The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-11-04
Brie1eSS BarriSters Assist in DiSfran.
Chisins Hundreds Of Voters.
BOLD ROBBERY IN JACKSON WARD.
Polls Do Not Open On 1ime-silvcrites
Defy the Law-yoters stand In Line Eff
teen Hours and Are Prevented from
Casting Ballots-Ahidavits Iakcns

this fair State of ours-lh Iact' III THIS
city OF ours-yhere not even bluff of
an election was held. 1 refer TO Jack
son ward.
According 10 the latest registration,
there arc between 5000 and 1900 voters in
Jackson ward, and yet there were less
than a third Of them allowed to cast their
votes yesterday.
As early Is II o'clock Monday night
enthusiastic and earnest supporters OK
one or the other Of the tickets began To
gather in tho vicinity of their respective
voting places. many bringing along their
lunches and some building bonnres with
which 10 keep warm. Many Of those
who reached the polls as early as 5
o'clock yesterday morning were still IN
line and long way from the head OF
IT, when the polls closed in the after
noon.
MINED THE BALLOTS.
The First precinct did not open for
business Latil after O'clock owing, it
was alleged. 10 the fact that the ballots
got mixed, and a recount was necessary"
When it did open. things started of
slowly. lnnumerable challengers were
there. ready and willing TO engage in the
dilatory tactics. They inundated, fright
encd, and did all in their power to pre-.
vent a legal voter from exercising the
power that is given him by the Consti-
lution OF The United States.
among those Who were most active I'm
preventing people voting were Preston
b-iFln ana a young man named Dunn
Inc former was very busy nearly all
uay' and he certainly earned what may
be coming to him. Besides the two mem
TONED there were probably a dozen
o'htrs' one of whom posed in the front
rank IN very picturesque bicycle suit.
MANY CHALLENGED.
Every man that attempted TO cast his
No'e was challenged not only bv one
Vi nose placed there. but several OF
'NViH engaged n the matter, and fre-
pucHuy disputes arose between Them
SeFes' the obvious purpose Of which was
1i"Piy 10 delay the machinery OF elec-
"oi' ana give tho lengthing shadows
'hthce 10 creep rp against tho houses
on inc opposite side OF the street
ALls thins was kept up all day tho
chAHengers relieving each other al et,t-
ca intervals. and being urged on I'm their
WORK by squad OF young lawyers
who arrived upon the scene frequently
THESE lawyers" created a stir whenever
they appeared and gave their henchmcn
instructions TO delay every man as much
as possible
CAUGHT IN TIE ACT.
About noon colored voter went into
booth and requested the judge 10 ls-
sist him 20 prepare his ticket. IIe want
cd 10 vote for Mckinley. Hobart. ana
Lewis, ana 80 inf rmed the Judge Tie
latter, however. prepared the ballot cv-
actiy contrary 20 the instructions of the
voter whercupon, the man who wanted
10 vote. told no Judge that he could
read, and knew .hlt his ballot had been
prepared incorrectly. 4 protest was
mace, and tie matter left as Il was
end It will Doe attended 10 later. This
Judge had been caught in the act, and
no one knows how many ballots had
been prepared IN the same way. Several
arrests were made on trial charges. bur
nothing really sensational occurred until
the polls closed.
BARRED OUT.
Then a most interesting thing happen
ed. Section l3o Of the election laws pro-
yidos that two friends Of each polltl-
cal party represented by the persons
voted for shall be allowed into the polls
in order 20 witness the count Being
familiar with this law. Mr.. ". J. White
and Nj. A. G. Rogers. representing tho
Sound-Money party. requested 10 Doe al-
lowed within the polls. one of the judges
J.. w. FRANCE, perempto.ily declined
20 allow these gentlemen 10 enter. They
pointed ont the law and demanded adj
mittance, bat 20 no avail.
KNEW THE LAW.
Il know the law" said France. land
you can't come i'm mere. If my decision
IN this matter is not according 10 the
law. then I'll make the law myself"
Again lid the gentlemen representing
the sound-money ticket demand admit
lance and again were they refused.
Mr.. 4. 3. Guigon also apr cared on be-
half of Mcssrs. White and Rogers. and
the law was read again, but France was
monarch OF the First precinct OF Jackson
ward. and refused to admit them. Ac-
cordingly the vote was counted without
the presence Of sound-money representa-
tives.
SANE HERE
In the Second precinct the same tao
tics were carried out. EARLY i'm the day
the crowd Of challaugers We're timid. ana
unintentionallv allowed several colored
men 20 20 bv unchallengcd The floating
"iavv,ers'- soon appeared anon tie scene,
bo,yeyer. and things assumed diifer-
enf phase. Two or three young mon 'i-
most fell on each other in attempting 10
challenge the voters, and tho police seem
eJ IN be poweriess 20 prevent the en-
,roachn0eut OF thC army or cneHehscr9
mon Tho forbidden ground WITHIN the
~ fool line. Among those who were pre-
venting am expression OF the pop.'"' WI
- ,t. citizens OF Richmond al thls pre-
80 v,e,o Mac Jones c. VI. mace
~ , whole lot Of little sap-heaas'
-, y,ith n distinctive foreign accent
and a white hat. and youns i.''o" "''0
looked like an expire iif"''
THE THIRD rREciNcr.
- Ella r,nd precnct the same old
49,, ',r.,.oiled At times ten and hiteen
w., ,,.ero ,-,trcred about the polls ana
~. off,ccrs seemed TO be unconscious CT
,,,e,r nreseuce until their attention WAS
|.'lisd "a n and then only feeble Efforts
,,.o,o made 10 get the crowd back OF TIE
line one very lean. lank and inonensive-
1o-kino colorod man was arrested Tor ne
ing within the lire.
In the Fourth precinct niiuory t"''ics
were resortcd 20 by "a gang OF s"Verle
,hallcngers urged ON by the lawyer
vino had evidently forgotten al the law
thov had ever known ia directing the
Notwithstanding individuals VINO had
charge of the silver peoales ahaifa 10
hack the law. Two colored mon were ar
rested on the charge OF ILLEGAL registra-
ton I'm this precinct. and aside from this
and the mcgling OF the election laws,
nothing exciting transnired.
PROTEST OF THE VOTERS.
When the polls closed the hundreds OF
49,. -. No. lL.lrannheed IN the Va