The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-10-24

| has made OF vice triumphant everywhere
| official position. the highest bidders own
| and every business and interest placed
under tribute 10 corrupt Government Of.
| fcers. Perhaps the most significant. as
| II is the most exasperating instance OF
| the remorselessness. the cruelty. and the
utter depravty OF authority In New
York, which this committee has produced.
is the case OF the poor Polish Jew woman
Mrs& Urch'rtal. She kept some sort OF
licensed stand on the street, where she
sold small articles and made bread lor
herself and three little children. Inc
police harpies demanded money OF her'
which she was unable 10. pay them'
whereupon they trumped up IaiSe
charge against her and locked her uP
on Blackwell's Island. Her little chiiuIen
being left as waits. we're taken POSSESSION
OF by Mr.. Gerry's Humane society anu
placed I'm care Of the Hebrew Shei'er-
ing Arms. In some way Mr.. Con, the
committees counsel, heard OF her case
and had her brought before the com
nittee. The poor creature spoke our
language so imperfectly that she could
with difficulty tell them what had been
6opc TO her But she knew one thing
perfectly well. She knew that her chill
drcn had been taken from her. and she
dd not know where they we're, and, for
some reason. she connected one OF the
policemen In the room with their abduc-
ton. She made at him, in the commit
tees presence. like an enraged tigress,
and could be with difficulty restrained.
The case made an appeal Of such power to
humanity that the committee investigated
# thoroughly, had her discharged from
imprisonment. hunted up her children,
and on last Friday bad them restored 10
her. We take from one Of the New
York dailos the following account Of
The restoration:
Then the spectators in the courtroom
were treated to q pathetic but pleasing
spectacle Three well-drcssed and bright
looking Childrcu-tWO girls and boy-had
been brought into the room, and the boy
had climbed on the knee Of Frank Moss,
OF the committees counsel They were
the three children of Mrs. Irchittal, the
poor woman who recently testified that
she had been sent to the Island on n
false charge because, she had been un-
able 10 pay money demanded by Detec-
tive Husscy, Of the Delancey-Street po-
lice station The children had been
taken away from her at the time OF hfr
imprisonment by agents Of Mr. GerrY's
society. and had been placed i'm the care
Of the Hebrew Shctering Arms
Mrs Urchittal was also In the court
room, laughing and weeping by turns.
Mr. Goff said:
1--WE have a pleasant duty 70 perform
We have here the children Of Mrs. Jrcht-
tai. who have been in the care OF the
Hebrew Sheltering Arms. At our request
the officers Of that institution have maze
an investigation. and they have iouhd
hat the charges upon which the poor
woman was imprisoned were false, and
nat she is a woman OF good character
They have decided, without the permits
sion Of Mr.. Gerry, 10 restore the children
10 their mother. and this result IS due, IN
great part. to the efforts Of Senator Can
tor a member Of this committee. This IS
the first time. so far as | know, since the
society was formed. that children have
been voluntarily given up after penn
lining TO the cloud. 1t gives us pleasure
10 have these children restored TO their
mother.
Mrs. Urchttal was led forward, and
she tell on her Knees while she causht
her children in her arms and Rugged and
kissed them. at the same time weeping
TO express her Joy, and making vain Ell
forts TO thank the committee and counsel.
Now. we need not suppose that we are
exempt from the danger Of just such
as could create this incident
Mrs. Trchittars case is a mere type.
New York city is one vast. foul. pest
house. Of which this case is only a sam
Die. 1t is so because it is governed by
rotten and corrupt politics. But if cheat
ing i'm elections is to be tolerated in Nir-
ginia. we. too. must fan into condition
in no way different from New Iorks.
one hundred and seyeuty-five Democratic
ballots were put by voters into the ballot
box at Smithcr'C precinct, ~ Hod'co
county. to which the officers in charge OF
the election added three hundred more.
II this is to be allowed, Of wnat use is 1t
for a citizen to vote? When the election
Is over the political bosses make the
oaIlot-boX declare what they wish de-
Jared and not what the voters have
said they wished It 10 declare. If that
IS TO be the rule there is no sort of diff
entity I'm setting up in Virginia a New
York city government. 1t is indeed, alb
,olutely certain that it will be done.
From what we hear we think 1t proba-
Die that I'm some sections the cheating in
the coming election is TO be extended be
yond the misleading OF 1litcrate voters
by telling them the wrong name TO erase.
In such places it seems to be contem-
plated to actually stuff the ballot-boNes
With false ballots, as I'm the Smther's
precinct case. Nor do We see how It Will
be possible to detect the fraud after it
IS committed. The law provides that
each voting precinct shall have two Off
,ial ballots for each registered voter. |
The registration books have never been |
Durged and they contain, consequently, |
thousands of names Of persons who have |
lied or moved away. For instance: There |
ire less than 200 white voters at smith !
.r's precinct, but there are more than |
200 names on the white registration |
book. Smither's, then, VIII be given 200 |
ballots for 200 voters. No doubt the same |
state of facts exist relatively at other |
precincts What is the difficulty about |
dishonest election officers, after the cleo |
ion is over. emptying the box Of all the |
ballots that have been cast and filling it |
again with other ballots marked to suit |
themselves. as the law makes no Drovis |
on for Witnesses OF their canvass Of the |
Dallo-s.
And II THIS is 10 be the rule in our |
politics need we be surprised If we have |
Mrs. Urchittals case in Virginia?
|
4 fOpulis > Complaint