New-York tribune., 1900-08-07
PRICE THREE CENTS.
BIG FRAUDS FOR TAMMANY
MCULLAGH SAYS THE PLAN IS TO POLL
SIXTEEN THOUSAND ILLEGAL
VOTES IN THE FALL.

- ~ I'll Ill.
To Judge from attempts made last year IN the
XIXth Assembly District John AIcCullagh, Su-
perintendent Of Elections. estimates that Tam
many Hall will try to poll at least sixteen
thousand Illegal votes next fail. and even more
than that next year.
There is indisputable evidence that interests
friendly TO Tammany Hall tried TO poll at least
twelve hundred votes in the XIXth Assembly
District last fall" said Superintendent McCuI-
lagh to a Tribune reporter yesterday and IL II
can be done in a district like the XI&th. where
the so called 'brOwnstOne' element predOminate5.
how much easier it must be to accomplish sim
flar results in the downtown and East Side dis
tricts, where population changes about cOntinu-
ally. and where 1t is so difficult 10 trace crook
edness?"
1T appears that all the crooked election work
Is arranged for some time in advance, between
certain leaders and unscrupulOus heelers. who
willing to run the risk of being put in
State prison for $1,000 Nearly all the Illegal
registration is done on the last day that the
books open. and the last day is so short a
time before election that We have the utmost
difficulty in ferretting out the repeaters and get
tins warrants for them.
I'm one election district in the XIXth District
last fall there We're at least thirty-five Illegal
voters registered. We got out warrants for all
from voting. That one district is an object
lesson. however. for il shows that at any time
certain unscrupulOus political leaders in this
city choose they can poll thousands Of Illegal
votes. Certain leaders who want crooked cleo
tiOn work done make a contract with a heller
who Will, for, say, 5000, poll at least 500
votes. The heeler gets twenty tramps, ex-con-
victs. any one. in fact, that he considers fairly
intelligent. and coaxes them into beating the
Ia4r
afrerward. There are about thirty-five election
districts TO the downtown Assembly districts
as they run, and by registering these twenty
men in all OF the districts the heeler gets 200
Illegal names on the list. II is not difficult to
get the fictitious names and addresses on the
registration books. as there are so many changes
In the population that the registration officers
cannot keep track Of all the new people who
move into the district. a thirty day residence
Is all that is required
After registering his gang in one Assembly
district, the heeler takes them TO another. and
so on 1t is not necessary for him TO have the
same men with him on election morning when
he wants TO complete his work All he needs Is
correct list Of the names and addresses that
went onto the registration book when he was
there on the last day. and post his men ac-
cordingly. They are largely of the worthless
and ex-cOnvict class. and they vote unhesitat-
expert at this by doing il year after year and
when they get 80 cents each time for voting al
fifteen twenty different places il makes a
profitable days work for them This is the
general plan. and when it is multiplied scores
of times all over the city it will be readily un-
derstood how hard the task Of my bureau ia
when We come 70 arresting these illegal voters.
After the election is over there comes the
sympathy racket The arrested mans aCquafnt-
ances will come around and whine about his
hard luck and being led into IT by Others. When
the case comes up before the judge il will be
urged that the election is over with and that
the prisoner should be treated IenientIy. When
he escapes. as he does frequently in spite of all
that we can do, II is a distinct encouragement
to him 10 try the trick again the next year The
men who really benefit by the dupe's rascality
keep in the background. and 1t is not an easy
thing 10 bring the crime home 10 their Individual
doors.
Five men have been sent to prison for illegal
registration in the XIXth District last fall. con-
tnued Mr.. McCullagh. furnishing the following
memorandum from his official record;
WILLIAM HEATING. alias "Bot-Iez'' an ex-convict
Togt s,Eoas % arm, gang from he East side and
in the Penitentiary-
plsh ,W9 hundred names for registration b the XIxth
guilty and sentencei bv Judge Cowing 70 two and a
half years in the PeCitentary.
JOHN SULLIVAN Induced by John Sullivan. alias
Moon. register illegally Found guilty
the peuitsn-lry fo- hve years
FRANK HART. alias John O'Brien- Found guilty OF
illegal registration and the penitentiary
for and a half years.
DANIEL OBRIEN- Found guilty q Illegal registration
and sentenced to SIX months in jail
Indicted. held under bail and soon to be tried:
John Quigley, Joseph Wall Arthur Pomplin,
William Forms and John Maher
L cannot talk about my plans for the fall
campaign" said Superintendent 1ICCuIIagh.
Certain Tammany would like very mUch
to know just what | am going do 10 keep the
voting straight in this town. They'll find out
when the proper time comes