The Saint Paul globe., 1900-04-27

Democratic candidates, and that it had
been prepared with the express purpose
of so confusing and misleading the voters.
The general welfare OF the pubic de-
manded that the election laws should be
SO construed as to guide the voter,
rather than confuse him.
Mr Kane read from the application the
call under which the primaries and con-
vention were held and the minutes of
the convention. The use of the word
democrat after the names of any candi-
cate other than those nominated in the
convention OF by the regularly constituted
committee of the party would confuse the
voters of the city. He reeited how the
Democratic city and county organlza-
| t1on had filled the vacancies on the ticket
under section 81, of the general election
| law. He then went into the conspiracy
participated in by r. w. Bell, P. d. Scan
nell and others In the attemptsto confuse
the voters. The names of the candidates
alleged to have been nominated by the
city committee Illegally appointed by an
illegal conventions had been placed. on the
| othclal ball9te by the scity&clerk sin posi-
uons Just ahead of the nominees of the
regular Democratic convention. This
was peculiar from the fact that all of the
candidates alleged to have been selected
| by the committee of which Mr.. Bell was
chairman were not nominated In a com
Ventlon, but under authority of q pre-
tended resolution claimed to have been
| passed at an Illegal convention
MT Aalle then read one of the $50 affi-
| daVits which had been filed with the ap-
| plication. This detailed the refusal of r.
W. Bell as chairman of the convention,
| to put the vote on the nomination of j.
I. Michael for temporary chairman of.
the convention and the withdrawal of
Bell and others from the hall, and the
action taken by the convention after Bell
and his dozen followers had left the hall.
Inc resolution adopted by the conyeu-
ton making the Democratic city and
county organization the executive com
| mlttee Tor the campaign and empowering
1t to MI vacancies on the ticket was also
read.
! On the conspiracy of r. w. Bell to con
! troll the convention, which dated back to
several days before the holding of the
| primaries, Mr.. Kane read the affidavit of
John Smith, of 1876 East Seventh street
who was called to the Office of Bell on
March p, and told to prepare list of the
names of fifty voters in the sixth precinct
| OF the Third ward, put a corresponding
number of ballots in box and open the
primaries at 1870, instead of o'clock. II
there was any kick, Smith was told by
Bell to set his watch half an hour ahead,
/ and explain that he opened the primaries
! at o clock by his watch. Smith was
also told by Bell that he need not hold
| the primaries at the place named in the
ohcial call, but at a shed in the rear of
4so East Seventh street, or any old place
Smith was also Informed by Bell that it
made no difference whether he was elect
ed at the primary or not, as he would see
that he was given a seat in the conven-
ton.
To further prove the charge of con-
! spiracy on the part Of Bell and others
previous to the convention, Mr.. Kane
read from an affidavit sworn to by w ].
Preston, resident of the Fourth pre-
| cinct of the Eighth ward
Mr- Preston, in his affidavit. saws he
was approached several days prior TO the
convention by one Aaron Poupeney. who
asked him to come to the convention as a
| delegate. Poupeney informed Preston
that all he had to do was to make a bluff
| and he would see that he was given a
seat in the convention. March %, two
| days before the convention, Preston had
! an interview with Bell, at which Bell
! told him he did not want a man named
McCue to come as a delegate, and 1t
! would be all right for Preston whether
| he was elected or not
/ Will not take the time TO read" said Mr.
| Kane, show that there was a conspiracy
on the part Of Bell, Poupeney and others
! previous to the date of the convention. ;,
Proceeding to the question Of the resolu-
| ton which was alleged had passed an
pointing r. w. Bell and committee to
fill vacancies on the ticket Mr.. Kane
| said there was no authority nor had anv
such resolution been passed. A delegate
| had prepared before the convention was
| called to order a typewrtten document
| and this at the proper time was taken
from the pocket of the delegation and
| pretended to be adopted. III support of
this statement Mr.. Kane read the affi-
| davits of A. w. Caldwell reporter for
the Dispatch; A. F. Morton and A. w.
| Vance, reporters for the G o G; w. B.
| Hennessy, reporter for the News and
j. 5. VandiVer, reporter for the Dis
| patch, who were present at the hall on
! the day of the convention. Each of the
| aftidayits was TO the effect that no reso-
luton providing for the appointment of a
| city committee was presented and adopt-
ed as was claimed.
| As an instance of the manner in which
! delegates elected at the primaries were
| disposed Of Mr.. Kane read from an af-
! fidaVit showing that at one of the pre-
cincts in the Eighth ward. where there
| was no opposition, and fifty-eight votes
"eAe Cast ana ceFtIlcateS OF election were
issued to three delegates by one Healey
who presided at the primary At the con-
vention the following day the names of
three persons for whom not single vote
| had been cast at the primaries appeared
! in Bells list of delegates as the ones en-
titled to seats in the convention.
These facts, Mr. Kane said, pointed to
the conclusion that the election laws of
the state were made for the great mass
| of the people and they relied on the plac-
ing of names Of candidates on the ticket
| who had been the regular nominees of
| either Republican or Democratic conyen
| tions, and that 1t was the duty of the
court to protect the voters of the city
against any such conspiracies as had been
| attempted in this case. The application
Tor correction of tfaa official hallnf rro.