The Indianapolis journal., 1902-11-05
The Party Managers Late I'm the Even
ing Were Sure the Result Wou1d
BE satisfactory.
VOTING IN VARIOUS WARDS
MEN OF BOTH PARTIES WORKED TO
OVERCOME GENERAL APATHY.
A Heavy Vote Early I'm the Morning
Excellent Arrangements for
Handling the Election.

Republican" weather favored the voters |
OF Marion county and Indianapolis yester- |
day. The sun shone brightly in the morn |
ing and in the early hours Of the afternoon.
but IT grew slightly cooler and cloudy to-
wards evening. not enough. however, TO cut I!
down the vote. The polls opened at
o'clock in the morning and closed at
o'clock at night promptly in each case. and
there was much satisfaction at the sys-
tematic manner in which that important |
feature OF the election was managed.
For an OF year a comparatively heavy |
vote was cast. II exceeded the expectations
OF Republican managers and was surprising
TO the Democrats who had anticipated a
heavy falling of in the Republican vote.
Estimates OF the vote cast naturally vary.
County Chairman Elliott thinks the total
vote viii be In the neighborhood Of so per
cent, which he regards highly satisfac-
tory. Chairman Spencer places his estimate
at from IS to IS per cent Both estimates
OF the county chairmen were based on
bulletins sent In almost hourly by precinct
committeeman from every polling place in
the county. These bulletins pointed 20 a
fact somewhat unusual, that Republicans
were getting out their vote better on the
whole than the Democrats, even in strong
Democratic wards. II was remarked that
the greatest losses to both parties were In
wards where the majority OF each party
was heavy, but at the Republican county
headquarters the statement was made that
the Democratic losses were considerably
In excess OF the Republican.
Edwin Logsdon, Fred A. Joss, Floyd A.
Woods and others identified with the coun-
ty organization say that no matter how
light the vote was that Republican majori-
ties have been maintained in an almost un-
varying ratio Late yesterday evening Re-
publican managers were claiming the coun-
ty for Overstreet and the ticket by ma
5ority OF not less than $500. with the prob
ability that 1t would run higher. Chairman
Spencer's stan gave figures. but insisted
that the Democratic ticket was elected and
that Dunn would win over Overstreet by a
close majority. The bulletins to the county
headquarters of each party did not bear
out, however. the statement at the Demo-
cratic county headquarters.
SCRATCHING WAS DONE
1t not denied by either side that
-thsss -Ias-snase than the usual amount of
scratching. Nota,ions were made on bull
letins by precinct committeeman to the
county chairmen that good deal OF
scratching was going on by voters of both
parties. The scratching did not apply to
any ward particularly, but was general all
over the city. In the North Side wards,
where the Republican vote is heavy, IL was
said by precinct committeeman to be no.
ticeable. and In the South Side, in Demo-
cratic wards. the same statements were
made. The conclusions were based on the
time II took voters to mark their ballots.
in many cases voters remained long enough
IN the booths to warrant the conclusion
that they were not voting straight tickets.
that EnsIey's Chances We're being q inimred sh
but Republican committeeman in touch
with the situation could not see where
Ensley was losing any more than other
candidates. Mr.. Ensley himself visited
every ward and sized up the situation care
fully. He made the statement that he is
satisfied with the way the vote was going
and cannot see where he was suffering a
loss.
The early vote was very heavy AS soon
as the polls opened at o'clock there was
a rush OF electors, and the crowds con-
tinued until after o'clock. From then on
until noon the vote was light, and only
few stragglers visited the polls to take
advantage of their privilege of citizenship
The same was true throughout the after
noon, although the vote ran heavier than
between o'clock and IL 80 o'clock in the
morning At o'clock voting commenced
again fairly heavily, and from then on until
closing time the election boards were pref
~ busy 1t is estimated that at O'Clock
30 per cent. OF the vote had been cast At
noon the percentage was raised to 30 per
cent: At o'clock in the afternoon il had
reached 90 per cent, and Republican and
Democratic managers were predicting that
IL would go to 80 or s. per cent at s o. clock
The election was carried off very quietly.
There was practically no disorder and the
services or the special police were little
required. In the so-called colored wards
and among the Jews on Eddy street there
were a few nights on account of voters be-
Ing challenged, but these little differences
Were ad1usted py diplomacy on the part
OF their respective managers without the
intervention OF the police. So far as could
bc judged by observations in various
wards there was comparatively little chal-
lenging. one thing that was conducive to
orderiiness was the closing of the saloons
by the strict orders of Mayor Bookwalter
These orders were pretty generally heed
ea; ana aIe.Ssa,t arewater was obtalnable only at
was matter OF comment that there was
far less than the usual amount of intoxi-
cation.
ARRANGEMENTS GOOD.
Both parties had made excellent arrange
ments for handling their ends of the cleo
tion. Corps OF bicyclemen carried bulle-
tins from the polling places to headquar-
ters OF each party, and a careful tab was
kept on the vote as il mounted hour by
hour. At the Republican headquarters
Fred A. Joss. Secretary Harry Negley and
Thomas whaIlon received the bulletins and
wards one by one they expressed satisfac-
ton that constantly increased with later
returns. The claim was made by them that
the Republican vote showing up far
better on the whole than the Democratic.
At the Democratic headquarters Secretary
Ross, Joseph Z. Bell and others worked in
the same manner over bulletins received
from Democratic precinct committeeman
and while they maintained that the situa-
ton was hopeful for them they were not so
Jabilant as the force at Republican head
quarters.
A review of the situation obtainable at
Republican headquarters at 10 o'clock yes
terday morning placed the Republican ma
jority In the county at LOO At 2 o'clock in
tie afternoon the situation had grown even
more favorable and Edwin Logsdon placed
the Republican plurality at 200. At 4
o'clock the Republican vote had increased
fast and Mr.. Logsdon placed the Republic
an plurality at from 5000 10 $500 He
stated that II the Republicans continued TO
vote as they had In the past hour or SO
the plurality would be somewhere between
400 and 4.5c0. The election OF every cam
didate on the county ticket was insured.
he said. at o'clock In the afternoon. At
Democratic headquarters at o'clock some
thing like gloom had begun to cast its pail
There was some talk OF optimistic vein.
but no figures were given to back IL up.
One OF the most surprising things about
the election the failure OF Democrats
Go get out their vote the South Side
The Republicans. on the other hand, got
more men to the polls I'm proportion than
IN former years The state OF affairs on the
South Side was particularly gratifying TO
Republican managers and they say that II