New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-11-04
4 TERROR TO "FLOATERS."
1oBN M.CIuLAGH. SUPERINTENDENT OF
ELECTIONS. AND THE WORK
OF HIS OFFICE.

In one of the tall Broadway office buildings in
the district where there are many manufacturers
OF and jobbers in white goods. laces and other
articles of women's finery. one of the upper
noofs is the office Of John McCullagh, the State
superintendent Of Elections.
The man who registers in order that he may
cast the vote to which he is entitled may know
that such office exists; and if he is connected
with his party organization he may have been
there report of possible false reg |
istration. But many voters know nothing about
the office. where it is located or who is at its |
head The repeater, the vote-early and often
man. the lodging house tioater and the organiza- |
ton committees whose function it is to gain
votes for their candidate by fair means or other
wise are better posted and some Of them are
Eliminating behind prison bars the eff |
cheney of Superintendent McCullagh's depart
ment-
The office Of Superintendent of Elections |
created in 1898 for the purpose Of prevent
ing false registration and illegal votong, and its
first chief was the officer who is still in charge OF
the work He appointed to the place on
July 10. 1898. His previous experience with the !
criminal classes Of the metropolis fitted him for
the post. the jurisdiction Of which extends over
New-York. Kings. Queens, Westminster and
Richmond counties.
Superintendent McCulagh born in the
north of Ireland in 1915. Of parents who came
from Scotland. Accustomed to farm work, his
first employment when he came to the United
States a stock farm. He was seventeen |
years old at that time At twenty five he be-
came a member Of the New York police force. in
which his uncle a well known captain. and. |
advancing through the various grades. he was
appointed Chief Of Police in August, 1897, and
Chief under the charter in January, 1898. |
The work IF reorganizing the force and CONSOLE |
Haiti he farce of he bDr his e
partment was accomplished to a great extent
by him. He had been retired a pension, when
Governor Black appointed him to his present
position. He served for seven years in the dis
trict which includes Pell. Hester. Bayard, Null |
berry and Mott sts where the "WhyO' gang
had its headquarters. and where colonization was
the rule. The fact that he a Republican
who not afraid to acknowledge his political
faith made him unpopular with the dominant
class and when his appointment Superin-
tendent Of the new department was announced
the men with whom illegal registration and
fraudulent voting were annual pastimes knew
that they would be watched. The lodging houses
and the Raines law hotels gave the department
the greatest trouble but this trouble OBJ
waited to some extent by the law which compels
the proprietor Of these hotels to report the
names Of guests to the department several
weeks before the first day Of registration. Now
most trouble with the boarding houses and the
most gIaring attempts at colonization from these
have been made this year in the Id, With, With,
With, Xth, XVIIIth and XXXIVth Assembly
districts Some of the fraudulent voters have
succeeded in getting their the lists
and may attempt % vote on Election Day. But
we know them and they will be arrested.
rant warrant"
In order 10 gain the information necessary for
the arrest and prosecution Of these offenders the
superintendent has force IF eight hundred
men, six hundred IF whom are nominated by the
party organizations These candidates are ex-
amjned ly Superintendent McCullagh to their
fitness before they appointed, and the other
two hundred his personal appointees. For
weeks before the election this force of men is
kept busy investigating the registration lists and
visiting the houses whore there is reason to be
ueve that voting headquarters have been estab
Iished When circumstances seem TO Justify it.
witnesses are brought to the Superintendents
office where testimony is taken and cases estab-
Iished against the offenders.
Since the first day If registration eight hun
dred persons have been summoned. and the ac-
ttyfty Of the department has not only caused
names on the rolls to be watched but will proba-
b3y keep many men who succeeded in registering
from appearing at The voting places
The man who manages the machinery Of this
senartmrni does it from an office the general
appearance Of which shows that it is a place Of