The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-12-14
GOT PROOF Of BRIBERY
BUT MADE NO ARRESTS

just how my inspectors worked and how
near they got 10 the game.
UNDER DISGUISE.
In one town the inspectors acted under
| the disguise OF canvassers. On entering
the town they knew who was reputed to
| handle the money for election purposes.
To this man the inspectors applied for as
sistance In forwarding their canvass and
| from him secured a horse and carriage
| 20 drive around town. They appeared In
town on Saturday previous to election.
on the day previous TO election the
hired man OF the politician was sent with
the inspectors 10 Introduce them TO some
| OF the leading citizens OF the town and 10
the inspectors this hired man conveyed
| the Information that his employer had re-
| turned from Providence on the Saturday
/ evening previous, where he had attended
| the Ruepublican love feast, with a large
roll OF bills for use on election day; that
he, the hired man. had helped his en-
| ployer sort and count the money and that
| he had several hundred dollars. on the
day previous 10 election the inspectors
suggested 10 this politician that they
| thought II would be good plan TO go
| with him TO town meeting as they would
| there have an opportunity to canvass
large number OF the electors
The suggestion was thought to be a
led the politician to the voting precinct.
But before leaving home, the inspectors
rendered ten dollar bill 10 the politician
for the purpose OF paying their bill for
carriage hire. TO which the politician re-
piled Let II go until later l don't want
TO change that now as shall need all my
small bills today"
GOT NO EVIDENCE.
The inspectors went to the voting pre-
cinct and upon the opening OF the town
meeting the moderator read your anti
bribery proclamation aloud and declared
that IL any one would report 20 him any
case of bribery and furnish proof for con-
viction he would give reward OF one
hundred dollars. The inspectors were
about the voting place all day and al
though they were not suspected they
could not procure any evidence. The man
who had the snoney spent some OF IL they
believe, for he was seen to go OF several
times into clump of bushes near by
with one man at a time but they could
not see what transpired there.
In another town the inspectors found
that the rendezvous OF the purchasable
element OF the town was In saloon.
Thither the inspectors went and spent
much or their time lounging around the
place. On election day Democratic ex-
senator established himself In back
room OF the saloon and saw In this room
many electors during the day whom he
let In one by one. Some of the men who
went in displayed money when they came
out and made no secret of the fact as
them for voting.
HAS THE NAMES
1 have the names of some OF these men. |
My inspectors learned that the method of |
buying votes. prevalent in this particular |
town was that the voter. after having |
cast his ballot as directed was furnished |
check or order which was cashed In the |
back room OF the saloon referred to above |
In this town my inspectors In a conver- |
satfon with one OF the wise ones about the |
town. were Informed that buying and |
selling OF votes In the town was so COM
mon thing that IL could be seen by any
one who cared TO see It, Upon the state
ment being doubted by the inspectors, the |
young man said that IL they would stay
around until election day he would take
them around and let them see for them
selves. When election day came he did
take them around but could not show
them any vote buying
The young man explained his failure by
saying that so much had been said about
bribery that he guessed the fellows who
handled the money were afraid OF being
caught.
BOOK AGENTS THIS TIME.
In another town the inspectors posed
40 ~, oook agents. Here they met an old
don told them that If they wanted to see
some run they had better stay around
thd attend the town meeting. He told
mem that he was In charge OF a gang
- ABOUT 10 men In logging camp, and
mat he would take the whole crowd up
% vote. and that they all expected TO be
pala, lie said that the competition be-
-ween rival politicians for this bunch OF
votes would be pretty strong and that
some excitement would result
Inc inspectors went to the polls their
'ohege chum appeared with the bunch
n voters, who remained together. They
we're hrst approached by a Republican
ltate senator, who was candidate for
g e-eiecton, and afterwards by Demo-
rate candidate for the same Office The
could not get near enough 10
lear the conversation. but they watched
very movement with great interest They |
sked their old college friend how the
republican offered the men So apiece
cash and So more II he was elected.
Vhile the Democratic candidate offered 81
n cash. win or lose.
VOTERS GOT S..
The Republican got the votes and the |,
oters got s. apiece As the Inspectors ..
'ere leaving the polling place an elector
ave them ride on their way, and as :
hey journeyed along the elector inform !
q them that he had been approached 1
hat morning, and had been offered good I
loney if he would work and vote for !
1e Republican candidate for senator in !
ne town. but that he had refused. and ,
ould never take any further part in .
rlping voters. He said that last yeu- .
had laid out money for votes and had {
pent SIS more than had been furnished d
I'm, supposing that he would be reim-
ursed, but that he had not been reim-
ursed, ana consequently had been
bliged TO stand the loss Hence he had n
ashed his hands Of the whole business v
In another town on election day n state I
'nator who was a candidate for re- G
ecuon, had his headquarters I'm the back h
'om OF saloon near the polling place, n
"a here he received his friends during =
le day. As the inspectors were not adj .
ll'eo 70 thls room they were unable to
~ what had transpired there. bur from b
'nversations held during the day with
'Nerai electors they formed an opinion =
regard 20 H. In this town the in
1ectors were suspected from the first.