The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-11-04
Special to The Indenenden,.

Special TO The Independent,
Butte, Nov. 3-The Anaconda COM
pany having professed 20 have such zeal
for an honest registration and honest
election. and having with great show OF
moral rcctitude publicly offered not only
In their press, but to the Helena COM
mittee direct, TO allow Helena people TO
examine their registration list, 10 have
n representative at each registration
office and at each voting place, and IN
return they were 10 have the same cour-
tesies extended 10 them and which they
have already had and taken advantage
OF, the Helena people having cheer
fully given 10 them the list OF reglstrn-
tlon In Helena and allowed them 10 have
one OF their men in each registration of
flee without hindrance or comment, the
Helena committee had no reason 10 sup
pose that they would not receive at tho
hands OF the Anaconda people and their
committee the same treatment when
their representative should reach Ana
conda, but note the result. The Helena
people sent to Anaconda TO obtain a
copy of the registration two well-known
and respected lawyers OF Helena, Hon.
j. A. Walsh, of Walsh e. Newman, and
Lewis Penwell, of Blake a PenwelI.
These gentlemen we're well known 10
numerous Anaconda men. including the
editor Of the Haggin organ. the stand
ard. They were introduced 10 many
prominent men OF the town before going
TO the registry agents.
According TO the Standards own
statement they asked that they be al
lowed TO make a list OF the registration.
which was refused with the excuse that
the registry agent would be using the
book while the names were being called
on from the slips. The Helena gentle.
men then offered 10 let a stenogranher
take down the names as they were call
ed, and not bother the registry agent at
all This, and all other propositions
were refused, one Of the excuses given
being that the room was too small 10
hold one man besides the registry agent
and his clerk. AS any such refusal is a
direct and open violation OF the cleo
tion law, which requires the registration
to be done from first to last in public.
open to the gaze. and within the hear
ins OF anyone. some good excuse must
be given by the proprietors Of Ana
eonda, so their organ suddenly discoy-
ers that the gentlemen from Helena are
very mysterious characters. are cer-
tainly detectives, and very probably
midnight assassins. The safety of the
city probably depends upon their prompt
arrest. IL is found best not TO let them
near the registration Office for fear they
would steal II, and so they got rid OF the
first Helena representatives, but in a
day or two they are confronted by II
harder proposition. which. according TO
| their own statement was hard to down,
ana according to the showing made
was extremely expensive. Several here
totore self respec ting Anaconda citizens
had TO be bought and paid for. body and
soul, A large force OF Pinkertons had
To be employed. The story Is beat told
by one of the three Helena gentlemen
who went To Anaconda
we were sent To Anaconda 10 check
over the registration list as is contem-
| plated by the election law OF Montana.
| We went direct 10 the Anaconda COM
mittce and stated our errand, asking
them for a copy OF the registration list
They professed themselves ready and
willing to help us and treated us cour-
| teously, We were very ugreenbly sur
prised, and were pleased to think that
the agents OF Mr. Haggin We're not as
bad as they We're painted, and that
| there perhaps was no reason 10 suspect
the company OF any desire 10 defraud
| the honest voters Of Montana by run.
nlng IN hundreds OF outsiders, and Bur-
! ungton graders, AZ had been reported.
| We reasoned that the committee would
not bc 80 willing 10 let MS have a list of
there was any grcnt amount OF fraud
80 we started To put In the time unit
the promised list should be ready. In
| calling on our former friends and look.
Ing up those who were said to be friend,
~ 10 Helena. having been assured thai
scVerul hundred votes for Helena wpr,
In Anaconda. Among others we called
upon the man Matthews. who wai
known 10 have been working FOR Helene
az his own expense for nearly year
who stated that he had dared 20 oppoW
the proprletOrs OF Anaconda IN spmc az
fairs. for which he had been forced 4
sacrifice his business. and was In fai
way Go lose his home aud be driven from
the town, but declared that the Hnggl.
millions would not tempt him TO sacrl
Zee his manhood and political indcpcnd
cncc.
"IIe introduced two other men VIII
were present who were supposed 10 b
good authorities on the lab0rers an,
residents OF the town. from their pres
rut or former Connection with the works
We stated 10 thom the object OF ou
visit TO Anaconda. Just as we hn
stated IL 10 the Anaconda committc,
and added that we wanted 10 70 Owe
the registration list with ma many Ana
conda residents well acquainted In th
different precincts ns possible, and tha
Iif they were OF the opinion that Ont
a small number OF fraudulent voter
were In the town we would drop IN
matter. but N there was evidcnco- o
Wholesale fraud we wnnted 60 eNercig
our legal rights and put the fraudulen