The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-01-16

went over to the Third district to ascer
tain what was wrong. The first to meet
me were Walter Davis, Il son of Bezaleel
Davis, Evan Miles and others, VINO sur
rounded me and told me that the booth
was full of drunken men; also that the
board was drunk, and asked me to go in
and get them out. | accordingly entered
the booth and at once found that l was
in hot shop.
There were about fifty persons in the
booth, all more or less under the influence
of drink, who had crowded about the
table. | forced my way through, and the
first thing that attracted my attention
was Thomas Harris, resident OF Norris
court, with number of Poles and Huns,
who We're not citizens, and one of my
friends by the name of William Rees,
challenged their right to vote. | made
the following request: "Gentlemen, Will
you please get out of the room and give
the board a chance to do its duty and al
low the citizens to vote as they please
This. in my opinion, moderate request,
was greeted with the utmost profanity
which l will not soil your pages by re-
peating, and was told that l had no busi-
ness there whatever, to which / replied
| had right there as citizen and candi-
date for alderman.
| was told to go over to the Fourth dis
trict. | replied, This is a ward office,
gentlemen, not a district affair, conse-
quently | think | or any of the other can
ddates have a right here to which they
answered. "You are liar"
| then looked upon the table and saw
Mr. Phillips, one of the board, opening a
paper | saw at once that it was a first
paper and said: Boys, he can't vote on
that paper" and Mr.. Nelson, another
member of the board, said: mo, he can
not vote on that paper" A Polander
% 10
said '"rimiti Jones" l looked at the man
and said: Il challenge his vote" a half
dozen men then cried out: He has voted
before"
Then Harry Bradshaw jumped up and
grabbed me by my both hands and began
hustling me out of the room and threat
ened to kick the life out of me, and the
| threat was repeated by five or six others
behind. Then John Jones took hold OF
| me by the left arm and said Get out
| of here; you have no business in this dis
trict." He then placed his back against
the framing of the door and raised his
foot to the other, thus closing up the
doorway, and said: Ben, get away from
! here; you can't get in l said: Jack
you get away from there; you have nc
| business there, ether
| He said: mo, | won't go way, d
you" We'll" | said Il will go and get
the officers" And away l went and tolG
| Lieutenant Williams how things We're be
| ing conducted. | then went back to the
| First district about 6.l5 p. m. | was asked
! how did you find things all round, Ben
| told them of the treatment | had re-
! ceived in the Third, and requested my
| friends not to bother any more, for | will
be "a candidate in February, for there i.
no fair play in the Third district, wher
one of Mr. Blair's friends said, "Yol
don't mean that Benz l said, Yes,
do" Later in the evening | saw Lieuten
ant Williams and asked him, How die
you find things in the Third district?'
To which he replied: Just as you said.
"Well, did you do anything?" | asked
Eyes, we arrested one man for drunken
ness and disorderly conduct and tryins
to vote for the fourth time" was his an
| swer.
Fellow citizens, | have told the trutl
concerning my treatment in the Third dis
| trict 1t was my intention to contest tn
vote of the Third and when l told Mr.
| Phillips that | wanted the list of names
| he said: Il have not got them" | said
What have you done with them?'' "W
| have destroyed them" what did you d
that for?" He replied, "They always do.
| have given a truthful statement of tn
matter, and ask in the name of fair play
If this does not justify me in coming on
as an Independent candidate, There ar
several citizens of the ward who have re
quested me to give them an opportunit
by their votes to express their disapproVa
of such tactics, and l have concluded I
do so. Il. Griiiiths.
Scranton, Pa, Jan IA, 1887,