The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-04-19
COMMITTEE is NAMED.
F. P. Lindsay Says Breweries
Nominated County Attorney.
81 Was Beaten by Same Meth
Ods," Says II. G.. Larimer.
'sNot Be Bound by Such Primar.
ies,'' Said Mr.. Carver.


primary Saturday. Dave Afulvane at
tempted to argue against any rash"
resolutions, but he was called down by
J. w. Gleed, who insisted upon knowing
whom he supported for county attorney
before he was given a voice in a confer
ence of Spencer men. DR.. A. A. RaUb
also attempted to tell the meeting that
the primaries in the First ward were
conducted according to HoyIe, or some
other authority, but he was called down
in the same manner as Mr.. Mulvane.
AS a result of the meeting a large dele
cation is waiting upon the Republican
county central committee this after
noon demanding that the perpetrators
of the fraud in the primaries be pre-
vented from reaping any benefit from
it.
There were probably $50 voters pres
ent at the meeting. The seating capac-
ity of the room which was formerly occu-
pied by a restaurant on East E1ghth
avenue, was filled by the time the meet
ing was called to order. and later the
lobby in front was crowded with Specta-
tors. Many of these in order to see
what was going on climbed on coun-
ter and looked over the partition Sepa-
rating the lobby from the main part OF
the hail.
H r. Hilton, who was chairman of
the conference held on Tuesday evening
was also chairman of the meeting last
night and W. c. RalStOn acted as sec
rotary. J. W. Gleed stated that meeting
had been called to allow the friends OF
Mr.. Spencer in the recent county attor-
ney contest to confer over the matter
of the frauds perpetrated at last Sat
urday's primaries. Mr.. Gleed also sta
ted that Albert Watkins had some res
olutions which had been prepared, and
he called for their reading.
Mr.. Watkins then presented the reSo-
I414sr 7ToIr &c fn1I
at appears from the startling facts,
figures and comparisons laid before the
Republican voters Of Shawnee county
by the Republican daily press of the
county that at the recent Republican
primary election twice as many votes
were cast in the First and Second
wards as were cast at the Republican
primaries two years ago, and that a
third more votes We're cast than were
cast at the Republican state election of
two years ago, and that large number
more votes were cast than were ever
cast at any Republican election in the
said two wards. These facts and other
facts and comparisons contained in the
daily press, and especially in the Capt.
tai of April Is, furnish presumptive evil
dence of the most bold and shameless
fraud in the conduct of the primaries
in the said wards. The presumption
raised by the face of the returns is sup
ported by numerous rumors and special
instances cited by voters in the said
wards. It is obvious on the face of the
returns either that the returns are false
or that very large number of illegal
votes have been cast in the said wards.
In either case great crime against the
| ballot box has been committed. There
| fore, we, large number of Republican
voters, in mass meeting assembled, have
| unanimously
Resolved, first, That the returns from
| the said two wards ought to be most
! carefully scrutinized and the ballots re-
! counted.
| ''Second-If the returns be found to
| accord with the ballots deposited, the
| largest opportunity ought to be given
! both to overcome and sustain the pre-
| sumption of fraud raised by the face of
/ the returns.
''Third-If said presumption be not
! overcome the county committee should
take such steps as may be legal and eff
| fective to prevent the perpetrators OF
| the outrage from reaping any benefits
| from it,
AS soon as a motion had been made
to adopt the resolutions, D. W. Mulvane
took the floor and said:
| 4 am not here as the friend or par
/ tisan of anyone. but as the friend of the
| Republican party. These resolutions
| should be carefully discussed. I should
! like to know if the county central com
! mlttee has a right to open the ballots
| and make a recount. I don't believe
I anyone but some court can open those
| ballots. Two years ago a similar con-
troVersy came up over the nomination
of commissioner. The result was very
close and it was claimed that the polls
in Oakland were kept open longer than
they should have been, and other irregu-
larities were alleged whereby a recount
and the throwing out of Oakland pre-
cinct was demanded but the committee
decided at that time that it would be
impossible to do anything of the kind.
4 don't believe this is quite as bad as
those figures would make out. Nothing
is 0RppDfiWP q G
compare the vote Of these precincts with
that of others in other primaries. be-
cause the size of the precincts is chang
ed. It cannot be denied that there were
more votes cast in these primaries than
Stanley received two years ago but that
IS true of other wards as well as the
First and Second. Spencer carried the
Third ward, and vet there were 16f
more votes polled in that ward than
Stanley received two years ago. This
don't prove that one candidate was
guilty of fraud and another was not.
believe that the proper way to get al
TINS IS through some court with author
ity to act"
There is no question about what tbs
central committee can do said H G
Larimer. 1t can protect Republican
voters. The committee should take the
initiative in this matter IN the YES
precinct OF the Second ward the pri.
; mary was conducted in direct violation
} OF the Australian ballot law. The resi-
dence OF the voter was not taken dowI
at all as the law provides shall be done
Let the central committee inform tht
candidates that it proposes to throw GU
this precinct on this account, and 1t viii
then devolve upon the candidates t,
! make a move to compel the committe
l to count that precinct. and in this wa,
T. the matter will get into court.
1 would like to see one more fai
primary in Shawnee county, continues
Mr. Larimer. 4 was the victim of thi
l same sort Of thing two years ago, AM
the fraud was perpetrated by thes
same men (Cheers.) I was nominatei