The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-04-06
CROOKED WORK
IN PRIMARIES
AT STOCKTON
Fight of Factions in the Repub-
liCan Party May Lead to
Indictments.

mercy. I first heard of it through
young Garibotto, whom met near the
Imperial Hotel. He was so excited ne
could hardly talk. He stated that he
had seen -Eckstrom and Patterson take
some papers away from the table
where the counting was in, progress,
and that they were destroying them
in vacant building on the corner. l
went down there Immediately. They
were tearing up the tickets they had
taken, but when they saw me coming
they gathered up the fragments"
There are said to be other material
witnesses. The Grand Jury was IN
session to-day, and just before the
close of the session it is understood a
number Of subpoenas were issued 1t
is known positively that District At
torney Ashley is investigating. and
will not pass the matter if the evil
dence already offered is found to be
trustworthy. Developments are ex-
pected tomorrow.
The first election under the Stratton
law indicates that it leaves unlimited
openings for contests on technical
points. For instance, in the same ward
where alleged criminal acts took place
the judges found on opening the ballots
that in a score of instances the printed
tickets had become detached from the
ballot and were under no particular
party designation. The judges laid
them out on the ground that it was not
within their province to say whether
they had been properly placed; that
they had no right to count them even
though the apparent intent Of the voter
was discernible. AS these ballots
thrown out did much to lose the ward
to Collins and help the A. P. A. faction
the former prepared to contest. The
carelessness of voters here in not fold
I'M rae hnr
easy it will be to defeat the evident will
of voters under the arbitrary provisions
of the law
The Democratic vote was light. and
the Republicans charge that the OPP
posing party mixed freely in their af-
fairs, being protected by the secrecy
of the ballot and the bringing together
Of all classes at the polls, so that the
old-fashiOned mode of challenging was
not possible or allowable. Seemingly
the law allows a general trade between
factions in both parties, practically al
lowing the interlOping party to shape
delegation to the convention Of os-
tensible opponents. The tightening of
party lines was not observable either
in the proceedings of the day or the
final results.
The City Council met this evening to
canvass the returns. There was no op-
portunity for contestants to object to
the returns here as the functions of the
Council gosno further than canvassing
the returns. The contest must lay in
the Superior Court. 1t seemed novel
to the spectators to see this official
body pass on delegations to a straight
party convention, marking the end of
the good old times when contesting
delegations won or lost through the
friendliness or opposition of those who
made up the majority Of the conven-
ton.
There are rumors tonight that if
Eckstrom and Patterson are prosecuted
some serious charges will be made
against a man who has held a prom
inent State office; because his offense
occurred at a ward meeting he could
not be prosecuted, but the charges
would be very embarrassing.