The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-03-09
THE DAY AT THE POLLS.
Great Excitement and Much Disorder
in the First Ward.

Great Excitement and Much Disorder
In the First Ward.
Election day passed off quietly in every ward
but the First and the Fifth, where there were
lew oraWls OF which the details are given below.
The total vote was 1924, out OF registration OF
Io,Sil The increase over the vote &C the last
municipal election was 3.257. During part oil
the morning aud the early afternoon there was
adrizzling rain, but the latter afternoon was
clear.
Nearly all OF the Democratic heelers in the
city centered in the First ward, and from noon
until the polls closed at O'Clock great excite
ment reigned and Draws were frequent. Percy
W. Rochester, Junius Rochester, J. t. Ronald
ana many lesser lights OF the party were out IN
force, and fuctuated between the First and
Second polling precincts of the ward, and
Wherever they went a crowd OF l,OOo or more
heelers followed. 1t was with difficulty that
large squad OF policemen kept the streets open
for street cars and vehicles
Early In the day report was circulated by the
Democrats that Republican workers were run
ming IN illegal voters and the greatest excite
mentwa the result. By noon the ridiculous
statement was given out that several men were
Stationed In rear room OF Clancy & Burns sa-
loon, at the corner OF South Fourth ana Wash
ington streets, with shout SEQ blank registration
certificates, and that hobos were being hired to
vote on the strength of them. 1t did not take
loon, and everybody who came and went away
was watched and hooted. One man announced
that he had been offered $50 for his vote, and
In an instant the great crowd swarned around
him and demanded to know who offered him
the money He weakened and said he reckoued
he was mistaken
At the Second precinct voting place. Percy W.
Rochester created intense excitement by point
ing to young fellow who emerged from the
voting room and shouting:
"You voted illegally and I'll hsvo you
arrested
ARREST and be d--dp answered the young
fellow angrily"
"I'm going to get warrant right now" ans
wered Rochester, and he started off,
The young man was not arrested and investi-
CATION revealed the fact that Rochester was
only blutiing to gain the sympathy of the
crowd, for he never applied to the prosecuting
attorney for warrant during the day.
Prominent among the Democratic steerers at
the Second precinct was James Hamilton
Lewis. He harrangued the crowd about Repub-
licans voting hobos and for time he had
everything his own way, but finally the crowd
ceased to be attentive.
Ex-Policeman William Morris got into dis
pute with John T. Kelley in front of Clancy &
Burns saloon, and Kelley hit him over the head
with a cane. Kelley escaped, but was caught
within an hour and was locked up on a charge
OF assault and battery. During the fight be-
tween Morris and Kelly young man named
Fred Lusthof was knocked down by blow in
the back of the head, evidently delivered with
heavy cane. No one saw who struck the blow
and for a few minutes great uproar reigned, il
being thought that the young man was killed.
A squad of police, under Captain Peer, hurried
to the scene and scattered the mob and took the
injured man to headquarters 1t TRANSFERRED
that though he was the victim of a very painful
In. ,rhfa ha aad II ha
was not dangerously injured.
In the First precinct the voting passed off
smoothly, and little challenging was done. In
the Third precinct it was very quiet and or
derry, but at the second precinct there was an
air OF suppressed excitement. As the afternoon
waned into evening the great crowd hustled
each other hither and thither, and no one spoke
above a Conversational tone. J. I. Ronald made
his appearance several times, his tall form tow
ering above every one else. He wore an anxious
LOOK upon his face, and the crowd several times
attempted to cheer for him, but the efforts
proved failures. Once Ronald shouted:
"Keep close look out, boys. Between and
O'Clock they will try to get in their dirty work.
Don't leave the polls-watch themi"
Not a soul answered him.
There was in the atmosphere that air of sus-
pense which precedes storm, and every one
appeared to be expecting outbreak OF some
kind. The least excitement would drive the
mob almost wild. a large squad of policemen
were kept in reserve at headquarters, and all
were nervous. One of them remarked:
Fellows, there'l be some one killed before
night" but his prediction did not come true,
for the storm did not break. 1t passed over,
and the polls closed without any scenes of
blood.
The Democrats selected from their number I.
B. Hart, C. G. Heiiner, Judge Junius Rochester
and Frank Davis, the latter a barber and ex-