New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-10-11
THE EARLY ELECTION RETURNS.
UNOFFICIAL REPORTS READ AT POLICE
HEADQUARTERS TO AN EAGER
THRONG OF LISTENERS

Police Headquarters in this city is busy place
on Election Night The reception OF the unofficial
election returns attracts Il crowd Of politicians. and
there Is another crowd OF busy policemen police
clerks end police officials The OF returns
which are sent to Police Headquarters at night
intended to give early information of the results OF
the election They blanks hastily filed out with
hgures Blanks of one set by way of the po-
lice stations and addressed to the Chief OF
Police Those OF the other set come through the
same channels. but addressed the Chief OF
the Bureau OF Elections. The official" election
turns. signed by the inspectors OF election. In
t~o sets also. and they delivered sealed the
day after election. one So. to the County Clerk and
the other set 10 the Bureau OF Elections
The "unoi.icisl' returns are collected by police
men at the polling places soon az they ready
on election night and taken 10 the nearest police
stations from which they sent Headquarters
by special messengers. The returns for the Bureau
or Elections sent with little delay d posi-
BILE. The returns for the Chief OF Police read
aloud In the police stations before they for
warded. Newspaper reporters and agents OF press
bureaus are IN the stations TO hear the returns read.
Two sets oil clerks and detailed policemen nanuIe
Inc returns when they received al Headluar-
tiers on Election Night Men OF one set work under
Of Elections. They count the returns in patches
or tens. without regard TO the districts parts vi
thc city from which the returns are sent. TO gel
early Information Of results. Ten scattering
turns give an indication merely Of tn. election OF
one candidate over another III The city. one hun
irtd returns si'e better Indications one thousand
scattering returns usually Will show nearly
the city has gone that the clerks figure
the majority Tor one candidate with ii small mar
gin OF
The clerks who work under the direction of First
Deputy Clerk DeIamater tabulate the returns
which come addressed 10 the chief Of Police. Mr.
Deamtter re.tis on the returns in the large trial
room the third floor OF the building and the
clerks make the tabulations OH prepared blanks
he reads. Politicians and other PERSONS eager
hear the first Indications OF the results OF the
elect ion crowd the aud listen ntently TO the
reading.
1t has been the custom of the Police Commits
sioncis TO stay Ia their offices until late at nigh
while the returns are being received and tabuated
| Political friends keep them company and hear the
bulletins which are sent every few minutes from
the room In which chief Clerk Kip and his help
are AT work. The commissioners and their
visitors get early Information Of the results in
the city. and the Commissioners usually have ,ele
graph and telephone instruments In their rooms TO
| get eaIly Information nom other parts OF the
| State and from other States.
While the crowds are sUfging about the halls
OF Police headquarters policemen In Uniform, act
Ing special uiess"' running In and out
with the election returns. and mounted policemen
g.oping back and forth between elevated
railroad stations ana ponce stations In the base
mcnt Of Police Headquarters the telegraph In
/ struncnts aic all cumming and an extra force OF
+ operators l. kept busy all night The crowds DO
/ not leave until after midnight.