The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-02-18

The belief that wholesale fraud Sc
cured the election of all but one Dem
ocratic candidate in Dunmore on Tues
day was strengthened yesterday among
the Republican managers who claim
to possess positive evidence of crook
edness more daring and extensive than
ever before featured a political fight
by the Democrats, whose methods
have never been of the cleanest in that
borough. 1t is assured on good au-
thority that many arrests will be
made and the election of several, if not
all, of the Democratic candidates will
be contested.
That the protest of the Republicans
is not without reason Is indicated by
figures and facts. which particularly
show that the voting in many in
stances was illegal or that certain
election boards We're dishonest Daniel
Powell, the defeated Republican candi-
date for burgess, polled within seven
as many votes as did William Con-
nell, who last fall received a majority
Of 379 votes in the borough, yet Mr..
Powell was defeated by forty-one ma
jority In the Petersburg and Bunk
er HIP districts it is claimed that
a batch of Italians voted who had not
been in the country year.
IN THE TAMMANY WARD.
In the First district of the famous
Tammany ward, the Second, the trick
cry was plain. The ward was once
the stronghold of the Patrick Henrys,"
Democratic club now out of existence,
but whose old members are still act
i've in politics and who would, many
of taly L., nc tn
swell a majority
AS many as 331 votes were polled in
that particular district, within three
votes of the total registration. Yet
there is ample evidence that nearly
fifty persons in the district whose
names were registered did not vote.
Even as early as the afternoon Of
election day certain instances of the
unlawful methods OF the Democrats
were so open and fragrant as to cause
| talk throughout the borough in busi-
ness and other circles which had no
| part in the active management of the
| fight. One case was that of young
man whose father refused to perjure
| himself by swearing that his son was
| q years old. Rather than lose the
| vote the district leaders procured a
|
| known the young man for twenty one
| years, and the vote was received, de-
| spite the protest of the father and the
Republican minority on the district
| election board.
| Another instance recorded was that
OF a father who swore to the dates of
birth of his two sons. The dates We're
within a few months of each other and
made each son 81 years of age. Even
the arguments of the Democratic Off
GERS did not move the father in his
| declaration, but the votes were re-
ceived and counted just the same.
| Concerning the use of tax receipts
for taxes that had never been paid
the Republican committee claim tc
have specific evidence in several cases
One was that of Democrat, whose
vote had been challenged in the morn.
ing for nom payment of taxes. He ap-
peared at the polling place at 8 O'Clock
in the afternoon and had in his posses
sion tax receipt on which the ink
was not yet dry and which had beer
dated two months back.
TAX COLLECTOR WAS LEADER
A significant fact is that the leader
Ol lllt i)eHlOCTdllC forces was L. L.
Boland, the borough tax collector.
Attorney John G. McAskie, a membe,
of the Republican executive commit
tee, an active partisan and one whC
would naturally be selected as attor
ney or counseled with in the event O
a contest, was interviewed at his ofIic,
in the Commonwealth building by
Tribune reporter yesterday afternoon
Mr.. McAskie would not admit that tn
result would be. contested or that ar
rests would be made, but he did no
hesitate to state that the Democrat
had gained their victory by bare face
frauds that could be easily proved
Comparing the Republican vote witt
the poll of last spring and fall, and OF
the strength of those figures and tn
increased registration lists, the Re
| publican candidates should have bee
: elected, he aVerred, by majorities rang
ing from so to 125.
He knew of the dissatisfaction
among the defeated candidates OWN
| to their belief that they had bee
| cheated, but whether they would tax
legal action was a matter of which Il
! had no positive knowledge. He re
2 marked that he would not be surprise
if such course We're pursued.
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