The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-12-27
STOLE TIE WRONG RETURNS.
An Effort to Mix IN the Long Island City
Contest Which Failed.

new phnse was given to the Long Island
City election controversy yesterday morning
when Assistant City Clcrk John I. Hayes
opened the safe in the City Clerks Office and
found that some OF the election returns were
missing. On Saturday he had been served
with nm order issued by Justice Bartlett in the
Brooklyn Supreme Court to compel him to
send back certain returns to the inspectors OF
election for correction. A similar order was
issued several weeks ago against City Clerk
Burke. who. in canvassing the city vote.
counted Horatio $. Sanford out and Boss
Mayor Patrick J. Gleason in. simultaneously
with the issuing OF the order Mr.. Burke dis
appeared and has not been seen since. As
sistant Clerk Hayes then took charge OF tho
office. Tho safo in this Office Is an oii-fas
the outside. MIR. Hayes says that ho and
burke we're tho only ones who had keys to this
sale. and Bmrke is supposed to have carried
At 40 O'clock on Saturday morning Mr..
iyn. where the nan,iamus proceedings to com.
ncl him to act in place OF the missing City
Clerk Were to be argued. He is positive that
the fight over the Mayoralty began the Office
has been guarded night and day by policemen.
and yesterday morning Policeman Conroy has
been on duty during the day and Policeman
Tho policeman was in the Office yesterday
morning when Mr.: Hayes entered and opened
the safe. Tho election controversy being up
permost in his mind his first thought was to
see that the disputed returns werc safe. Tho
discovery he made almost shocked him OF his
feet. The parers in the safe had been tam
pered WITH and Il bundle of tho returns were
gone. Without waiting to make Il further IN :.
vestigation MIR. Hayes hastily closed and
lock cd the safe and then hurried down to the
Second precinct police station. where he in
formed Sergeant Thomas Darcy OF the theft.
1t was not long before hal the city knew that
some OF tho election returns were missing.
and the news created a sensation. At first Mr.
Hayes announced his intention OF proceeding
ut once to the residence Of Justice Bartlett in
papers. After the excitement auieted down.
however. Mr.. Hayes concluded to make a sec
Ond examination Of tho safe. md to his Joy
found that the returns invo lived In the Mayor
atty fight were not missing after all. The
missing package proved to be- the county and
same pigeon hole and We're Labelled alike.
Mr.. Hayes took steps to insure the safety of
the remaining bundle Of returns. and also
notified the police as to the character OF the
missing returns.
When the anti. Gleasonites recovered from
the scare by the first news. they chucklcd with
delight over the Joke they say their enemies
PLAYED on themselves. They assert that their
enemies put up lob to steal the city election
returns to prevent them from being sent ba ok
for correction. but that in haste or Ignorance
the one who ommitted the theft got hold ofthe
wrong returns. They also intimate that tho
safe key which Clerk Burke carried away with
him has found its way back to Long Island
City. AS Mayor Gleason has Il most absolute
control over the police only policemen Known
to be stanch GleaSonites have been placed on
To-day Clerk Hayes will comply with Justice
Baitletts order. and send certain Of the re-
turns back for correction.