Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1896-10-31
SMITHERS PRECINCT
High Handed Proceedings.
NEARLY SIXTY COLOR
ED VOTERS DIS
FRANCHISED.
Some Made to Stand in Line
All Day Without Beng
Registered.
COLORED PEOPLE An
GRYAND INDIGNANT.
FREE sILVGRITBs HAD THE RIGHT
OF WAY.
Syrcle's Actions a Disgrace.

Syrcle's Actions Disgrace
1t is the same thing that has been
carried on secretly ever since machine
rule has been the dominant power IN
Virginia, only this is on a larger scale
The result of the registration IN tnif
noted precinct has been the disfran-
chisement of many bona hde voters.
The registration was farce. Inc
voters who were registered were chal-
lenged and crossed questioned Tor
more than quarter of an hour. Thus
Syrcle endeavored to kill time, but
whenever 1T was known that any Whlte
men present was affiliated with the
Free Silverites, the registrars refused
to challenge them, and pronounced
them "All Right"
It was not until 8 30 that the polls
we're thrown open, Is minutes late
large crowd meanwhile surged around
the place and Immediately after the
doors were thrown open the men mass
ed themselves soIidly in front OF the
little arpenter shop OF W. y. John q
Sons, on Mechauicsville Turnpike.
sM THEIRS PRECINCT.
The Boundary of Smither's precinct
has the Chickahominy swamp for its
northern boundary line; the west side
of 25th street from Darlington TO the
sUamp forms the eastern boundary
line; the city of Richmond TO the q *
o. railroad forms the southern bounda-
ry line while the x o road forms
the western.
In this precinct there has been more
robbery on the part of the Democratic
machine than perhaps in any other.
The larger portion of the inhabitants
are colored but j. X. Syrcle (white)
whose political faith in Free Silver If
unbounded, is the registrar. 1t is he
who has been SO frequently away from
home every night in the week 10 keeI
from registering the coiored voters
Many attempts has been made by
the colored people TO get registered
at his home but they InVarlaoly re-
ply, He is not in"
Some went so far as to go to his hom'
at every hour of the night from p. m
to 3 a. IN. but all in vain.
Last Saturday was the regular regis
tration day, Syrcle with two CO. adl lu
tors. w. H. Moseley and James Can
non duly ensconced themselves IN Tn
little shop.
THEIR TACTICS
1t was evident from the start that
was their supreme object to kill q
much time in registering voters 6
succeed for when the polls closed &
sun down there were nearly sixty bon
fide voters who had not been register
ed. Messrs Barton III. Wise and RaT
dolph Williams were present in tn
interest of the Gold Democrats Will
Messrs. Hugh Antrim and Morgs
Treat endeavored 10 use thier intiuenC
in the behalf of the Republicans.
The tactics employed by Syrcle wei
so fragrant and contemptlDle TN
many turned away disgusted-
Several colored men were cOmpelle
to answer q long string of trivi
questions; sometimes their categol
would become exhausted and then
would turn away and chat with frien
leaving the voter to his own reflection
Here are fair sample of the NAL
questions to be answered: WHO
your mOther?'' "Where'd she live
your boyhoodf" "How many tim
have YOU been married2" 'How m
nv times have YOU movtd?" "How
YOU spell your manner" Sometimes
case Of very old man, "Can y
prove you are 81, etc.
SOME OF THE INCIDENTS.
About 1 1 O'Clock Mr.. James Goran
who had been standing in line siI
daybreak wanted to get tranfer
Manquin, King William County. 81
ceeded in getting another gentlen
90 take his place in line until he CO.
get his transfer as soon as possible
that he could get back home in ii
80 register. Syrcle saw the Occ
renee and drove him back to the re
1t was nearly o'clock before he 8
ceeded in getting it and then it !
too late to do him any good.
Mr.. y enry Hayne who resides
1896 Short P street induced mar
change places as he was in a hurry
catch the train. The change
made, but Syrcle refused to wait
him, and wasted enough time in
forcing a self made rule to regi
two men
Mr.. Ben Daniels applied for re
tration with q proper transfer m
out in proper form. He was
through long list of useless quest
He claimed that he lived at col
of Fairfield and 18th street. Sy
told him that he lived in the city,
Daniels insisted that he lived in
county and that the corporation 81
which mark the dividing line betv
the city and county was just in f
of his house. His expostulations '
all in vain and ne was denied the (
elege of registering.
There were many who stayed q
from work for the express purpoi
registering, only to be disfranchi
One gentleman who lives on the
road. who had been at the polls ne
all day, when he went to draw
money for his work received onl
cents instead of 81 .55.
HAD TO SPELL THEIR NAMES.
Syrcle did every thing in his p
to kill time, Nearly all black apple
were ordered to spell their nam'
matter whether it was Jones or Br
and if they couldn't this was the
nal for many valuable minutes
lost. Syrcle claimed as his excus
not registering the 90 voters, tha
applicants asked so many unnecei
questions that it consumed so ]
Of the time when in reality he an
colleagues did the talking. H.
five men were registered an hour
much partiality was shown.
colored people are indignant