The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-04-06

repeating. so far as St. Louis was con-
! cerned. the wise and well-guarded provi-
sions of the law of 1895. Under the latter
law Republican judges and clerks loyal to
Therefore. the Nesbit law repealed 1t. This
inference is not only just. 1t Is unavoidable.
And we know by the testimony Of the ball
lots themselves that at least sixty so-called
Republican judges and clerks opposed the
election Of the Republican candidate for
Congress.
THE Democratic scheme for carrying Tn,
election was simple. bold and impudent: 80
impudent indeed as to imply that; in the
judgment of the managers. the pubic con-
science of st. Louis was dead or paraiyzed-
IF there was any ground for such a
Judgment It is evident that the Jon was
overdone. for the frauds were so giaring
and so outrageous as to arouse a conscience
that had the slightest vitality.
sYSTEM OF REGISTERING VOTER
DECLARED TO BE FRAUDULENT.
The plan can be briefly stated. Select
bodies of men registered in assumed names
from such street numbers as best suit their
purpose, generally from saloons. lodging
houses, coal yards. bawdy houses, tran
sient hotels. livery stables and vacant lots.
Any place was good enough if it had a
number.
The scheme was simple. too. in the ease
indeed, in the practical ce~rtainty-wita
which the person who Illegally registered
five, ten or twenty times could be safe from
prosecution.
Republican challengers were expelled
from the polling place. ana III OrUer 10
make the thing perfectly fair. the Demo-
cratic challenger, with a pious show OF JUS
tice. was also expelled.
The only possible method OF dealing with
known illegal registration was to give a list
to the challenger. who could learn Of the
identity OF the person using that name TO
vote under only at the moment when he
gave in his name to the judge: the chalen-
ger was thereupon to seek to stop the vote
and secure the arrest of the guilty man:
but with the deputy Sheriff at least 100 feet
away. and from four to ten policemen be-
tween him and the polls, determined to see
that every fraudulent name on the list
should be voted. the impossibility of making
an arrest is apparent.
T facts establishing the truth Of the
general statement just made were shown
by the testimony beyond any sort OF ques-
ton. The evidence is full and convincing.
GANG OF REPEATERS WAS
USED AT &c POLLING PLACES.
Men were seen fradulentIy registering.
One gang was seen voting at 20 different
cratic manager who had a weli-established
reputation as a dissolute. lawiess and des-
perate character. Whatever precincts he
touched he tainted, and a recount Of the
ballots with substantial accuracy showed
the extent to which his filthy touch de-
filed the ballot box.
ITO allow such an election to stand, to
permit its beneficiary to retain his seat.
would be to serve notice on the people OF
St. Louis that their efforts to purify the
ballot box are futile. and that the public
conscience. no matter, how fully aroused,
is powerless to effect its DEGREES"
The Constitution Missouri and the Nesbit
law are quoted at some length, and numer-
Gus extracts from the testimony taken in
the case are quoted.