The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-10-08
REPUBLICAN TR|CKERY
Democratic Election Officers
il Greenville Deny
Struther's Charges.

The Republican political atmosphere in
the Seventh ward is decidedly foggy these
days, and the fog is getting so thick that
it threatens to totally obscure from View
the so-called Republican politicians -
that section of the city. These have for
a long time been trying to bring about
dissension in the ranks of The Democratic
party, but have failed completely. The
latest attempt occurred last Tuesday
when the Republican members Of the
Election Board of the Third Election Dis
trict of the Ward charged the two Denl-
ocratic election officers with precipitat-
ing row and thereby interfering with
the legality of the registration The Re-
publican member of the Board in question
in an interview a day or two ago, charg-
ed the two Democrats with coming late
to the registering place. thereby stopping
the work, and with taking the election
books and stationery. These charges
were denied by Frederick Woeckener and
Miles McCarron the Democratic members
of the Board last evening. Frederick
Woeckener said
when Mr.. Strutheds says that my
brother Edward. wanted. to act in my
place he is mistaken. He did nothing Of
the kind He simply went to the registers
! ing place. at No. u Greenville avenue, for
the purpose of having his name put down.
He did not assume any act of authority,
nor did he wish to fill my place. Further,
was not half an hour late as Mr..
question Of deciding upon judge was
brought lip, and both times. when votes
were taken. II resulted IN a tie-two for
Struthers and two for myself. Miles Me-
Carron was not the regularly appointed
election officer, but If it is agreeable to
the other three members, the absent
members place can be filled. In this
manner McCarron was sworn in. Even
if member is absent the board has the
power to act when only three members
are present We were determined that
Struthers should not receive the judgship
and so we finally elected Charles Benz
nett the other Republican member.
Fright here it may be well to say that
the Republicans always did manage to get
old men on the election boards, which en-
titles the oldest person to the judgeship
in case the members cannot by vote agree
upon a judge. All of these old men are
incompetent and not fit to to be on any
election board What caused most of
the trouble during that day was when we
found out that Strqthers was not resi-
dent of that election district. and, there
fore, had no power to act on the board.
The new election law contains that clause.
Struthers admitted the fact that he did not
| reside in that district. He also got up at
half-past two and said he was going out
to register. He had no right to leave the
| registering place. Instead of doing as he
said. he telephoned to the County Board
of Elections that row had occurred In
| our board.
| Shortly after young man made his
| appearance, who. from his conversation,
did not appear to know anything about
| election boards. He went on to say that
| the proceedings were Illegal. We went
| on with the work, he said, and told
| Bennett that he was doing the work
| wrongly. He was filling in the challeng-
! ers' books before the books of the Coun-
| ty and City Clerks had been filed in.
! We disputed all the afternoon about
Struthers' position. we knowing that he
| had no right to fill the position, not De-
| ing resident of the district.
! HThe story told by Struthers about Mr.
1 McCarron taking all the writing paper
| election books, pencils and ink, IS false
| He did nothing of the sort. only takins
| one clerks book. Bennett carted off the
| other Ave books namely, the County ard
1 City Clerks books the Two ehallensefs
/ books and one clerks book. He also took
| a bottle Of ink, and would have taken the
| second bottle had the cork been in it, but
4 was afraid of spilling the ink on himself.
1 Miles McCarron denied the story told
! by Struthers, and said that he took only
! one book, the one that belonged to him.
4 Edward Woeckner also said that he never
made any attempt to run the election
| board. hut simply went there to register.
/ Several people who are IN g position s. e e
/ this morning that the registering in the
] disputed place is legal. and thar the menu
bers had a perfect right to swear an
larN appointed officer. Even so, they de-
clare that the Board can act with only
three members.