The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-02-05

Judge Kelly spent all of yesterday
afternoon hearing testimony in the
matter of the objections to the Re-
publican nominations from Old Forge
borough. Arguments will be made this
morning.
The objectors are John Mangan and
Philip Swartz. who We're candidates
before the caucus for councilman and
justice of the peace respectively. The
candidates on the certificate to which
objections are made are: Antoni Bian-
cardi for justice Of the peace; William
Repp and James W. Thornton, for
school directors; William Jones and
Nicolo Gabrielle, for councilmen; John
Chelang, for constable, and Dominica
Suciano, for auditor
The objections are based on alleged
Irregularities in the First district, the
principal district of the borough. The
alleged Irregularities are many and
varied, but summed UP they amounted
to successful preconcerted effort on the
part of the italian residents of the
district to sieze and hold the polls, pre-
vent all others from voting, and do all
kinds Of things to the ballot box.
Swartz story of the affair almost
surpassed belief. He swore that about
forty Italians, many of them aliens,
packed themselves in the booth and did
practically all the voting. They let in
few others now and then whom they
knew to be friendly to their cause, but
when any American appeared the
crowd would not make way for him and
he would have to leave without cast
ing his vote These few more than
forty men, some of them not citizens,
cast 700 votes. according to Swartz.
CHALLENGES UNHEEDED.
He challenged numerous votes, but
his challenges were unheeded, and
when he protested, the election board
put him out
Joseph Somers, the next witness, de-
clared it was even worse than all that.
The crowd in the booth took possession
OF the 500 printed ballots and as fast
as they could mark them, passed them
up and had them deposited in the box
They We're packed in so tight, those in
the rear could not make their way to
within reaching distance of the cleo
tion board and had to pass their bai-
lots up over the heads of those in front.
The board, so Mr.. Somers said, scru-
tinized the ballots, and those that
suited them went into the box, while
those that were not to their liking were
put in their pockets.
John E. Davis testified that it was
agreed, after all the printed ballots had
been used up, that the voters might
make out their own ballots on slips of
paper. The Swartz-Morgan men had
not been able to get hold of the printed
ballots, but when the word went forth |
that slips might be used, they proceed |
ed to make even. BY hard tusseling a |
goodly number of them reached the |
board and succeeded in presenting |
their votes. The board, however, re-
GREETED it's condescension. evidently, |
for, according to Mr.. Davis, the slips |
were thrown on the floor as fast as |
they We're handed in.
John Il. Morgan corroborated SOM |
ers as to the election board members |
putting ballots in their pockets, and |
Edward Mason declared that one of |
the board was seen to mark ballots |
after they We're cast.
WILD EXAGGERATIONs.
Judge of Election John N. Cook and |
inspectors BARLEY j. Judge and Mar |
tin Menloe took the stand and swore |
that the stories of the obiectors' wit |
nesses were wild eXaggerations.
Anyone who wanted to vote and who |
proved his right to vote, was freely per-
mitted to vote, they declared, and not |
a single irregularity complained of by |
the objectors had really taken place. |
There was a great deal of commotion, |
they admitted. the stove was over |
turned and the side door broken down, |
but the box was kept inviolate. The |
slips were thrown out, they further !
admitted, but this was done because of |
the fact that the Swartz-Morgan peo-
pie had abused the privilege the board |
had granted. The slips were found to |
be In punches of four or five, closely |
folded together. indicating that one |
man had voted the whole bunch. This |
decided the board to throw them all |
out.
Hon. John p. Quinnan and r. III. |
Holgate represent the objectors. Cor |
nelius Comegys is attorney for the
other side.