Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-05-09
SATURDAYS REGISTRATION.
Nearly 1900 People Are qualified to Vote
at the City Election.

T6RldbrhbiOu dnu 6ltcGlOn, nearly ll,UUU
people are qualified to vote at the city
election, which win be held on June
1at. Prior to the last general election
10, ,064 people were registered and quail
fed to vote, but at the election only
16, 1872 voted, leaving 2,632 qualified
who did not vote and could not vote at
the city election without again beoom-
ing registered. The 4S4 registered on
Saturday makes total of 1926, but
some have died since the general
election and some have moved from the
city and the number will be out down
about 200, making total of 16, TIC.
Ahout l, 100 have been transferred on
the books of the Department of
Elections. A large number were trans
ferred on Saturday.
Harry II. Billany, a member OF the
Republican joint campaign committee,
said Monday that he believed there
had been glaring irregularities. lie
said he knew of a case where man
had been transferred on the books who
had no right to be transferred because
he was out of the CITY and did not vote
on election day. He also alleged that
he knew of many cases where people
were transferred on the books without
their knowledge and they were sur
prissd when they went to the polling
places on Saturday and found that they
had been transferred. Speaking of
alleged dilatory tactics on the part of
the Democratic election officers III the
Third district of the Second ward. he
said he hoped the, Department OF
Elections would remove those officers
and substitute others. John Biggans
is the registrar and David johnson the
Democratic assistant. Thomas Henvis
is the Republican assistant. A member
of the COMMITTEES alleged that the work
there was much slcwer than it should
have been and as result q nmber of
people in the district who desired to
get registered werelstill waiting when
closing time arrived and did not get
registered. 1t was also asserted that
the matter was reported at the Depart
ment of Elections. but without result.
President FAIRY of the Department
of Elections, when spoken to about the
reported irregularities, Monday,
made the following statement: "No
complaint was made to me about the
reported dilatory tactios over Third
street bridge and II have no official
knowledge of it. arrived at the office
at noon and was here all of the after
noon, except when IIwas out on official
business. In districts where the Re-
publioans had failsdjto provide election
officers to hold tha registration l at
tended to that nattef and had difficulty
in doing so in some Instances. l don't
propose to enter intola controversy with
Mr.. Billany or any other government
official. For my part l don't under
staud what sort Of position Mr..
Billany has at the postofiice, ne takes
so much Interestin political mstteis.
"As to the report that we used papers
instead of registration books, / would
like to state that whatwe did was legal
and was the same as we did two years
ago. The books we had two years ago
we're in the hands OF the clerk Of the
peace and we bad to nay five cents a
name for transcript for the books
which were used on Saturday. That
is why the other books were not
used Clerk Of the Peace Quiglsy
is the custodian OF those books and it
was impossible for us to get them.
81 was informed on Saturday aftcr-
noou by Secretary McCloskey that Mr..
Knowles had been here to see me about
the district over Third street bridge
but did not see him.
$50 far as the matter of transfers at
this office is concerned | wish to say
that my duty in that regard was per-
folmed thoroughly and completely. all
reports to the contrary Notwithstanding.
The books of the department are open
for the inspection Of the public at any
time. TO facilitate matters the
directors were here until midnight
some nights transferring names. Too
many names came in early in tie even
ing to be placed on the books while
they were coming in and we remained
until the work was done. We did not
send anybody away. We transferred
everybody who applied to us to be
transferred. In going over The dis.
tricts discovered but three names
which were not properly enttred,so fur
as / knew, two of them being Demo-
Gratis. They will all be properly trans.
ferred before election day. 1t might
be that there we're some impersona-
tions. We could not guard against that.
We we're compelled to take tho state
ments of people who applied to us to
get transferred if we did not know
them, and there were many we did
not know. If any mistakes are dis
covered they will be reotititd.'
"During the last week we we're ait
ting at the office OF the department to
transfer names | sat three days and
Mr.. Thomas three and at night we
we're oil there. -
Clerk Frank A. MoClosgey of the de-
partinent was also seen in regard tc
the matter. lie said: $50 far as
know. nobndy was transferred without
appearing in person at the office of the
department After the books had been
copied from the clerk of the peace we
received the names Of 200 people who
had removed prior to the last election
and had to make the necessary oorreo-
tions on the BOOKS About !, 100 people
we're transferred at the office and ]
know of only one man being i'm
personatsd, but have reason to believe
that there were quite a number OF
colored men impersonated. No person
was transferred at the Office, with my
knowledge, without he appeared in
person there. Some who we're truns-
ferred at the Office also went to the
registration places to see If their
names were on the books properly and
some went to the wrong places and
thought mistakes had been made when
Ghey we're the ones who were mistaken.
Some who were transferred at the Office
thought they also had to go to the
registration places and be- transferred
again, and Misunderstanding re.
suited OF the l, 100 names we have
discovered that three were transferred
to the wrong districts, but they will
be placed right before the election.
The department must now make the
transfers on the primary books. ~
|