and they came late,
they came in squads and singly, but the
politicians were disappointed because
they did not como in large numbers.
Out of total registration OF 4,4OO in
the city only about 1000 ballots were
cast.
1t was very fastidious voter who
could not be satisfied with the variety
OF ballots he had to select from. There
were straightout Democratic tickets
containing the names of Marshall and
Thomas and there were straight tout
Republican tickets bearing the names
OF Heermans and Hartwell. But there
was also another ticket which was not
on the bills, but which got there just
the same. 1t was little larger than
either the Democratic or Republican
ticket and was printed in blue ink. 1t
was headed Democratic Ticket" and
In
name was on it. That was all right and
no good Democratic had word to say
against it, but the name which appeared
below was not that of M. c. Thomas,
but j. w. Iartwell, the Republican
candidate for tho house of delegates
In other words, it was split ticket in
which Thomas was scratched for Hart
we'll.
Some of the tickets did not even have
Judge Marshall's name on them, and
although headed democratic Ticket"
both Heermans and Ilartwells names
were printed on them. The ballot,
were circulated freely and the Demo
Gratis were taken by surprise, and to
counteract whatever effect they might
have large placards were gotten out in.
bogus ballots. These were posted up in
conspicuous places, together with the
split tickets.
THE FIRST WARD.
The Democratic stronghold in this
city and district is the First ward of
Roanoke. From early Yesterday morn
ing till the polls were closed a stead v
stream of Democrats polsed their bal
lots through the hole in tho wall of the
Junior Hose Company's engine room
Sometimes string of voters reached
from the hole in the wall across the
sidewalk and into the street, and for
hours the voters came and went, wait
ing only few minutes to cast their
ballots.
The Judges at tho precinct wore as
follows j. Il. Smoot, A. w. Pitman
and V. Il. Green. Clerks: j. II.
Featherstone and w. c. Maupin.
A Democrat stood by the polling
place all the time to see that the name
of every man who voted was registered.
The heelers were not as conspicuous
as they sometimes are. 1t was q one
sided affair in the First ward. The
Democrats had two or three trusted
men constantly on hand to look out for
their interests, and lone Republican
sSood around all day to hand out Heer-
mans and Hartwoll tickets to few
negroes and an occasional white man
as they approached the polls. The
whole day was extremely quiet and
uninteresting, the Democrats concen-
trating their forces in the Second ward
and the Republicans practically aban-
doning the field here.
The Democrats started out in the
morning with the claim that Marshall
and Thomas would carry the ward by
300, and before o'clock they were esti-
mating their majority at not less than
500. When the "bogus ticket" scare
came, a big placard was posted. bearing
in big letters, Democrats, Beware OF
Bogus Tickets" The alleged bogus
tickets were posted on the placard and
some way soon wrote thereon, ''When
did they changer"
The voting, though unusually quiet,
was lively throughout the day, and
when the polls were closed the faithful
few who watched the Democratic inter
ests were confident that the little box
inside the little hole in the wall con-
tanned victory for Thomas and Marshall.
The counting of the ballots began
about $780, and at o'clock the result
was announced as follows:
Marshall. ..... .684
Heermans. .............. 1853
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