New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-07

, WEST SIDE-TAMMANY'S ILLITERATE
VOTERS PUZZLED BY HAVING TOO
MANY PAPERS TO FOLD
the polling booths opened for business
~ the city yesterday. at a. m. from fifty to
" .-s on an average were hand ready to re-
.,a cast their ballots. The day throughout was
9TH a lively breeze blowing. The voting
~ ,csa quietly in nearly all the districts. and no.
, unaware Of the sentiment against Tammany
W. and the Democratic party which has permeatcd
-. .,v would have imagined that mighty revolu
49,, rss IN progress. and that the greedy gang of
Wv" .,,,onsts who imagined that they had grip
eAV w.v.york that could not be shaken of were
w." .Iep,ly but surely swept into the OF po-
y,csj oblivion
a, unexpected condition OF uncertainty began
r IN the day TO enter into the calculations Of the
u,;c,sns when 1t discovered that the usual
.sn.sse of the registered vote could not be polled
-. condition arose from the fact that. owing to
-. large number Of ballots which the voters were
su.sd 10 handle and the unusual length OF time
.~lsh each voter took 1t would be impossible to get
~. votes into the ballot-boxes before the legal time
49, .,osng the polls. at p. m The twenty-three
.aa.I ballots which were handed to each voter.
,s,v one of which he must fold. after picking our
a.. ballots he wished to vote. quadruped the time
"A. average voter was accustomed 10 take In the
..oara,ion of his ballots The average number OF
-, !, the upper part OF the city there were 800 or
M names on the registration books of election dis
.. In those districts large numbers were shut out
80, os, their votes after standing all the afternoon
N line The same conditions prevailed In districts
=. III ,ay,s Of the CITY, where the voters were slow
.,a clumsy and where the election officers were In
.rn.renced and unskilled in their work
The Tammany men at once seized upon the GER
,.ntv that a great many votes would be lost. for
apdh m
acknowledged defeat upon the ballot law and the
ruluplc,ty OF ballots which the Constitutional
Convention had forced upon the people at this cleo
ton
This explanation did duty until the immensely
a, the landslide which had carried everything De-
fore II. known.
There were some arrests for Illegal registration
and voting Under Police Superintendent byrnes
excellent arrangements the majority OF those
taken into custody for violations Of the ballot law
we're removed from the polls without being per-
mitted TO deposit their ballots This the ram
many leaders and their heelers inveighed against
rs an outrageous interference with their consttu-
uonal rights" II they could have got the votes
In. the arrest and the demand for Sl,ooo BAH IN
each case would have been far less henous'
Reports which were received at Police Headquar-
tiers during the day predicted that from 10000 TO
H00 voters might be dsfranchised on account OF de-
lays In getting In the vote. superintendent byrhes
received several appeals over the telephone ana
sent Inspectors Williams and McAvoy to make IN
vestsations at polling places where men were wait
ing In long lines for a chance to vote and the In
spectors Of election were accused of delaying the
voting. In most cases It was found that STUPIDITY
on part Of both inspectors Of election and voters
csused the delay. Much Of the trouble was due. OF
course. to the unusually large number OF ballots
,od the time consumed in folding them properly.
In districts where the number OF voters did not rise
much above 800 the trouble was not serious Out
there were districts in which the number rose above
60 and there 1t seemed hopeless TO expect that All
the men who had registered could get chance 70
vote In the part of the city west OF Central PARK
where many houses have been butt ia'eV AiN
there has been large increase OF population nun
dreds Of men waited in lines in front OF the po"s
places for hours. 49,
The worst trouble at a poilins-piace III INC
Boulevard. between Eighteth and Eighty-hrst s's''
IN the Fourth Election District OF the HNiiio 40
ssmbly District where 5Gs men had registered. Inc
inspectors there were Alonzo King. James McDoh-
aid Frank Taylor and James Mcintosh Ming
who was chairman OF the board and Iafhhia"S
slow in receiving the ballots ths a. Re
publican Inspectors appeared 10 be aiding IN oe
laying the vote About two-thrds OF the vV'eps s ~,
the district were anu-Tammany men, anu man
0. them declared that there had been a TamHany
plot to dsfranehise them The feeling "a tse dis
trici folded his ballots wrong ana Insisted ukO,
having long argument with the inspectolss ~ -,
making further delay. At II a. IN. only ninety my,
had been allowed TO vote at the polilng1place. Anu
there were 800 men waiting In the me be1s
Informed OF the trouble by telephone. 'upe, q,
tendent Byrnes sent Inspector McAy0S anu ,;c 1a
emith to make Investigation The ponce Gli,-
Gals vaIny tried 10 make the inspectors o. se o
ton hasten the work and then Inspector Mcas1y
made a report upon which King ana McI1 ,ltn
removed from office by the ponce o,par in
soners and their places were taken by othei III u.
spectors Additional voting booths were sent &c 70
the polling place also. but when the pols were
closed a. Y b. m only 80 voters had been aDie 10
vote thetS and 3l3 voters had been turned away.
In he Fifth Election District OF the Nhliid AZ
ssmbly District ass had registered al me ppl,
lug place in Tenth-aye.. and about 100 were uhaDie
(, vote In one election district of the Xl%th A.
ssnbly District however 6l3 men voted ~ was ue
cared by MANY residents of both Assembly ols-
ces that more polling-places shouiu n te l., ar
Eude5 by the Police Commissioners. but IaieI
cozrss.oners Murray and Martin said the suoIen ,
incrtase in registration in the districts couIo no'
va.ssed At In advance. They said the reports re-
esTsd late in the afternoon showed that the mum,
tr Of voters who had been shut out by deiays and
Other Causes probably would not exceed o'V", Tn
that they we're nearly equally .vided as 70 ponies
fiynr by me districts from which complaints had
oeen received.