The Topeka state journal., 1900-04-18
EXCITED REPUBLICANS
Will Hold a Meeting Tonight to
Act in County Attorney
Contest.

A meeting of Republicans viii be held
tonight under the Y. NJ. c. A. rooms to
protest against the frauds perpetrated
at the primaries last Saturday in the
First and Second wards. The meeting
was decided upon at conference OF
anti-Nichols men at the Z. M. c. A
rooms last evening
1t was supposed that the Republican
county central committee would meet
today to canvass the vote. As an
nounced in the State Journal g, move
ment was started to demand some sort
of action from the central committee
relative to the frauds in the First and
Second wards but nothing definite had
come Of it last evening. After supper
a dozen or so anti Nichols men passed
the word around to meet at the Y M. Z.
A rooms to plan immediate action, but
after they came together it was dis
covered that the vote would nof pc can
vassed until Thursday, and 1t was de-
cided to call a mass meeting
H. r. Hilton was chairman OF the
conference last evening, and among
those present We're J.. w. Gleed, &. Z.
Bolmar, A. H. Vance, NJ. I. Campbell
E. r. Simons and others. 1t had been
suggested that the county central com
nittee be petitioned to call a new priTn-
ary, but there is some doubt as to the
legality of such proceeding. The most
feasible suggestion made was that the
committee be requested to throw out
the precincts in which it is known that
there was fraud. J. W. Gleed said the
power undoubtedly lay with the COM
mittee to take this action If 1t IS SHOWN
that fraud had been committed.
No one at the meeting last night vol
unteered any definite information on
| the subject of the fraud other than the
| comparative figures which were pub
/ 1ished in the State Journal yesterday.
] Of in, aff T1OSi-
| tive in their minds on the subject, but
none of them had sufficient information
to swear to any special acts of fraud.
At the meeting tonight it will be de-
| cided what action shall be taken when
| the committee meets tomorrow to can
vass the votes. 1t is probable that a
committee will be appointed to go be-
| fore the central committee and demand
/ that both precincts of the First
ward and the west precinct of the Sec
ond ward be thrown out. and evidence
| will be furnished to show that fraud
was perpetrated in these precincts.
The meeting will be held in the room
| formerly occupied by Mrs. Wiley's cafe
| under the Y. NJ. G. A. rooms. AS the
| Y M. c. A. is q non-political Organiza-
| ton it was decided that the meeting
could not be held there.
The fraud in the three precincts
named is the one subject of discussion
in political circles today Many old
| time Republicans declare that they will
| never vote Tor NICHOLS, but Will either
| leave a blank on the ticket or vote for
an independent candidate. They say
that Nichols was not nominated by Re
| publican votes and they do not there
fore feel bound by the primaries.
If the First ward precincts and the
west precinct of the Second ward
should be thrown out in the canvass, il
will give the nomination to Spencer by
376 plurality. But this is not all: Il
will destroy Harry Stafford's majority
for representative, and give the nomi-
nation to Alven Dodge by 144 majority
It will decrease Fagan's plurality fol
probate judge, but not sufficiently tC
take the nomination away from hin
unless the east precinct of the Secont
ward should also be thrown out. L
would increase both Wright's anC
Rains majorfties which are so Close
as to possibly be destroyed by a re
count.
Mr.. Spencer knew nothing about th'
conference held last night. An effor
was made to find him. but it was un
successful.