Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1896-10-16
Corruption at the Start.


Chairman of the Republican County
Committee, is using the most APP
proved ring" methods, in an endeavor
to control the important election in
this county next month, is shown by
the manipulation OF the list Of election
officers lately appointed by partisan
board
The manifest justice in making
election boards non-partisan by giving
the principal parties representation
thereon, is SO fair, and cOmmends it
self so forcibly to the majority of men,
that any attempt to pervert the rule
custom has established and law has
sanctioned, arouses the fear that that
the course is intended to afford an op-
portunity for fraud in conducting the
election and in counting the votes
when polied. That this can be easily
done has been demonstrated, when
the method OF the Chairman of the
Republican Central Committee has
been tried and the fraud exposed, and
what has been done may be repeated
in these times of high partisan feel
ing, if INSCRIPTIONS men are entrusted
with the important duty of conducting
the poll.
The list of the Commissioners will
be found in another column. We ask
for it close and candid examination.
The First ward board is one which has
excited especial indignation, COM
posed as it is of one Republican and
two Jack Republicans, the Peoples
party being wholly ignored, and this is
not the only voting precinct that has
been thus unfairly dealt with. A
closer analysis of the personnel Of
these boards will be made later on,
but We have barely space at this time
to fix the responsibility of outside ma
nipulation upon Mr.. Filley, by the
most direct and positive of evidence.
DR.. Ostrander, representing the party
aggrieved, the other day, started out
on tour of investigation and here is
the result of his roundup" in his
own words, concerning the manipula-
ton of the board OF the First Ward:
"After the County Commissioners
had made the appointments of judges
and inspectors of election it was
found that there had been unfair
ness in this: that the Peoples Party
had been ignored and that two Re-
publicans and a Gold Democrat has
been appointed. Having known Judge
Prather for 40 years l made it my
business to see him about the matter.
He at first said that he did not recollect
anything about it. l was not satisfied
with this and again asked him about the
matter. Then / learned from him that
George Hopkins, the Auditor, had
placed in the hands of the Commission
ers papers containing the names of par
ties to be appointed upon the election
boards. He did not seem to recollect
4
Matt Eugley was among the men APP
pointed on the board in the First Ward.
| then called upon Mr.. Hopkins and
he confirmed what Prather said about
Eugley's name being among the list of
names recommended. then asked if it
was through his influence that Mr. Har-
Ian had been substituted for Mr.. Eugley
as Judge or inspector in the First Ward.
His answer was, NO ! then asked
if he knew who had advised substituting
Harlan for Eugley? His answer was,
Yes l asked, Who? He at first re-
fused to say. I then said: George, I
have traced this matter to You so far.
Now unless you state who did have Har-
Ian substituted for Eugley the matter
will rest upon your shoulders the bal
ance of the campaign Without hest
fancy he answered that it was Mr.. Filley,
through Judge Osborne. | then imme-
diately called upon Mr.. Filley in the Re
publican Club Room and asked him if
he had advised the substitution Of Har-
lans name for that of Eugley on the
election board in the First Ward? He
apparently did not want to say much
about it. Now said l, Mr.. Filley you
please remain here few minutes. l
know where Mr.. Hopkins is and | will
bring him right down to this place.
which l did. When Mr.. Filley, George
Hopkins and myself were together, |
said to Hopkins: Now George, l wish
you to state right here, to Mr.. Filley,
precisely what you told me in regard to
the substitution OF Harlan for Eugley.
Mr. Hopkins made candid statement
as requested and in less than one min
ute without any controversy, Mr.. Filley
acknowledged that If Mr.. Hopkins said
50, it is certainly true"