Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-02-25

IN relation 10 the purity Of elections,
which passed the State Senate al the
last session Of the Legislature, but
failed TO receive favorable action in the
House. 1t is probable that the bill! will
be introduced at the present session
and an earnest effort made to secure
it's enactment:
An act to prevent corrupt practices
and fraud at elections.
Be ii enacted by the Senate and
House of Representatives of the State
of Delaware, in General Assembly met
Section !. Every person who shall
directly or indirectly, by himself or by
any other person on his benalt, give.
lend or agree to- give or lend, or shall
offer, promise, or promise to procure or
endeavor to procure, any money or val
uanle consideration, to or for any cleo
Tor. or to or for any persons on behalf
OF any elector, or TO or for any other
person, in order TO induce any elector
10 vote. or refrain from voting, or to
vote for any particular candidate or
ticket, or shall corruptly do any such
act as aforesaid, on account of such
yelsctor having voted, or refrained from
voting, or having voted for any particu
lar candidate or ticket, at any election;
or shall directly or indirectly, by him
self or by any other person on his be-
half, give or procure, or agree TO give
or procure, or offer, promise to procure,
or endeayor to procure any Office,
place or employment. public or private.
to or for any elsctor. or TO or for any
person on behalf OF any eiector or 10 or
for any other person, 10 order to induce
such elector to vote or refrain from vot-
ing, or 10 vote for any particular can
didate or ticket, or Hhall corrUptly do
any such act as aforesaid on account
Of any elector having voted or reirained
from voting, or voted for any particular
candidate or ticket, at any election; or
shall directly or indirectly, by himself,
or any other person on his behalf, make
any such gift, loan, offer, promise,
procurement or agreement, as aforesaid,
% or for any person. in order, to induce
such person TO procure, OF endearor to
procure, or to abstain or refrain from
procuring, or endeayoring 10 procure,
the election OF any person to a public
Office. or the vote of any elector at any
election; or shall, upon, or in c0uae-
quence OF. any such gift, loan, offer,
promise. procurement or agreement, pro-
cure or engage. promise. or endeavor
TO procure, or to abstain or refrain
from procuring, or endeayoring to pro-
cure. the election OF any person TO a
public Office, or the vote of any elector,
at any election; or shall advance or
pay, or cause to be paid, any money
to or for the use of any other person,
with the intent that such money, or
any part thereof. shall be expended
for any OF the aforesaid purposes Or in
any manner herein prohibited, at any
election, or shall knowingly pay or
cause 10 be paid, any money to any
person in discharge or repayment, or II
be used in discharge or repayment, OF
any money wholly or in part expended
for any of tho purposes aforesaid, q
10 aLy manner herein prohibited, to,
for or concerning any election, shall bt
deemed guilty of felony, ami upon
conviction thereof, shallsbe imprisoned
for term OF not more than two years,
or shall forfeit and nay to the State {
fine of not more than two thouaanL
dollars, or both, at the discretion Of tn,
court; provided always. that the afure
said enactment shall not extend or b.
construed to extend. 10 any money pait
or agreed TO be paid for or on account
OF any legal expenses bona tide incurred
at or concerning any election.
Sec. =. Every person who shall
before or during any election. directly
or indirectly, by himself or by any othel
person on his behalf, receive, agre
or contract for, any money, gift, loan
Office, place, employment or valuabI
consideration, for himself, or for an
other person, for voting or agreeing I,
vote, or for RETAINING or agreeing t
refrain from voting, Or for voting, q
refraining from voting for any partiGu
lar candidate or ticket. or for refrain
ing from procuring or cndeavoring t
procure the election Of any caudidat
10 public Office, or the vote OF an
elector, al any election; or shall, alto
any election, directly or indirectly, b
himself or by any other person On hi
hehalt, receive any money, gift loan
Office, place, employment or valuabl
consideration, on account Of any perso
having voted or refrained from voting
or having voted nr refrained from vol
ing for any particular candidate {
ticket, or having refTaincd from pre-
curing or endeavoring to procure tn
election of any candidate TO a publ
office, or the vote of any eleCtOr, at an
election, or having induced any otht
person to vote or refrain from votinL
or to vote or refrain from voting fl
any particular candidate or ticket,
any election, shall be guilty of felon,
and upon conviction thereof. shall [
imprisoned for not more than tW
years, or shall forfeit and pay fine
not more than two thousand dollars,
both at tho discretion Of tho cour
Provided, however, that when any pc
son shall inform against the person
persons, from whom no has received
or with whom he has agreed, or col
tracted for, any money, gift, loan,
valuable consideration, Office, place
employment for any Of the purpos
aforesaid, and shall give eviden
against such person or persons, upon
trial. the person SO informing and test
flying shall not be liable to any punis
ment under this section for the tran
action in relation to which he SO i
forms and testities
Sec. 3. Every person who aha
directly or indirectly, by himself
by any other person on his beha
make use of, or threaten to make u
OF. any force, violence or restraint,
inhict, or threaten to inflict by hir
self, or by any other person, any i
jury, damage, harm or loss upon
against any person, in order 10 indu
o or compel such person to vote or I
ht frain from voting, or to vote for al
particular candidate or ticket, or
account of such person having voted
Tefrained from voting, or having vot
for any particular candidate or tickt
u at any election, or who shall by n
X duction, durcsH, or any fraudulent d
u wee or con:rirancc, impede Or prove