New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-11-04
M'CULLAGH ASKS FOR AID,
WILL FURNISH PARTRIDGE WITH
LIST OF THE GANGS OF
REPEATERS.

superintendent McCulIagh sent a statement
to Commissioner Partridge last night. part OF
1t being as follows:
From the investigations made nv +be Denn+v
otdte Superintendents Of Elections and the city
ponce 1orce, very large number Of cases OF
tliesal registration have been found. From in
formation from sources which 1 consider relia-
Ole am led to believe that attempts will ba
a 1Iu1 On N the day or the general election to
ssaisS OF repeaters imported from contiguous
cities and other organized gangs in this city
70 vote Illegally on the assumed names Of per-
suns enTOIed as electors The places from
which L have reason to believe these gangs
VIII De recruited are PHILADELPHIA Newark Ter
sey CITY and HobOken. I have taken stems to
prevent the consummation Of sucb atta11n+s1
ana nave communicated with Chief OF Police
tILuGIphy; or Jersey City, requesting his aid to
thls end, and desire and demand the aid and
assistance OF the detective force OF this citv in
apPIeheholng any person engaged in the con-
sDlIdcy- L shall furnish to you lists Of ex-con-
w. sIo'S dHI professional criminals whose pictures
are In the ROgue's Gallery at Police EIeadnuar
S LIS VINO. am informed. have registered under
e~iies other tnan their own, and demand that
YOU TAKE such steps as Will cause their ap-
prEhenSIon before the opening of the polls
LNp5rlence IN this department has demon
Strated tnat much Of the illegal voting can he
prevented by the strict enforcement of SEQ
tI tion 5QO @ or the Election law. which provides
Indt distance markers, 70 prevent lettering or
electtoneering within 100 feet OF tha roI1in-
pace shaH be erected or placed at such dis
tahGe from the polling place before the opening
or the polls Section 102 Of the Election law pro-
hlpltS any person from eIectioneering or Ioiter-
us "4tu4n Such pOIllng place or within 100 feet
lnereoI IN any public street or in any building
or room or in public manner during the dav
OF election
The disregard by the election officers and
peace officers Of Section 1O1 or the Election
Laws. defining who shall be allowed within the
SuaIdrall. mas largely aided heretofore the sue
eessful attempts Of reLeaters by allowing the
gangs engaged in this work TO invade the DOIIines
places. especially in that portion Of he CIV
lylng below FOurteenth-st. and in other districts
the East Side above said street where thew
have been allowed with in1punitv =, infiy7f7s+s
% and ala -FF71
| therefore desire and hereby demand that YOU
take such action as may be necessary to cause
the members OF the police force detailed for
duty at the polling places 70 exclude from the
polling places every person not authorized by
law TO be therein. I shall direct the deputies
assigned 10 duty 10 strictly enforce this pro-
vision OF the law. and TO- report TO me any
neglect on the part Of the members OF the police
force 70 do so. and shall immediately notify YOU
every case shall proceed against the offender:
and / request that YOU direct the members OF
your force TO report TO me any neglect or failure
on the part of the deputy State superintendents
OF election to properly perform their duties
The most effective provision of the Election
law, however, against the casting of Illegal
votes IS that contained In Subdivision I of Sec
tion los. relating to challenges on the day OF
election Of those persons who were challenged
al the time of registration.
In every case where a person applies TO vote
on the name of a person who was Challenged
at the registration. and where the challenge has
not been withdrawn by this department. / de-
mand that Won cause the police 10 arrest
refuse to enforce this provision Of law. And
/ further demand that YOU shall the
prompt arrest OF any person who shall apply
70 vote on the name OF any such person chal-
Ienged at the time of registration. who shall
fail to correctly answer the questions printed
on the challenge affidavit
/ beg to call your attention to a matter which
may result in disputes and confusion at the
polling places at the close OF the polls unless
some specific Instructions are issued by you
to the officers assigned TO the various polling
places. My attention was called several days
ago to a pamphlet issued for the instruction OF
the Democratic inspectors OF election by the
Tammany Hall organization. in which the in
spectors were specifically instructed that every
electOr within the polling places at the time OF
the closing Of the polls entitled to vote This
instruction is directly contrary to the provisions
of the Election law which clearly defines what
the closing of the polls is and who shall be en-
titled to vote. Section 100 OF the Election law
provides as follows:
when a person shall have received an official
ballot from the ballot clerks, OF inspectors
hereinbefoTe provided he shall be deemed to
have commenced the act Of voting
Section g of the Election law provides among
other things. as follows:
THE closing of the polls shall be deemed 20
mean the close Of the delivery Of the official
vote who have lawfully begun the act OF VOt-
polls shall be allowed to complete the act
Therefore the only persons who may lawfully
be permitted to vote after o'clock on the day
Of election are those electors who have previous
to < o'clock received the official ballot.