The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-10-20
ARREST THE RAsCALs.


himself for registration shall take the
following OATH"
"I..., do solemnly swear
(or AFFIRM that / viii support and
maintain the Constitution and
laws Of the United States, ana
the Constitution and laws of North
Carolina not inconsistent therS
with; that I have been res dent
If North Carolina for twelve
months and the county of........
for ninety days. that / am a duly
oual;fied elector, and that nave
not registered for this election
IN amy other precinct; and that !
nm, an actual bona fide resident OF
precinct: So help me Cod
Section SO provides;
"That any person who shall cor
ruptlv take the oath prescribed
for voters. shall be guilty OF
reriurv and be fined not
less than five hundred dollars nor
moro than one thousand dollars,
and be imprisoned at hard labor IN
fine panitentia1y rot less than
two nor more than five years"
It is the duty of Democrats to en-
force this section by arresting for
neriury every disqualified voter whose
name is found recorded on the regis
tration lists. 1t will not do for these
tools of Republican manipulators to
pretend THAT they have innocently
made mistakes The books are COW
cred with names of eX-convicts who
were turned away by the registrars
when they applied for registration an
the last city election, and still worse,
with names assumed by convicts to
conceal their identity. Justice cries
aloud for the punishment of these
men, and the exposure of the rascals
who are behind them
The stupendous fraud that has just
been exposed in the second division
of the second ward in Raleigh devel-
ops the fact that loCp-hole was left
omen bv Russell fer the escape Of such
OF his registrars as might steal the
poll-books in Democrat precincts.
But the most adroit rascals are elmost
always caught in their extreme zeal
to carry out conspiracy by OVERRIDING
their work.
And so it seems Mr.. Britt ard his
sweet-scented negro co-conspirator,
have stunt led against provision IN
Russelrs law which their aiders and
abetters intended they should avoid.
Section IS of the Election Law pro
vides among other things than ANY
registrar or voters or any clerk or
other officer or employe who shall
make any entry or copy with intent
to commit a fraud shall Ce liable
to the same penalty" The penalty
referred to is that denounced in the
preceding section (section 34) against
certain other offenders therein des-
cribed. 1t is 1.-THE persons so offend
ing shall be guilty of felony and
fined not less than $1,000 nor more
than 5000. and be imprisoned not
less than one nor mere than three
years, and shall be disabled from hold
ing any Office Of profit on trust under
the authority of the State"
The evidence of a conspiracy Gull
minating q the violation of this sec
ticn il so convincing that immediate
steps should he taken docking to the
punishment of Britt, his negro assoc
ciate, and Toe promoters OF the viii
lainy of those who are behind them.
Britt, chairman of the reg sstI alton
board. without excuse. turned over the
registra ton book to the regro George
Rogers, who proceeded to misplace or
destroy it, and to mike false entries
in blank book similar in appearance
to that furnished registrars, which
he procured in some mysterious way,
and from some source which will be
known when Hanna's secrets are re-
vealed, and we deeply trust by proper
activity may be found a little sooner.
1t is but few days since a Populist
and Democratic registrar of Winston
were ordered to appear before Justice
of the Supreme Court at Raleigh and
show cause why they should not be
arrested for delaying registration by
asking frivolous questions, such as
whether the applicant had ever been
adjudged guilty of an infamous crime
and sent to the penitentiary. That
was Chairman Holton's move. 1T
seems to us in order now for the
Democratic chairman to apply to the
Judge riding the district to deal with
those men who, if all the information
we can get is correct, cannot escape
felon's cell by pretending not to
know what they were doing.
Before we discuss this subject we
desire to call attention to section SIS,
of the Election Law, which makes it
an infamous crime, punishable with
heavy fine or Imprisonment at hard
labor, for any person to cause or pro-
cure his name OR THAT OF ANY 9TH
Err PERSONS TO BE REGISTERED,
KNOWING THAT HE OR THE PER
SON WHOSE NAME HE HAS PRO
CURED TO BE REGISTERED, is NOT
ENTITLED TO VOTE IN THE WARD
OR PRECINT WHEREIN SUCH
REGISTRATION IS MADE AT THE
ENSUING ELECTION TO BE HELD
THEREIN OR WHO SHALL FALSE
LY PERSONATE ANY REGISTERED
VOTER" Somebody prepared and
furnished to the negro, George Rogers,
blank book, which, under the law
the Clerk of the Court furnished.
Where did Rogers get this book? Is it
possible that Hanna's money could
have been lavishly expended in pro
L. -4.,gl