The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-04-23

One who has not looked into the mat
ter can scarcely conceive the amount
of labor expended in the conduct of a
big election contest such as that for
the office of county treasurer which is
now drawing to a close.
This contest has been on for two
years, and during all of that time
scarcely a day has passed that the at
torncys constables and clerks, en-
ployed on one side or the other, have
not done more or less work in connec-
ton with ii. What this service cost is,
of course not matter of record, but
that 1t will in the aggregate make
very nice figure can be readily esti-
mated.
First OF all, each side went over The
voting lists and carefully selected some
10000 or more voters. who had voted
for the opposition. or who, in the opin-
ion of the parties to the contest, cast
their votes for the other fellw. This
was not done at hap-hazard, as might
be supposed. Party leaders from all
over the county who could be expected
to know which way man voted were
called in and their opinion sought in
every doubtful case from their par
ticular locality. In this way the num-
ber of favorable votes attacked in
either bill of particulars was reduced
to the minimum.
Next in order was census of the
voters who had made defective aff-
davits. There were over 1000 of these.
The two parties had different methods.
but the same work had to be accom-
plished in each instance. and as they
differed only in detail it is sufficient
to describe one, that of the respond
ent.
AFFIDAVITS EXAMINED.
AS the afiidavits were taken out OF
the return envelopes during the ofIlc-
ial count-the contest having been an
ticipated - two attorneys examined
them and when one was found defect
i've, he would call off to a stenographer:
"Olyphant, Seventh ward. Fifth dis
trict. John Smith, four, five and seven"
-Four five and seven" represented the
reasons for which the affidavit was de-
fective, the various possible reasons
having been previously codified and
numbered for brevity and convenience.
Instead of saying, ITO whom taxes
were paid not stated" place for WIT
ness name left blank" or Failed to
state where naturalized," the numbers
corresponding to these reasons would
be given.
This being done, list of voters thus
disqualified was carefully gone over as
was done with the whole list of voters
when the bill of particulars was being
prepared, but with even greater care
Not only were party leaders from ali
over the county called in to give judg-
ment on how each man voted, but two.
three and sometimes half dozen,
political workers from each election
! district were interviewed for the pur-
pose of confirming this judgment.
When there was a well-grounded doubt
the questionable voter was sounded
| directly or through some close friend.
When this was all done. the attorneys
were satisfied that they could tell
! within one hundred of how many of
! these defective votes were cast for their
| man. The respondent attorneys had it
| figured out that they had the best of
| the defective attidavits by $50.
Next came the hearings. They con-
| tinued during 1877 days and $4,000 wit
nesses were examined. 1000 on the con-
! testants side and 5000 for the respond
| ent.
METHODS OF TABULATING.
The methods of tabulating the find
! ings in each case, as pursued by the
| two sets of attorneys differed in that
the contestant used a card and the re-
spondent a book. On the contestants
card We're all the questions that ordi-
narily would be asked witness. with
| blank space after each and a space
at the bottom for remarks. When a
witness examination was concluded
! the card bearing the result of his eX-
! animation was marked good" bad
or doubtless" as the case might be
| and filed away in pigeon-hole accord
ing to districts. Notes were also made
in a record book for further convent
ence.
The respondents record book was
two feet long by eighteen inches wide
and the whole length of two pages was
utilized to keep account of each wit
ness. A column was provided for en-.
tering everything material that couic
possibly be brought out, from the mum.
ber of his vote to the reason he gave
if any, for calling on some one to as,
sist him in marking his ballot.
If a favorable voter was shown to b(
all right, he was checked off in rec
ink. If his vote was incurably bad HI
was checked off in black ink. If III
was without naturalization papers OF
tax receipts, but averrcd he had beer
naturaliZed or paid his tax, as the cas-,
might be, his name was entered in an
other book with a note of the defect L
be cured, and then a representative o
the respondent would be satisfied L
interview this voter for the purpose o
inducing him to get duplicate natural
ization papers or receipts.
When he had done this. or the at
torneys had done it for him, he woul'
be subpoenaed for further examination
and the defect in his vote cured.
THE FORM USED.
A sample page from this staggered
book, as il was dubbed by the attor
neys, would make interesting readinG
For instance, an entry like this woul
be seen:
, John Smith, ct cetera, 6-l1-99, nat
uralized in Pittsburg but lost papers
1889, j. +. G. secured duplicate
1868, p. V. S. reports that ne vote
for Iangstaff"
After having found out all they want
: ed to know about these thousands o
voters, the attorneys next proceeded t
, pick out those they wanted To attac
in their requests to the examiners tn
= contestant used this form in settin
: forth a prospective victim for the con
: sideration of the examiners:
2 Number Of vote, Ga; John ,Smitl
r age 35; Fifth district, Fourth ware
: Moosic did not pay taxes, received hel
improperly in marking ballot and wa
L | nnI Resident nf liGIrict fnI, Arnanrihn 10