The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-11-04
some BIGH-HANDED METHODS
Patriotic Workers" Deny the Right OIL
,ulIrage TO Thousands Of Voters.
DILATORY TACTICS; BALLOT-PADDlNG
How the Vote Was Policd Ihfo"s"""'
the CITY Yesterday--Many Lifelong
Democrats Thoroughly Disgusted'
Several Arrests Made.

All things considered. the election In
this city yesterday was one OF the most
quiet and orderly ever held. The police
preserved admirable order. and only IN
ore precinct was there any trouble This
Is all the more remarkable since the most
intense feeling has prevailed for more
than a month past, and there have been
direful predictions OF bloodshcd and free
riot.
That there was not serious trouble
IS due to two cause.-the vigilance o;
the police force, ably assisted by the
twenty-four special officers who were
sworn in on Monday, and the submissive
manner in which many voters received
the dilatory tactics. which deprived them
OF the tight OF suffrage. Al IS needless
10 say that the main force OF the silver
party MAS massed in Jackson ward. and
mere the fine work of the patriotic work
ors' was gotten in.
OUTRAGEOUS METHODS.
The methods employed Ia that ward
were high-handcd IN tho extreme. and
the result Was that fully thousand
and probably more colored voters We're
disfranchised. To begin with "A slick
campaign trick was worked when two
men, by name Elisha L. Lewis and Will
liam III. Lewis. sent In their names to
the Secretary OF State. and they were
duly placed upon the Official ballot, thus
putting three candidates IN the neld, by
the name OF Lewis, much to the detri-
ment OF the lliterate voters. No one
ever heard of these men before and
There Is no doubt that il was A cam
paign trick.
Ihe same may be said concerning the
name Of John Mitchell which WAS ccrtf-
ned TO Secretary Lawless in due loyal
form. The owner OF The name WAS NOR
John Mitchell, Jr., who had been men
uon,d as a possible candidate ana no.
placed on the ticket with the eyid.n,
purpose 10 deceive voters. In additio,
10 the complications and the necessarv
loss OF time caused by the long tlc,,..
nc Judges OF election In jackson warJ
o"ipioyed every means known to thep
P,o'en' Coiored votes from being cast.
- ,'pa'"'e voter was challcnged
,,o,,.,,i. .s,Neu variety of questions. the
r,'',,,s u "hich were foolish and H.
in IT, "'' Mhne hundreds stood patiently
rho,r h,,,"s ""'''ns Tor the turn to cast
/ '"''t never came.
BAND OF PATRIOTS
IL had been advertised -,
~ the silver press that "a ..no,,,a ~, 49,
oi patriotic workers" would be ~ -
precinct ard give their whole time ..fr..
vi chirSe TO the cause. The hand o,.
| i''her gang, was on hand all ri1b, h.,
great many Instances a tougher
! ''""u ol Ward-heelers, bar-roon hum
mers' ana plug-uglies never gathered ~.
! ht'hcr 10 disgrace party. Thera -
great room for doubt whether The tin.
oi any OF thenL which they so "patrlori-
''iiy gave, was worth ANYTHING for
from iheir appearance many Of them
never ana an honest days work in ,h,lr
! lFes' and their noble work consisted in
| heeplhS as many voters opposed 10 their
P1l'y from casting their ballots as pos
| sibie They did their work to porfect,on
| as hundreds OF voters will testifv ~ a
more hitting time. These gangs OF
workers were confined almost wholly
10 Jackson ward. where their we'll
known talents gave them wide field for
operation. Their tactics 10 dlsfranchise
voters were almost endless. and their
variety surprising in the extreme. In
one case mrsiclage was mixed with tho
INK put in the booth for the voters 10
mark their ballots with. The result was
that the ballots. when folded. stuck TO.
sether and could not be unfolded. They
consequently had to be thrown out How
rany We're thus lost is not known
THE OTHER WARDS.
Thus the election went i'm Jackson
ward. but IN the other wards OF thi
city everything. 10 all appearance was
perfectly fair and square. The voters
white and black. were allowed TO cast
their ballots with impariiality and ths
work went on with an possible dispatch
Ina jefferson and Madison wards ful
vote was polled. In Jefferson ward Tho
only trouble occurred at Old Market Han
where the Second precinct Is located Th'
voters were not delayed or Lampcrcd if
casting their ballots. but there was some
| nttie delay in the procccding-s. while tws
colored men We're arrcste an, locked uD
charged with iving Illegally registered
| Their names are James T.. Jackson ane
Wiley Fultz
The harmony OF r'e proceedings wa
also somewhat disturbed by a h-ticu1
which took place between two white men
Wesley King and Tom Golden. Thoy
were promptly arrested and locked uI
az the Second station. Albert Poindexter
a colorcd blacksmith. WAS also ARRESTED
I'M this precinct. charged With lilega
registration.
The Third precinct OF Jefferson ward
located az 21l9 east Main street. was un
Usually quiet during the day. and ballot.
were cast at the rate Of onc every 1hro'
minutes. Al the First precinct or soutl
Fourteenth street. votes were cast evei
more rapidly. and the best Of order pre-
vailed. The same - also true ~ th'
Fourth. located al 95 north rwenty-frf
| street
In Madison ward the election passe.
OF exceedingly quietly. and no distur
bances marred the general harmony o.
the day. Tie vote poled was yer,
heavy.