Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-11-05
TAMMANY TO DAVENPORT.
Due Notice that New Workers VIII BE Pro-
tccted at the Polls.
fpe toto,ro,h a. ,ho n,.no,oAt

Due Notice that New Workers VIII BE Pro-
tceted at tho Polls.
lBS telegraph 10 the Dispatch.l
NEw York, November 4.-The commit
tee Of lawyers appointed by Tammanv
! Hall last night to protect voters against
/ Davenport met this morning in the Office
of David W. Leventrltt, IN the Stewart
building. TO consider the situation. There
were present besides MIR. Leventritt, John
Nj. Bowers, David Mcclure, and II. ID.
H0tchkiss. Mr.. HotchkIss remained but %
few moments, aud Nj. Leventritt was
called to appear before Commissioner
deuel..
Messrs. Mcclure and Bowers spent an
hour discussing the situation and pre-
pared q letter to be sent 10 Davenport
Mr. Leventritt returned about noon and
said that the letter would not be sent
until the committee had had another
meeting this afternoon.
"One thing is certain" added Mr..
Levcutritt, I'VE will adopt measures 10
protect all citizens from interference with
their rights on election-day. Give thus
statement the widest possible publication.
but we Will procure bail and defend every
voter IN the exercise Of hls rights"
The following is the letter above re-
ferred to:
INV YORK. November 4. 1899.
"7O J0bn l. Ddrcnp0ri, Esq, chief SuprUi-
scr Of Elections. DC. D.:
Dear Sir.-We understand that it is
contemplated by you 20 make certain ar
rests of electors of this county for alleged
illegal registration.
IF such offence Of illegal registration
has been committed by any person 1t was
committed either as early as the nth day
e Al. h. A,raE IL.
ton. or, III auv event, not later than the
2Gth day of October, the last day of regis
tration.
THE lists Of each days registration are
at once placed IN your hands. and you
must have long since completed your work
Of inspection Of such lists.
1t has frequently happened. however,
that YOU have withheld making arrests for
alleged Illegal registration until election
day, and as we are informed, have held the
person so arrested until the election was
over. thereby causing the elector TO lose
his vote, even though entitled TO cast it.
As you can Just as well execute your war
rant for Illegal registration now rs on cleo
tlOn-dav. we nave 20 request that you will
forthwith issue and execute any warrants
YOU NAV intend 70 issue for illegal registra-
tion. III order that the elector, If entitled
10 ms discharge, shall receive the same in
time to cest his vote.
Assuming that the intent Of the law
under which You act was not TO interfere
with lawful voters. but 10 punish and re-
strain illegal voting, we take II for granted
that YOU will cooperate with us in deter
mining all such questions III advance of
the day of election, and that you will
therefore comply with our request.
In this connection we call your atten-
tion To the decision rendered by the United
States Circuit Court tor the Southern DIS
trict OF New York IN the matter of Spoon
or, reported IN Volume TX. Abbott's New
Cases, page 4Sl, in which case II was held
by Judges BiatchfOrd and ChOate that
il is All offence within the United
states Revised Statutes, section 55l5,
If an election officer Intentionally de-
LAYS executing warrant for the ar
rest of one charged with Illegal registra-
ton until electlon-day ID order TO prevent
his voting. and also that II IS equally 50 to
threaten arrest for the purpose of deter
ing from voting. The opinion OF Judge
Choate IL that case Is cOuched in the fol-
lowing language:
49, PurpOsely emitting to serve warrants
until election day for the purpose of pre-
venting people from voting would be a
breach of duty on the part Of the chief
supervisor or the deputy marshal And
we further quote from the OplnlOn of Mr..
Justice Biatchford the following Ian
Cuarc: 1t makes no difference whether
this marshal had these warrants or not. 1t
Is iust as much an offence for MIN TO
threaten 10 arrest people on electiOn-day
10 prevent thor voting as 1t would he TO
keep back a warrant and execute 1t that
day foy that object
1--WE (referring to himself, Justice
Blatchtord, and his associate, Judge
Choate. both agree that where man can
be arrested before election "a well a. not
he ought 10 be 50 arrested. II there IS any
delay IN arresting him whore he could have
been arrested before that day, 1t must be
presumed to be for the purpose Of prevent
ing him from voting aud consequently un-
lawful. Respectfully yours,
DAVID LEYKNTRITT,
"HENRY ID. HoTCHRIss,
"DAyID MCCLURE,
"JOHN NJ Bowers,
CHARLES III. KNOX,
Committee on behalf OF the Democratic
pqrty for the city and county of New
York."
The committee called upon Davenport
with the letter, but he had gone uptown.
Ii was sent to him.
Sheriff John j. German has begun the
work of swearing IN a corps OF SPECIAL de-
puties for service III case OF emergency.
:. have received no official communica-
fion SAID MIR. German to-day, but from
what nave Itdu behSNo IH"' wv oi'N-
alton warrants me III making preparations
to MAINTAIN the public peace. l am
responslble To the state for the peace
of this county, and | will see to
II tAat the peace Is preserved. The police
will be on special duty, and | therefore
think that more deputies are needed.
will appoint every respectable person who
applies to me who Is properly. recon-
mended. II sufficient number of persons
do not apply, and | think that greater
orce Is needed, / Will exercise the power
tho law gives me and order the assembling
of a posse oOn,t,GtaS"