Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-09-16

Registration of voters under the terms
Richmond yesterday. 1t was light days
work for the registrars sitting in the va
rious wards. -Four hundred and seventy
six white persons were registered, and
twelve negroes.
The registration proceeds to-day in the
various wards, and it is the hope OF the
Democratic leaders that the voters will
keep them buster than they were yes
terday.
Attention of voters who have not yet
attended to this important duty is d-
rected to the fact that qualified residents
Of the respective wards may register any
day on which the registrars sit, without
reference to precinct lines. In other
words, the registrars may be sitting in the
first precinct. yet voters in all other pre-
cincts in that ward may be registered
without difficulty. The hours of registra-
ton each day are between noon and
p NJ.
In Madison Ward.
Of those who applied in Madison Ward.
los tall white) were registered. Three
were not eligible-one by reason of resi-
dence Of but nine months in this city: the
other because of a residence of less than
thirty days in the precinct.
The third applicant refused was Thomas
n. O'keefe, of s13 east Marshall street,
8 printer in the employ of I. n. Jones
& Son.
Mr.. O'keefe was not born in the United
States, and the new Constitution provides
that persons not natives of this country
must declare under oath the date and
place OF their birth, the court by which
their naturalization papers were granted.
and the date on which they were OBJ
tanned.
One OF the officers of the registry board
stated that Mr.. O'keefe positively refused
these details, and under the Constitution
his registration was impossible.
Mr.. O'Keefe, when seen by a Dispatch
reporter, said:
II was born at Liverpool, England, Oc-
tober 10, 1850. Ny parents were Irish emf
grants en- route for America at that time
AS soon my mothers condition per-
mitted we came to this country. and my
father took out naturalization papers as
soon as possible. Where and when it is
now impossible for me to state, as my
father died in May, 1860. from disease
caused by wounds. exposure and hard
shin undergone in the armies OF the Con-
federate States.
'.I did not refuse to give the registrars
information. I simply stated that it was
impossible to give the details in regard
to my naturalization. have always con-
sidered myself a citizen OF Virginia.
have voted here for thirty-one years held
an elective Office for fifteen. and served
in the State troops for eight"
Going to the Courts.
"I have sought advice from several law
yer friends. In the morning I shall apply
for mandamus compelling the board to
record my registration as voted OF Madl-
son Ward
Mr.. William A Zimmerman, a member
of the present Board Of Aldermen, was
also told that he could not register unless
he gave the date and place of his natural
ization. Mr.. Zimmerman was born in
Germany and came to this country at
the age of three. He was naturalized in
the Hastings Court of this city, but had
forgotten the date. He returned home,
stating that he would secure his papers
and present them to-day.
The new Constitution. in article II,
section 10, gives each person refused regis
ration the right of appeal to the Cir
cult or Corporation Court. The whole
question of Mr.. O'Keefes eligibility ap-
pears to hinge on the definition of "a
citizen of the United States
The Other Wards.
In Clay Ward there We're ninety-six
registra from the First pre-
cinct. six from the Second, and ten from
the Third No negroes applied for regis
tration. About half a dozen white Repub-
licans were registered.
In Lee Ward fifty-seven white persons
applied for registration and were regis
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