The evening world., 1894-02-23
AFTER COFFEy'S SEAT
The Senatorial Contest Reveals
Peculiar Election Methods
A Penny FIipped to Decide a Legal
Question.
Coffey's Side Won, So Scratched
Ballots Were Counted.

Senators Pound and Wolf met in the
Aldermanic Chamber in Brooklyn to-day
TO hear testimony in the contest of VIII.
lam II. Quinn. Republican. for the sea,
Of Michael J. Coffey, Democrat, who rep.
resents the Third Senatorial District.
John ]. Fox testified that he was pres.
ent at the polling place of the Eleventh
District OF the Tenth Ward on election
day. He said that at least fifty men
who were not physically disabled were
assisted to vote.
Peter F. Hayes, of 203 First street. was
an inspector in the Eleventh District of
the Tenth Ward. He was present from
the opening Of the polls until 8 A. NJ.
He said he saw seventy-five men assisted
and hat one were sworn In.
Peter Koelsch. Of $50 Union street, ties
titled that he went to the Eighteenth
District of the Tenth Ward. He was d.
rected to a secret booth. He found q
man inside who asked permission to fold
his ballot. Witness, refused. Then an
other man entered the booth and begged
to lie allowed to assist him. Koelsch
again refused. and folded his ballot to
Edward Haage, of 1ol william street,
testified that he was a register. In
counting the ballots, the Democratic can-
yassers counted several ballots on which
s sss he%es He of ss eHndi tss p haa sse n
claimed that as long as they could read
the name the ballot should be counted
Tor the party candidate. Witness OBJ
1ected they had a dispute.
Finally we consented to flip a cent, "
said the witness. But they had the coin
liked SO that II was heads they win II
and tails we lose. The cent came down
a head and they carried their point.
The Republicans were simply not in It"
Hugh o'connell, OF 100 William street.
a Republican official in the Tenth Ward,
the way votes were counted for Coffey.
He said that In some instances where
.oney name was scratched the Demo-
take and count 1t for their candidate.
OConnell and other witnesses corrob-
GRATED the penny incident.
Henry p. Whitehouse, OF 81 William
street, saw twenty-five voters assisted
by Democratic watchers without taking
the disability oath. In one district he
said he had heard that 1870 of 200 voters
mad been assisted by the Democratic
William Griffin. of 81 Corey street. a
slerk IN public stores, said a few nights
e esaGFs eI member ! lanes of the s"h RinR. the heue ex;
Republican Committee OF the ward, told
him that Coffey wanted to see him.
Witness saw Coffey, who, he claims,
IF you want to keep your job in public
stores you will have to cut off twenty
votes In each Of your ten districts"
Witness swore hat he refused, saying
mat he was a good Republican. on
cross-examlnation he said Coffey did not
explain how he expected him to cut off
the votes.
Coffey. he alleged. said he would see
johnson at the City Hall the following
sunday night. The next day he wanted
witness to call upon him again. Witness
afterwards met Johnson and asked him
what he meant by trying to defeat The
party. Johnson. he said, replied:
your foolish not to listen to Coffey.
We want to dump Schieren because that
Dutchman, will never do us any good"
When witness saw Coffey next day he
sail he was told to cut the votes and to
have the converts mark their tickets
}or Identification.
Witness then told of the queer pro-
tedings in the Board of Supervisors
Sactised by the attaches during the
hcial anvass. He visited the Office
lth his canvassing books and saw
lere an inspector from the Sixth Dis
let of the Twelfth Ward, whose books
d been returned for correction.
Witness heard one OF the clerks of the
tperylsors advise the inspector to
insfer Is votes cast for the labor and
ohibition candidates to Coffey's credit.
illness interefered. he says. and there
As a row, but the votes went to Coffey,