New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-29
FLOATER TRAP COMPLETE.
POLICE TO CHECK FRAUD.
General Greene Cooperating ic'th
Morgan to Catch "Repedters.

counted for Mcclellan are bound 10 taiI' oe-
cause the investigation of the registration mas
laid basis for the arrest and CONVICTION OIL mus
of the "foaters' who have been colonlzeu iOi
the purpose of stealing the election
The fact that the force of deputies allowed 10
George w. Morgan. the present State Superlh-
tendent of Elections in the Metropolitan DIS
trict, is smaller than that which Superntehue''
MoCullagh form 7rly had at work before electio"
has given encouragement TO Tammany leaders
in lodging house districts to adopt the Gas
house methods of colonization, but they over
looked the fact that the police this year are
under the command of General Greene. super
intendent Morgan and General Greene nave
been working in perfect accord, and the Ponce
Commissioner has caused a police investigation
of the registration such as never was made IN
this city before.
Heretofore the police investigation of the reg
istration has been of the perfunctory kind that
caused little annoyance to the "colonlzers.
General Greene set i'm operation system oy
which each policeman who investigates registra-
ton becomes personally responsible for the cor
rectness of the returns he makes and goes on
record over his own signature in cases of iile-
gal registration. so that he is a witness against
the person who has registered illegally. Not
only that, but the officers affidavit is supported
in every case by the afidavits of responsible
persons. All that is necessary for the arrest
and conviction of the "hoater." therefore, is that
he shall appear at the polls on the day of cleo
ton and try to vote.
In the collection OF evidence to corroborate the
evidence obtained by the police. Superint-nd-
ent Morgan's deputies have been kept busy since
the registration began. The result is that there
are thousands of afidavits file in Mr. Nor
gans office which may be used in the convic-
rio of 10 try n illegally Tues
day.
To make sure that no Illegal voter shall escape
arrest, General Greene has issued orders to the
police which will compel the fullest measure OF
assistance TO Mr. Morgan-s at the polls.
There will be policemen at every polling place.
and they will have lists of men who registered
illegally at those polling places. AS soon as
such a man offers to vote he will be arrested.
According to an opinion of the Corporation
Counsel the man will be allowed TO swear in
vote, if he dares, after being warned of the con-
sequences Of illegal voting. Whether he swears
in vote or not, he is a prisoner and will be
prosecuted TO the fullest extent Of the law, and
his case will be worse If he has persisted in vot
ing.
The police at the polling places are to be held
responsible for any failure TO arrest Illegal
voters whose names are on the lists.
IF there is found to be any failure on the
part of the police to perform their full duty
under the election law General Greene said
Yesterday. they will not only have to answer
charges in the department, but they also Will
have to face criminal charges. Their cases will
be handed TO the District Attorney, under that
section Of the law which makes the failure of an
officer to perform his duty a felony punishable
by imprisonment not exceeding three years"
Some Of the fusion leaders have been disturbed
info hat has MANNED
steal the election, but they said yesterday that
they had full confidence in Mr.. Morgan and
Commissioner Greene, and believed that there
would he little illegal voting, in spite of the
Tammsny programme
Three Investigations are being made to pre-
vent fraudulent votes being cast" President
Bruce Of the Republican County Committee said
Yesterday. The Police Department is making
thorough verifcation Of the registry list Each
name upon the list is being investigated to as
certain whether or not the person is a bona fide
voter.
The Superintendent of Elections is also max
ing an independent investigation of the registry
list and using every effort in his power to pre-
vent illegal voting. Each Republican district
leader through his district captains and work.
ers. is also making an investigation independent
Of the Police Department or the Department of
the state Superintendent of Elections of the reg
istry list. I have no doubt that those three
agencies Will do all that can be done to secure
an honest vote and fair count
What Tammany is doing is this" r. Fulton
Cutting said In every district it is reported
that the leaders have apportioned the number
of 'foaters imported for the occasion in groups
Of two and three among their captains. The
captains find lodgings for them. most Of the
"Ioaters' being taken into families as boarders.
/ I,, Love alar .0F, he
tucked away in each district. Those of our peo-
pie who have had anything to do with Mr.. Nor
gan are satisfied that he is doing everything
possible with the limited funds and men at his
disposal
/ August II. Stebbins, chairman of the Citizens
Union committee suppression of illegal vot-
ing, made the following statement yesterday:
I wish TO testify to the extraordinary capacity
and faithfulness which Mr.. Morgan is manifest
ing in this campaign. Never in the history of
New-York City has the election machinery been
| any more honest and efficiently administered
than at present. I am satisfied that Mr.. Morgan
is determined to root out all illegal voting and
that this election will have less of fraud and
dishonesty about it than any election of
whose details in many years experience | have
been cognizant.
United States Marshal Henkel. the Republican
leader in the xVIIIth District, of which Charles
F. Murphy has long been the Tammany leader
said yesterday that he was sure that many
'hoaters' had been co!onized by Murphy in the
district, but he had faith that the police and
Mr.. Morgan had investigated the illegal regis
tration there and would root out illegal voters.
/ Il don't think Tammany will be able 10 steal
/ the election Mr.. Henkel added and I have
made q bet OF 500 to-day with Max ID Steurer
the Iaihinany lawyer. that Low will be elected.
United states Commissioner Shields Is the
stakeholder am ready to put up more money
to-morro" TO call any bluff that Steurer may
make
CITY CLUBS REPORTS ON DEPARTMENTS
In the series of cononla,o ~o,. 49, -,