New-York tribune., 1901-10-24
TRICK TO HELP VAN WYCK.
TAMMANY JUDICIAL TICKET ARRANGED
TO SHIELD MAYOR.
HIS NAME, INSTEAD OF JUDGE o'BRIEN's
PLACED AT HEAD OF LIST - DE-
NOUNCED BY FUsIONISTs.

What is believed to be the strongest evidence
since the beginning Of the campaign that ram
many realizes the weakness of Mayor van
Wyok as a candidate for Supreme Court Jus
tice disclosed yesterday when 1t was DIS
covered that the Tammany ticket so ar
ranged as to shield the Mayor far as possi-
BILE from being scratched by independent voters
The trick was not found out by the fusion lead
ers until it had been ratified by the Board of
Elections, and redress had been cut Off Then
1t was discovered that the names of the rival
candidates for the Supreme Court were ar
ranged in the following order:
De%9eGatIe T"6 MvtE ticket, FusiGP 6 Rrisa tickets,
O'Brien Blanchard
Knox. Clarke
1t is asserted by fusionsts who have studied
this arrangement of the names that many DEM
ocrats who may desire to vote against the
Mayor. because of the declaration of the Bar As
sociation that he is unfit for the place, or for
other reasons, will scratch the name Van Wyck
and then place their cross opposite the name OF
Judge OBren, in the fusion column. Thus such
a voter, who will also place cross opposite
Judge O'Brien's name in the Democratic COL
umn, will be casting two votes for Judge OBrien
who is certain to be elected, anyway, since he is
indorsed by both sides Such voter will thus
only vote for three men on the judicial ticket
The natural result will be. in the minds of the
fusion leaders. that the vast majority of those
wishing to scratch Van Wyck will rather vote
for him than run the risk of marking their
ticket wrongly, and thus losing their vote alto
gether.
A meeting of the Republican County Commit
tee was called last night for the special purpose
of discussing the ballot trick. and Robert c.
Morris, chairman of the committee who had
gone to New-Haven earlier in the day to attend
the bicentennial celebration of Yale University,
hastened back to be present at the meeting, and
at its adjournment issued the following state
ment:
Il have no words to nttngy express my con-
tempt for the motives and the men who perpe-
trated this trick. Tammany evidently places a
very low estimate upon the intelligence of the
average voter BY placing Mr. Van Wycks s
at the head OF the list of the judicial can
didates. Tammany has violated every precedent
and the rules that have invariably governed
municipal parties. Not only precedent but cour-
tesy required that Judge OBrien's name should
head the judicial ticket, he being the senior of
the four candidates by reason of his public ser
vice and by virtue of the fact that he was nomi-
mated both by Tammany and the fusion tickets
The fuslonists, guided by courtesy and the
ordinary instincts of courtesy. and recognizing
the fact that Judge OBrien, although Demo
crat, unquestionably the senior candidate.
placed his name at the top OF their judicial
ticket There never a question about tho
matter. Had the fusionsts done otherwise. they
would have been unanimously condemned by
public opinion. j firmly believe that the placing
of Mr.. Van Wyck's name at the head of the
Tammany judicial ticket for the purpose or con-
fusing the independent voters and thereby get
ting "A few votes for Mr. Van Wyck that were
intended to be cast against him. will react as a
boomerang"
Steps were also taken last night 10 start a
vigorous campaign fight on the ballot trick and
u present the public the facts OF the case by
means OF posters on the bill boards and the ele-
waited stations. The arrangement of the names
will be printed. to show how the name Van
Wyck has been placed TO shield IL from being
scratched and below the words:
Don't be fooled by Tammanys cowardly
tricks
Vote the straight fusion ticket.
When asked concerning the alleged trick. Mr..
Page one OF the Republican members of the
Bureau of Elections. said that the names had
been filed IN this order and that, according TO
law. they would have to be printed in the same