Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-12
MRS. PorrER's LOSING FIGHT.


She Spent 1000 On Her Camp.ig. 1t Kaasa,
City. Kan, and Received Oaly 10 votes.
The New York Times publishes the following
Topeka dispatch:
One Of the most remarkable campaigns made
by any candidate for onics VS. that By Mrs
Anna Potter, who sspirsd TO Be MAYOR o.
Kansas City, Kan. Mrs.. Potter expended fully
$4,000 in the campaign and received .wenty-six
votes. or these i've were cast by women.
MIRA Potter y . peculiar woman, wealthy and
ignorant. Only the day before the election she
appeared on the main street fully dressed in a
calico dress. wearing brogans manufactured for
the sterner sex and in her ears were diamonds
costing over $4,000. But little time before
she had appeared on the same street wearing
the same kind Of dress and shoes. in addition
to which she had ON . sealskin cloak reaching
almost to her feet, while in her ears and on her
fingers were the inevitable diamonds. estimated
by jeweler to be worth over t10, 000
1t is not only in dress that Mrs. Potter affects
peculiarities. Last year abe completed resi-
dence costing ESQ 900. in which were forty
rooms for the use Of herself, her husband and
her child for she cannot endure the presence
Of common people and therefore was without
servants. Last fall her house Was burned down.
The only remark she made was: Il never
did like the plan Of this house, and now that il
is gone 1 viii build one to suit me-
SUCH Wee the woman VINO WAIVED 70 be mavOr
Of Kansas City. She did not care especially
for the honor, but the street commissioner had
graded down her sidewalk two feet, and that act
greatly displeased her. For this reason she deter
mined to make the race, be elected and then
appoint . street commissioner who would do
her bidding. When she made known her inteu-
tions there were plenty-all men-who en-
cOuraged her to enter the canvass as an indie
pendent candidate. They all had influence and
we're willing to assist her for confederation.
As soon as it was noised abroad that her
purse was open the ward heelers focked TO her
residence and rendered their services. Halls
were rented, speeches were made and all the
fuss OF regular campaign was INDUCED in.
Whenever she appeared on the streets she was
cheered by enthusiastic men-st least they were
apparently enthusiastic-and she always re-
sponded with smiles and bows.
The morning Of election came when Mrs.
Potter distributed 40. 900 tickets, although but
$1,000 voters had registered Dressed in silk
and feathers she rode in a magnificent turnou,
from precinct to precinct, giving directions to
her heutenants, her husband being her driver.
That was all; be was not permitted to say Q
word.
At noon, when questioned by a reporter. she
said abe was 1000 ahead Of any other candidate
and was rapidly gaining. Fifteen thousand
more tickets were ordered, followed very soon
by another order for 5000, which were dis .rib-
uted to her workers.
As she appeared at the various precincts
followed bya juvenile African band making
execrable music rs well a. . white band no,
doing much better. she was received with
cheers. The women. and there were abou,
1000 Of them. only looked at her and scowled
FOR woman can scowl when she goes into
politics.
At one time the women feared that Mrs Pot.
| ter was receiving all the votes she claimed
refusing to believe the clerks of election. who
were watching every voter They hurried ou
all their carriages and soon were as busily en-
gagged in hauling up women voters as ever were
men In close campaign.
When the end came and Mrs. Potter found
she had but twenty-six votes she declared tina,
she had been counted out and signlfied her in
| tention to contest the election. She held
| meeting in the city ball. occupying the mayor,
| chair. at which she denounced the unholy al
lance between republican and demo-
| crat precinct officers, who had deliberately
changed the result by counting 6.000 Of hel
votes for her opponents. Mrs. Potter is ar
| ardent 'suffragist," believing in the fna
emancipation of women" Her experience oil
last week will probably cause her to lose faith
in both men and women.