The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-10-25
THE W-DEFYING REGISTRAR
Syrcls'S High-Handsd Proceedings at
Smither'S Precinct Yesterday.
FlPTY-TWO VOTES DISFRAKCHISED.
By Dilatory Tactics Voters stood IN Line
from Daybreak TO Sunset without
AvaiI-Appsrent Pnrtiality shown
-Uulucky Applicants.

II there ever was n lldNtotS tHdNlo-
IN the name Of the law that farcial ex>
hibiticn took place yesterday at Smith
er's precinct, where the polls were open
from sunrise to sunset for the alleged
registration Of voters. Voters were reg
istered. Of course, but whether it took
one minute TO record tho name OF each.
or fifteen minutes depended Utmost eK-
clusively upon the political affiliations Of
the applicant.
The polls were thrown open az $40
o'clock yesterday morning fifteen minutes
late and d large crowd Immediately mass.
cd itself in front Of the little carpen-
ter shop Of ". c. Johns ~ Sons, in
which j. L. Syrcls was ensconsed WITH
his books and several co-adjutors, In
Guiding W. H. Moseley and james Can
non. Mr.. IHll Montague was there
bright and early to take care OF the inter
ests of the silverites. but this was 50
efficiently attended to ly Syrcie thai
Mr.. Montague was much more ornament
al than useful. He. however, managed
TO assist Syrcles dilatory tactics by
occasional questions
SYRCLE'S OBJECT ATTAINED.
The outcome yesterday az Smithcr's
precinct plainly showed the object which
Syrcle has mad in view for the past
week IN absent'ng himself from his
house. and refusing 10 register voters.
Had he obeyed the law mere handful o-
applicants would have presented them
selves at the polls yesterday Instead
Of that the voters came IN such numbers
and Syrcle managed 10 XIII so much time
that when the poles were closed. which
nHFH NHHH
- visible above the western horizon,
ffty-two men mad been disfranchised.
Some few incidents OF the day viii serve
TO show the spirit that animated Sycle
and the tactics which he employed. de-
spite the efforts of Messrs. Barton IL
Wise and Randolph Williams, who rep
resented the sound-money Democrats.
At ulS o'clock a colored man named
James GOvana. who had been I'm Inc
since daybreak. and who wanted trans
fer 10 Manqun. King William county.
got another man TO change places WIN
him in line. so that he could get MS
transfer as soon as possible ana oflNG
down TO King William. Syrcle. however.
saw the occurrence. refused 10 give the
man a transfer. drove him out and made
him 20 TO the rear. II was o'clock ia
the afternoon before the transfer was
given 10 the old man. entirely too late 10
be of any service 10 him. and accom-
panied bv a sarcastic remark as to its
importance.
Henry Havne. who lives AT 1896 Short
p street. induced a man to change places
with him i'm the line I'm order that he
might register and catch train. All
of the men agreed 70 give way 10 hlih'
but Syrcle refused 10 wait on nm oul
Of his turn. and wasted suihcient tims
to have registered two men IN enforcing
rule Of his own making in Which 'ns
law does not bear him out.
NEARLY AN HOUR WASTED.
Dressrs Hugh Antrim and Morgan lrea,'
who were using their utmost endeavors
"A see that Justice was done All VINO
,,ishod transfers or 10 hc registered pro-
tod against these high-handed pro-
ceilings and appealed from the acloI
81 the REGISTRAR. The law IN case "
meal makes il the duty or the Iesi9
~ 80 ,,ive a written statement or the
,,,',,,rronce. and i'm order TO save tiine:
rrcscnted printed appeal "hicn hau
i,,or nropared while Syrcle was uci"s
1,his nrinted form. however. syrcle de-
cii,od 10 use saying that ne Wouiu VIZ
out his own statement. lie tneH -
a. slowly write the required uo..liI.l'e
laral can paper. when MI 'iO,'s'''5 ,'S,.fso5
IN, mat he was going too iar' aoNls,-
ree the printed form SyIce
l.l''' -. ooreented TO use Il. and sun lui
-, i-ulod time by asking how 10 sP1'i
ln', -,.ale words as "Henrico ana
,1e moulded the statement NJ l-''
,o.i, having consumed htty-elsht nm
.'.ae IN an undertaking for whl'" ,,o
u'e7 ,,,oro ample Meantime w.
rlll4 ..,orcosed In size. the line eNlehu'l-
car out into the street, .~,itrarv con-
i',r ,,cD.t instance Of the arpi,l"-' -
al Of Svrcle was the case uI -..ftL a
ils who applied Tor re|i''' [..,-, c,,r-
- 80 that WAS in proper loihi' ~
'i"n'' ,,t,, through a long list OF lue'-
V.o sorna relevant. but the hiaJoil's
-, Daniels stated tnat ne HFee
,.o-ncr OF Seventeenth street an"
a.. a.. ,,e,ld which is In the Smithei5 pre-
.frrt district. The applicant was pu,9
.''.l a+ tonoth bv Messrs. llill Nonta-
&C ~ n. Moscley and jim cannon
-. v.hich he was told that he lived IN
The citv of Richmond and not IN Sihlth-
ers' precinct. ,.
Daniels insisted that the stone which
marked the dividing line between the CITY
and the county was just 30 'front.' OF ms
houee and that he lived IN the county.
Ills expostulations were Of no avail. how
ever. as Syrcle positively refused 10 res
lister him.
Edward Washington (coloreO. who lives
az 1900 Short l. street was at the polls
when they opened and. with the exception
OF an hour, stood in line all day, but was
never able 10 get near enough 10 register.
lie was forced 10 lose a whole day from
his work, and then 10 be disfranchised.
PARTIALITY SHOWN.
The dilatory tactics Of the registrar
however. were not employed toward those
who We're known 10 be Bryan men. These
were accorded every attention and regis
tered with the greatest dispatch
There seemed 10 be some understand
ing between Syrcle and his assistants,
for as soon as an applicant gave his
name each one produced a little book
from his pocket, and looked through 1t.
II the applicant were found TO be sat
isfactory TO them politically he was
registered with few formalities. Other
wise. ne had 10 answer a series OF fool
ish questions. II his head was as white
as Snow and his form bent with age.
as was the case OF The old cOlOred man
who wanted d transfer 10 Manquin. he
was asked how old he was. No matter
how common his name might be he was
forced 10 spell IL II be could. and If he
couldn't a good many valuable minutes
had been disposed Of, which was the OBJ
jcct in view.
Shortly after o'clock. when the shad-
ows began 10 fall thickly. Syrcle gave
notice that the polls would close in fif-
teen minutes. There were then about
e{St,- ,.arsore ,naSepd in front or tho liffla