The herald., 1894-10-25
THAT BIG REGISTRATION
A SUSPICION THAT FRAUDS HAVE
BEEN COMMITTED.
A Marvellous Increase in Population, or
Else a Whole Lot of Rsscality.
SONS Inferencss about
the kituatIoD.

II AItpI6sonbAtif6 VI suO llEhALD
viewed the deputy county clerk in
charge OF the corps OF deputy registrars
now at work in the county court house
engaged in compiling the supplement to
the great register of this county.
1t was le.rlsd that the registration
books closed Monday night at IL o'clock
and that as near as can be determined st
this writing the increase by new names
added up to the time OF the official clos-
ing of the books will be in the neighbor
hood OF $500.
These figures would indicate an in
crease in the population OF this county
during the period since the closing of
the last great register in 1898 of nearly
$4,000. which is out of all proportion OF
natural increase, and contrary to the
facts as they exist.
sAThe Democratic county central COM
miltee has been quietly investigating
the matter, and have discovered evil
dence OF an attempt at fraud and STUFF
fing OF the great register. The challenge
books, now nearly completed. will check
the wholesale attempt at fraudulent
voting which ia in contemplation by the
Republican bosses, and which accounts
for the reports handed in to the Repub-
lican county committee by the Canvass
ers at work under Mr.. G. W. Fleming.
Reliable information from the inside of
the Repu ublican executive committee,
certain members of which have not
been go thoroughly "harmonized" as to
maintain strict secrecy as to the doings
of the committee, indicate that the
majorities expected from the reports
will range from 5000 to 4500 for the state
and county ticket.
These figures when first given out
were accepted by all who heard them as
fictitious and intended to mislead, but
now that the increased repatriation
shows euch an enormus gain in votes,
the reason for the confidence of the
committee ia eeif-evident.
Mr.. Wsbber and his partner. MIR.
Lindiev, are evidently apt pupils of the
Alameda county statesmen who have
recently been detected in an attempt to
stuff the Alameda register to the tune of
5000 votes.
Dan Burna's letter to Estes was no. go
far wrong in fact as Burns would nave
the public believe.
Messre. Webber and Lindley, in their
private Feports on the local situation,
have notified Mr.. Burns that he need
not question the chances down here, as
'every thing was fixed" A statement
of fact contained in private letter re-
csived in this city from member of the
etate central committee The question
now arises. had the language used any
reference to the abnormal increase in
the registration down here"
The suspicion that there 10 grave rea-
son to doubt the honesty OF the returns
as made 10y the deputy county clerks is
found in the action OF the county board
OF supervisors, who have ordered an in-
vestigStion of the matter, and have for
that purpose engaged the services OF O
firm of private detectives, who are now
actively engaged in working up suspi-
cious cases. But no confidence is placed
in this effort, which in all probability is
an attempt to throw dust in the eyes Of
the public, and complete canvass OF
the city aud county is being made by
the Democratic committee. The matter
has been placed under the control of the
same committee who checked the at
tempted fraudulent voting in 1890,
when as a result of their labcrs the re-,
peaters were intimidated and the vote
on the day OF election fell 1900 short OF
the registration.
Every man fraudulently registered,
who attempts to vote on November the
9Th, will be arrested and prosecuted to
the full extent of the law by the Demo-
cratic committee and a committee OF
citizens who are quietly working in
concert with them to uncover the frauds
which are now known to exist in the
registration. As usual, the Webber and
Lindley gang have overdone the matter,
and the acheme uncovered itself; and in
crease of $500 during season OF fnan-
cisl depression and in the shor. period
of two years would be glorious tribute
to the state of California and Los An
gees county above the whole state il
the figures had any foundation in fact.
So said leading Republican who was
interested on the subject, but who from
personal experience has grave doubts
es to the political honesty of Messrs.
Webber, Lindley or their political tools.
Some startling developments are
promised between now and November
6.n, and no one implicated in the fraud
will bs spared. no matter what influence
may be brought to bear; such ia the de-
termination ofleading citizens interested
in seeing free election, honest vote
and honest count.
Blocks OF votes" may be allowed to
influence a 1000 to 5000 majority OF
Morris NJ. Estee in San Francisco, under
the personal supervision of Dan Burns.
but his aide partners in Los Angeles
county will not be allowed to openly
and de6antly deirsud the voters in this
county without a protest. Sach is the
nltimatum of the committee in charge
of the investigation.
In last nights Evening Express refer
ence was made to the fact that the sus-
picion exists that fraudulent registration
had been indnlgsd in, and called atten-
tion to the fac. that County Clerk Ward
would keep his eye on the matter. A
loading Republican worker is RESPONSE
bic for the statement that IL would be
wsll ior the democracy to keep pair OF
eyes on Clerk Ward.