The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-11-18
AT SNAIL'S PACE.
Precinct Errors Delay the
Canvass.
Preparing to Investigate the Alleged
Fraud in the Tenth Precinct
of the Thirty-Fifth.

During Thursdays session of the Elec-
ton Commissioners the poll list from the
Fourth of the Thrty-seventh was missing,
but after search by Commissioner Block.
in company with George Lewis, one of
Evans pets, the mueh-needed book was
found securely stored in the vault. 1t
was then that Will Ashe and Andy Clunie,
representing the Democratic party, be-
came suspicious and intimated that all of
the thirteen or more missing poll lists
might be found in the mysterious vault if
the board would only authorize an official
search. The Mayer was greatly annoyed
a. Evans dilatory tactics and promptly
requested that Mr.. Block visit the ron
cage and locate, If possible, the missing
returns. The Commissioner yesterday re-
ported that he had found two or three,
but the balance were still missing.
1t is almost an assured fact that no
election board, however stupid, would
fail TO return to the Registrar the poll list,
which is undoubtedly one of the most
Impurtant doe uments in the conduct OF an
election. The precinct officers might just
as well suppose that the canvass could be
made without the. tally sheet, and they
certainly did not neglect to ihclose the
pOll llSb III OuF VI LIS bWus VI III some
cases three, envelopes returned to the
Registrar.
Attorney Clunie OF course is an ardent
| Democrat; but the members of the board
| consider that there il some foundation for
| his assertion that these missing" POLL
lists. are being Withheld simply to delay
matters and II possible alter the opinion
of the people by electng some one not
| chosen by the popular vote. Mayor Ellert
| vest rday stated that he for one of the
| board was determined to do ali in his
| power to bring to light all fraud. and his
associates on the board were equally en-
phatic In their remarks concerning the
| Registrars clumsy juggling of the returns.
| The work now being performed by the
| Election Commissioners Is compare
! lively easy, inasmuch as the returns from
! the precincts north of Market street pre-
sent far better appearance than those
| from the south end of the town. There
may be irregularities. but the returns on
their face areclear enough, and the hnaFd
| is Obliged to canvass them. The Fnrtieth
District was well nigh completed during
| the forenoon session, and at the present
| gait it is m ire than probable that Ma
| honey's famous Forty-second and Forty
third Assembly districts will be reached
on Monday. During the afternoon of yes
/ terday nothing of particular importance
| transplred aside from the numerous obiec-
| tons raised by Attorney Heggefty. The
/ poll-list of the First Precinct of the For
tieth District was not signed, but. the
board overruled the protest and can
| vassed it,.
At 5 o'clock the board adjourned to m eet
al S O'Clock, but at the latter. hour the
/ Commissioners, after canvassing three
! precincts, decided to take an adjournmept
until Monday morning. In the returns
| examined there were quite. number of
errors ana the usual lack of signatures to
the poll list, but the board overruied the
objections and decided TO admit them.
Tomorrow the board will take up the
| Investigation OF the alleged fraud COM
mitted IN the Tenth Precinct of the Thirty
| fifth, and some startling developments are
1 eXnecred