The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1901-12-14
THE CITY ELECTION.

For several weeks the polite,
atmosphere of GreenviIle had be
come very heavy, loaded down b
the rumors OF the different candi
didates over the victory that Mon
day would bring about to them
Falling weather set in and rail-
washed out the marks of plurali
ties made in the sands, but no
their confidence, ardor or deter
mination.
Monday morning. election day,
The weather favored Tammany-
as the party in power was called
cloudy, cool and rainy. Every tiger
was out with the red colors printed
on his coat bearingthe names of his
cheice, VIM. Yerger, H. Wilczin-
ski, w. H. Neal and Bob Tilford,
awaiting the opening Of the polls
and his chance to express for them
his right Of franchise. About the
time the polls opened the wind be-
gan to change, the sky grew
brighter in the north, and looking
up Washington avenue, in pairs
came the reformers, the opposi-
ton to the city tigers, with their
ribbons Of blue pinned on their
coats, bearing the single name Of
their champion, Waiter Shields
ssEvery bodY's Friend. 7
They reached the polls; the ma
chine was at work and all were
soon in line, the red and the blue
awaiting their turn to get IN to
cast their vote. By this time the
sun was shining, and the day, IN
stead Of being New York Tam
many winter, cold and bad, favor
ed the opposition 70 get out their
entire vote. Both sides went into
the fight to win, and from the
minute the polls opened till the
last vote, the red and blue was
seen in every part Of the town,
,5. 1
urging voters 70 come with them
or ii carriages to the polls.
1T was 1 time when every man
vas 4 politician, merchants left
their trade, lawyers their offices,
doctors TIER practice, to fight for
HE election Of their choice.
It proved to be one Of
he hottest contested elections
u both sides that the city has
III years. The right to
;hallonge vas INDUCED by both
andidates for mayor, and the re- :
ult was, few men who had not 9
,aid all taxes slipped through.
Again, during the entire day 9
ntil the polls closed, there was a ?
rowd waiting on the ontside cage 2
Of their turn to get in, and the =
unners, just before the hour Of 9
losing, were sent with carriages 9
) gather ii the sick and afflicted 2
tho could be brought, which they =
ia i'll several. cases to swell the 2
ote. !,
at 6 5 NJ. the polls closed and ?
le crowd increased. The count 2
q If tie ballots By the judges, e
wing to the close vote, made the 2
sene more exciting, for when one g
iould look over the faces when =
Fl. Yerger had three or four AZ
otas ahead their faces would g
cam with smiles, while the
hieIds' supporters, especially u
me Of the hackers, would look !
lie marble, then when Shields :.
ould run a few votes ahead the :.
.ciaI expression Of his forces = :,
ould change to smiles. When I,
/ the votes we're counted but three .
the box, Mr.. Yerger had 253, =
hile Mr. Shields was two be- :
nd, and the iudgdes; on opening -
Z three votes, found that all ::
ire for Shields, giving him one :.
aiorlty which gave him the vic -
y. The yell that followed =
the Shields supporters could
ve been heardfor blocks. ia
Mr.. Yerger. on account Of some ed
les be claimed as illegal, an Ga
aneed that be would contest the WI
ction, and after a weeks talk, ma
lnday was set to recount the of
.. BE
a.. shields was serenaded later me
ne night By s. 90 worth Of and
works. Is no band could be fan
The supporters Of hi. Shi
81. ers ,In1d IN their uraise Yer