The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-04
ARE YOU MARRIED OR sINGLEl
VAL CARLETON WOULD NOT An
SWER, AND WAS ARRESTED.

RegistPat1on Day Question: Carried Around
70 the Demiciles Of Possible Voters.
Who On Refusal 70 Answer May Ap-
parently BE Arrested in Their Homes.
Valentine Carleton, whom District At
torney Jerome dismissed from the place
Of indictment clerk, was held for trial yes
terdsJ- because at his own residence he
refused to answer SO casual q tribunal as
a deputy superintendent Of elections
carries around with him whether he In
married or single. This is construed as
"a violation OF the Metropolitan Election
law" under which the superintendent
operates.
Carleton's arrest brought out the fact
that sixty-six voters are now residents
OF the Occidental Hotel, where Big Tim
Sullivan's throne room Is. at Broome street
and the Bowery. They will be registered
next Friday, which Is the first day Of regis
tration.
In the number Of voters which it produces
the Occidental leads all the hotels in New
York. and makes the Waldorf look like a
small lodging house.
John D. Maher. the deputy ~snperin-
tendent of elections, made a tour Of the
Bowery Friday night and stopped in at the
Occidental to see how strong 1t is going to
be this year. With the exception Of Carle-
ton, all the resident voters replied to
Mr.. Makers questions with promptness
and politeness, nor were their tempers
ruffled by the nature of some Of the in
,quiries. which election inspectors have
lawful power to put only when an actual
applicant for registration is challenged.
Carleton was cross and refused to tell
whether he is married or single. Thea
he was put under arrest. When his
record was taken at the station house he
again declined to say what his relation was
to the state of matrimony. Two convictions
for a like offense were secured last week
by the Superintendent Of Elections, but
in both, at his suggestion, sentence was
suspended. Carleton was paroled at the
Tombs for examination. He holds that
the law, so construed, is void, as violating
the fundamental principles of civic liberty.
The election superintendent chief deputy
holds that he is empowered by the amend
ments OF 1900 to the Metropolitan Election
District law OF 1893 to ask any questions
he pleases relative to the election franchise
of anybody anywhere at any time. He
, qualities s.t it by saying s d ne segs
qualify It at all The law says:
Any person who shall refuse TO
testify under oath before him (the Superin-
tendentI or his chief deputy is guilty. OF
misdemeanor.
The context shows tina the questions
must have bearing on the right of sone-
body to exercise the franchise, and that is
about the only limitation. As the law is
construed, the Superin, endent or his deputy
can visit in his domicile before the regis
tration for this year begins anybody who
registered last year and ask linn il he is
married or single, and it is against the law
to kick the inquisitor out of the house.
Mr.. Maher said last night that as far as
his information went all the sixty-six men
at the Occidental Hotel really lived there,
and had a right to register and TO vote.
Il do not think 1t at all strange that 80
many men should choose to live where
Congressman Sullivan has his head
quart ers." said Mr. Maher. They no doubt
entertain friendly sentiments for him ana
want to vote in his election district. They
have u perfect right to do so, and we shall
not question it. Senator Platt lives at the
Fifth Avenue Hotel, although he does not
vote from there, but we would no more
interfere with Congressman Sullivan's
friends at the Occidental than we would
with those better off financially who live
Ia there. We have no trouble with man
who establishes his residence anywhere
no long as he does not try to vote somewhere
else. If any of the men living at the Occi-
dental sought to register from other resi-
dences that would be anot her matter
Col. Michael c. Padden, military secre-
tary to Congressman Sullivan, has been an
election district captain in The Sixth for
twenty years: in fact, he celebrated the
twentieth anniversary last year with much
ceremony, lots of help and unlimited cham
pagne. Col. Padden doesn't like the list
of questions which the State has drawn
I'D for the man whose right TO register is
challenged on a day Of registration in the
polling place. The same list of questions
the law to peripatetic tribunals to be asked
all over town.
Last year they challenged 32e men in
nv district, said Col. Padden. THAT was
pretty near the whole vote. They even
challenged me, and I've been voting there
for-well you needn't put that down. It's
too tangible. I've been captain there for
twenty years, but there's nothing in the
law that says a man can't be captain
before he's a. Is there? II there is I'll
have the Congressman attend to it noxt
winter.
"Now, look at these questions. First Of
all, What is your true name| Now If I
were a lawyer, as Little Inn IL, q say
that question proceeded on the assumption
that you've been giving a phony name,
IT'S an insult to start with. Where do
YOU actually redde? Fine question. They
won't take a hanson cab for an answer.
McCulla Oh ruled that it was frivolous.
"Next comes Under what name are you
known at that address, The professor
that put up that question must hink all
the people use the personal co lumns to
get acquainted. Then comes What ia
the character Of the house in which you
reside3' You might say cheerful and not
lie, but that won't do. 1t must be either
a hotel, lodging house. tenement, furnished
room or private house You've got to give
the name Of your present employer and
where he does business and the name Of
your former employer as well. II you
don't know where he is at present you're
assumed to be a repeater. Are you mar
ried or single?' is a knotty one FOR some
of the boys who can't be sure. IF married
where does your family resides? Isn't
that folio wing man home and undressing
him? II single, where do your parents
reside?' Last year great many Of our
fellows gave the addresses Of their parents
at the Waldorf. the Holland House, the