The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-09-08
VIGOROUS PROTEST
AGAINST INSPECTION OF THE
VOTERS BOOK.
MADE BY Mr.. HARTRlDeE
ORDINARY CANN HAS ORDERED AN
INVESTIGATION.

The Book Is I'm His once and Con-
Occupation of Every voter-Candi-
date for Ordinary Objects to Out
side Parties Making Copies of the
BoolS-Great Wrong Might BE Per-
petrated Against the Ballot Laws.
other Candidates Notified of MIR.
Hnrtridge's Letter and Invited to
Attend NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Contained in Book Could he Used
for Ringcrs-How They Work at
the Polls.
A sensation was sprung in the cam
paign for ordinary yesterday when
Candidate Walter c. Hartridge address,
ed a letter to Judge Cam of the Court
Of Ordinary, protesting against al
legged political chicanery. No charges
Of any sort were made against indi-
viduals, but it was plain to those who
have dabbled in the game of politics
what Mr.. Hartridge meant.
His letter protested against the prac-
tice of parties not connected with the
ordinary's Office making copies of the
voters book for 1900. The protest was
put on the ground that great wrong
might be perpetrated against the bal
lot laws of the state. The book not
only contains the names of voters and
their ages, but their address and occu-
patton. The information contained in
it is invaluable in cases where it is in
tended to make use of ringers.
As soon as Judge Cam received Mr..
Hartridge's letter he notified the other
candidates of the protest that had been
made. Mr.. Hartridge asked for an i'm
mediate ruling on the subject, and the
Ordinary set tomorrow morning as
the time when he will decide the ques-
ton that has been raised by the can
didate who is working for a better con-
dition of affairs in local politics. All of
the candidates were notified of the
time set for the hearing, and were in
vited to be present.
The investigation promises to be an
interesting one. The Ordinary stated
that he will have a full and complete
hearing on the subject, and will at that
time render his decision on the ques-
ton that has been raised. Until the
to the reasonable inspection of any
citizen of the county.
The manner in which ringers are
voted at an election is well known to
political workers. The name, address,
age and occupation of individuals who
are not very we'll known are secured,
and the ringer is drilled. He is taught
his new name, and the other Informal
ton that goes with it, until he is
really able to palm himself off as the
other man. The ringer presents HIM
self at the voting booth early in the
morning, before the probable arrival
of the real voter. If he is successful
enough to past muster, when the in
dividual who is really entitled to vote
arrives, his name has been scratched.
The citizen who has not voted, but
whose name has been checked off as
having been afforded that privilege, en-
joyed by all male residents over Il
years of age, is not prevented from
voting. He is compelled to prove his
identity, and if successful his ballot is
counted. The vote of the ringer, how
ever, is counted at the same time.
There is no way of ascertaining how
the ringers have voted and none of the
ballots can be thrown out. This is a
favorite operation at the polls. II is
said that shrewd ringer has been
able to get in a vote at each box in
each district. This is not a difficult
matter if the names chosen are not too
hard to pronounce or spell.