The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-04-02
LAST EDITION
FUNNY, FACTS.
Revealed by a Canvass Of the
Tenth Ward.
A Mystery That May Be Called Fraud
Solved by Commissioners.
Strange Voting Qualifications Enjoyed
by APO Men-Somc Were Alive.

The voting strength of Ward 10 is not
so great as IL was week or &C ago-the
falling off amounts to- 420 fol three
districts, 800 of which number stood for
voters on personal property and real estate
OF the mythical variety. A wonderful
imagination had swelled the list and now
a thorough investigation has materially
reduced the swelling.
1t has been suggested that the Demo-
Gratis of Ward 10 got together some years
ago and clandestinely amended the law
which provided for the qualification OF
voters, and hat the amendment has been
secretly in force ever since.
The bill for the amendment was never
published, but from its workings IL is
fair to presume that the new and inn
proved election act for Ward 10 and the
districts there reads something like this:
The Tenth Ward Law.
Every male citizen of the United States,
old enough to walk TO the polls, and up
ward, who has had his residence in this
country long enough TO reach said polls at
the first election after his arrival
and who shall have lived in
this city long enough to recognize
the word Democratic" and whose
imagination, after examination, shall be
sufficiently vivid to induce him TO believe
that he owns sonnet ething or that his step
fathers third cousin by adoption owned
something in fee-tail or otherwise,
which does qualify all other members
of his family to vote, shall he qualified to
vote not more than three times at any one
place nor at more than five different
places on any one given election, provided
that, however, he be alive on the day of
said election in which case
his qualification does descend as
hereinafter provided for to his
heirs and assigns forever, or, IL dying
without issue and intestate, TO his next
friend. Provided, however, that there is no
next friend a person qualified as above, who
shall be named by a ward committee
man or other officer, may vote in place
of and on the name of the deceased at any
and all elections that shall occur within
seven years after the death certificate
shall be signed.
All acts and parts OF acts conflicting
herewith are hereby repealed.
This act takes effect upon its passage.
The date of the adoption is not known
but a pretty good idea of the workings of
the scheme has recently been obtained
through the efforts of the commissioners
of registration.
When they started in on their canvass
OF ward lists last week they were pre-
sented with the lists arranged by the old
board of ward canvassers last February.
There were 3b51 names on 1t, 202i being
for property voters and 1927 for registry
voters. The figures by districts were as
follows:
First District, property voters, 76o;
registry voters, Cos.
Second District, property voters S24;
registry voters 46i.
Third District, property voters ii0; reg
stry voters 40s.
Now there are less.
The table OF excess, by districts, show
ing the number of names on the property
lists over the number OF men qualified TO
vote in the ward, according to the law in
other parts of the United States, Is:
First District, $50.
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