Omaha daily bee., 1903-05-04
GOSSIP OF CITY CAMPAIGN
Democrats Make No Secret that Benson
Leaders Will Vote for Howell.
HOW THAT FIFTH WARD POLL WAS TAKEN
Women Were Asked TO Vote for Their
and when They Refused
the Votes Were Marked
for Benson.

for benson
with the Howell campaign managers
boldly announcing that everything has
Teen fixed" 90 that as much of the Benson
support as can be controlled will be swung
into line for the democratic nominee on
election day the Benson boom leaders are
connecting all kinds Of desperate schemes
to keep the credulous republicans from
voting for Moores. The credulous repub-
licans are those to whose eyes the scales
still adhere and who believe hat Benson
is a real candidate.
One OF the samples Of how the Benson
campaigners are attempting to deceive the
public into believing that the boomer can
didate has a following is the announced re-
suit of a poll Of the Fifth ward. This, as
set forth in the red and yellow Benson
organ, showed that out Of 1903 voters 632
were for Benson, S14 for Moores, SO1 for
Howell and 81 for w. II. Moore, with only
142 refusing to vote. This poll was certified
to-not sworn toby such patriots as Hugh
A.. Myers and Billie Saunders. 1t was stated
at length that the poll was taken by the
Toledo method, this being a secret method
similar to voting by the Australian system,
each participator marking his ballot
secretly and casting It In a box.
One example of how this vote was taken
will suffice TO show what a fraud and
mockery it is. At the home of II. A. Has
kell, mechanical superintendent Of The Bee
neither he nor his son was at home. Mrs.
Haskell appeared at the ring Of the poll
takers and when told what they wanted in
formed them that Mr.. Haskell and her son
were not at home.
"Oh, WELL" was the reply, you know
how they stand and you might just as we'll
vote for them. You go ahead and mark
these ballots as you think they would"
Mrs. Haskell, however, fatty declined,
saying that the political views and afalia-
tions of the members of her family had no
right to find expression through her.
Then the painstaking. careful and con-
scientious ascertainers Of the public pulse
calmly marked two ballots for Erastus A..
Benson and cast them as in though In good
faith.
By such ballot box stuf1ng methods as
these was the false poll of the Fifth ward
arrived at. and 1t is by schemes equally
adroit and fraudulent that all Of the high.
sounding Benson straw votes have been
taken. So common has become the talk
concerning the falsity Of such counts that
they have not been given any weight what
ever, and are laughed at whenever an
nounced.
The Eighth ward republicans will hold
a meeting at VOLTS hall, Twenty-second
and Cunning streets at 7:30 tonight. All
/ voters are invited to attend, and an in
teresting discussion of the issues Of the
campaign is promised them. The meeting
will be addressed by Mayor Moores, City
Engineer Andrew Rosewater, City Attorney
Cornell, Councilman Hoye and others.
General Solicitor Henderson OF the B.. &
M. denies hat he ever authorized any of
his subordinates to offer Mayor Moores
the nomination for congress provided he
would assist the B.. & M. in keeping it's
monopoly on trackage facilities In the lob
bling district. Nevertheless Mayor Moores
insists that such an offer was made to him
by one of the B. & NJ. lawyers.
At a special meeting OF Omaha Typo
graphical union No. 100, held Sunday after
noon, the following was unanimously
adopted:
Resolved, That the president and secre-
tary or this union be authorized and In
structed to publish in the daily newspaper
or omaha a notice to the public that no
member OF this union has any authority
whatever to speak for this union I'm any
matter OF politics or to pledge its support
TO any candidate or candidates of any DO
htlcal party whatever.
J.. c. SMITH, X. s.
secretary. President o. T. u.
OMAHA, May 2, 19OS.-To the citizens OF
Omaha: The statement by one of the lead.
ing daily papers Of May 2 that have
"hopped to Howell for mayor is absolutely
false. l am for Benson now and shall be-
until he (Benson) is elected.
lSigned.) w. A. PAXTON.
now in the hands of the Benson Campaign
committee.
At the Howell meeting at the Dellone ho-
tel, which was held for the purpose of Sc.
curing the support Of the Swedes fol
Howell, The Bee is informed, Mr.. Paxton
stood up and openly championed the cause
OF Howell, He did not then advocate thu
election of Benson.
The last republican mass meeting Of tn,
campaign will be held at Schlitz' hall
sixteenth and Harvey streets tonight. Al
voters are invited to be present. Tn,
meeting will be addressed by E. ]. Cornish
and other prominent republican leaders
and Andrew will reply to tn,
charges of extravaganza which have beer
made against the present administration
Extra chairs have been provided, but thos.
who desire seats must be on hand earl,
as the meeting will open at s p. m.
nEATu pEnnPn