The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-10-11
THE POLLING PLACES
The Election as a Rule Was I'm
usually Quiet and Orderly,
The Only Notable Exception Being Re-
sort to BulldOzing Tactics by Four
teenth Ward Democrats.

The election I'm the North-side precincts
was conducted with the quiet characteristic
of the American people. The voters went
into the booth with a decided countenance,
as If there was no doubt in their ability to
deal acceptabiy with the forms of the Au-
stralian ballot law, or the questions over
which they, as American citizens, were
sovereign. a reporter who made the rounds
of the precincts found that the Republicans,
committeeman and sheriffs who represented
the party on the outside of the booth were
exceedingly hopeful that Mr.. Denny would
be elected. They based their hopes upon the
fullness of the Republican vote and the in
difference manifested by the Democratic
voters. They had also a satisfactory assur-
ance from a number of Democrats that they
had voted for the Republican ticket In order
to rebuke the vile ring of gamblers law
breakers and eX-convicts to whom Mayor
Sullivan had consigned the city without
compensation to the people. There was a
carriage or two at every precinct, and adj
herents Of each party were in charge, 60
ing after dilatory voters. Those which
rfed the Sullivan partisan carried a large
rooster on the side, signifying a Democratic
wagon. The sight prompted several Re-
publicans to rub in the hard times by ask
ing if 1t were not strange that these roost-
ers had not been consigned to the cooking
pot as a means of sustenance which the
last Democratic victory had made hard to
obtain.
The voters of the Fourth ward where
the majority of the coored men voted,
acquitted themselves magnificently we'll, the
vote being out in large part early in the
day, and the Republican interest being
nt,1N2
contention of any sort was when the Dem
ocratic poll book with evident intent failed
to show the names of colored men who had
been living in the ward and precinct the
legal period. The Democratic managers
found that men of nerve and intelligence
had been selected to preserve the interests
Of the Republican party, and the latter
stood in the way of the intended frauds
of intimidation. The chief effort in this
direction, however, was started in the Nine
ty-fifth precinct, where Sam Dinnin is the
Democratic boss. He started cut early in
tne morning TO wSrK PUN game and
iff for the Republicans was the notorious
Royal Hammer, whose appointment to any
the great majority of the party. He was
absent from his post for q space of an
hour in company with Dinnin in the morn
ing, and at no time seemed to oppose him
in any Of his schemes. Robert Metzger,
the committeeman, was on hand. and fought
tne Dlnnln crOWu SaVagely until the end.
Some we'll known and tried Republicans
arrived on the scene, and there was a
change in Dinnin's activity until toward
evening, when he again began to run
things Chris Stein, the Democratic clerk.
was quick to follow any word of Dinnin's
and the Democratic challenger kept his
eyes open for any direction that Dinnn
would utter. There seemed to be nobody
in control but Dinnn and two negro spit
toon cleaners in his employ for a large part
of the day. Dinnin had the range of the
voting room, and entered and left at his
pleasure. Neither of the election sheriffs
whose duty 1t was to remove him chose to
do So When this order of things was
stopped by the interposition of others Din
min was only allowed to enter the booth
when called upon TO swear in some doubt
full voter. The precinct at HERS saloon. on
South New Jersey street, was run by HER
in as nearly the same way as bulldozng
could accomplish But take it altogether
the election was one of the .quietest on the
North Side that ever witnessed.