New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-27
INSPECTORS INDICTED.
CHARGED WITH CRIMES IN THE INTER
EST OF THE PLATT MACHINE.
SOME OF THE TESTIMONY AGAINST T1iEM-GLAh-
ING FRAUDS IN ENROLMENT AND AT


THE PRIMARY
There is a prospect OF the punishment Of some
Of the persons who engaged in violating the law In
the interest Of machine ro-padding. and aided IN
conducting fraudulent primaries to rvet the Platt-
Lauterbach grip upon the Republican organization
Of this city.
The Grand Jury yesterday indicted Louis c. on.
John Havican. Albert X. Morgan and Edward q.
Fischer for violation Of Section Al Of the Penal code
relating to misdemeanors at political caucuses and
conventions. These men all Platt Inspectors OF
election in various Republican election district a.
sociations in the With Assembly District and the
crimes for which they indicted were COM
mttod in connection with the Republican primary
election held on the evening OF December 10. 1863
The provision OF the code under which the indci-
ments were found is subdivision of Section A.
which provides that any person who fraudulently
or wrongfully does any act tending 10 affect tho
result of an election political caucus or con
vention is guilty OF a misdemeanor. punishable by
imprisonment for no, more than one year
THE CASE OF OIL.
The facts concerning OH follows: Oil was
chairman OF the Fourteenth Election District Asso-
citation of the With Assembly District on the
night of the primary December 10. 1895. he remo' ed
Edward We'll. Brookneld inspector. and appointed
a Platt man in his place He then stood By the
ballot-box and assisted the inspectors OF election
in taking ballots. When Charles Wyatt came in
to Oil took the ballot which he offered ami
told MIR. Wyatt not to vote that ballot and there
upon picked up one Of his own ballots from the table
and deposited 1t in the ballot box. After the
of the ballots when charged by opposing candi-
date with stuing the ballot-box. Oil admitted his
act and said: Il will give you Mr. Whyatt's ballot.
you take out of my ballots and put in five
Of your own. and I will still beat you"
OTHER FRAUDS IN THE With DISTRICT.
John Havican, Albert X. Morgan and Edward G.
Fischer inspectors OF election Of the Twenty
third Election District Association Of the With
Assembly District. Two indictments were found
against them; charging them with opening the
polls half hour early. and the other charging
them with wrongfully refusing allow Republicans
to enroll on the night of November %. 1895.
With regard the lrst charge. one witness on the
preliminary examination before the Police Nagis-
trate testified that lie present at the polling
pace from $50 till o'clock. and that dug
ing that time only six ballots were cast. three
Of which were for the Brooi,fe!d ticket. When the
box was opened at o clock there were nevertheless
fourteen ballots. all OF which the inspectors
counted the result being that The machine ticket
was elected Another witness testified that the
inspectors received votes early as $50 o'clock
and that waea their attention called TO the
fact that the legal hours were from III >
o'clock, one Of them (Aibert * Mo:gdn SAD: !
VII take the responsibility and lei these men
on the other charge against these men 1t vas
testified in the Mag. strate's Court that they had
refused to allow aooui thirty-hye Kepubrrfains 10
vented them from voting at the primary. WAen
asked for their reason they SAID 70 ;Sne Of the APP
We dont intend to let YOU enroll The Tneodore
this Assembly district. TO Others they said, DO
suppose we are gong to let anbody fr our o
ders and don't propose TO let you fellows enroll.
these prosecutions were originally begun in +. the
latter part OF December in the Essex Market Police
Court The men were held for trial at Special Sos,
SONS by Mag strates Snris and Mott ana theT tiidl
] In tlaf for ,
/ before their attorney obtained an order removing
! the to the Court OF General Sessions; This
necessitated indictment before trial could be had
/ and the men we're indicted yesterday morning
The With Assembly District is ex-Police Com
m ssoner Murray's district and these cases are only
few of the glaring cases OF fraud which occurred In
that district at the time of the primary Where ihe
Rrookfeld men were elected certificates OF election
were SUP, essed In order to prevent the Drookield
delegates ON sitting at the conventions In one
percmptory writ OF mandamus the morning before
the holding Of the convention. When the papers In
of inspectors who was Stephen Manning. Steve
Brode's barkeeper. he said that he was willing to
cause Charley Murray had them" The original roll
book also disappeared in this election district at the
same time, and II cannot be FOUND.
THE CRIMES IN THE XXTH.
The prosecution Of these cases up TO the time o,
their presentment to the Grand Jury has been con-
Quoted by McElheny Bennett of No 100 Broad
way They expect soon to begin prosecutions In the
XXth Assembly District. where st!l more out
! rsgeous frauds have occurred. In this district the
Comm naa s or man Of the regularly elected in
spectors OF election and appointed others In theiI
pw;tb the crimes. This is the district over which
James Stewart holds sway. The prosecutions VII
be conducted at the instance OF Colonel Cruger
Thomas Sturgs and other members Of the Ches. er
A Arthur Club OF the xXth Assembly District
Suhiclent evidence has already been collected to
sec,re the conviction Of about dozen or these In
spcctors.
mo ryTL-ln TrNTnN TNEIIENHE