Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-05-08
Rock Island City Clerk Sum-
nnoned Into Court to Answer
Contempt Charge
IN ALLEGED ELECTION FRAUD CASE
Refused to Produce Ballot Boxes
and Records Before
Grand Jury.

III. ScnfNef. Inc court ordered Schat-
fer to appear this afternoon at ,
o'clock before Judge Gest and show
cause why he should not be consider
ed in contempt of court for his fail
ure to produce ballots, poll books and
affidavits before the grand jury as de-
manded by the foreman of that body
yesterday.
This order indicates that the grand
jury is Investigating the alleged cleo
ton frauds with a view 10 bringing in
indictments against the parties held
to have had such part in the recent
campaign.
When the case came up for argu-
ment this afternoon City Attorney
Scott appeared for Mr.. Schaffer He
stated that the city clerk was merely
acting, as he thought, according to
the requirements of his office and in
| tended no contempt. If ordered by
the court to produce the ballots he
would do so, otherwise not The mat
ter was taken under advisement and
the clerk was allowed TO go on his
own recOgnizance. States Attorney
| Weld read the document from the
grand jury.
McCaskrin's Allegations.
| George w. McCaskrin has collected
list of those whom he alleges to
have voted illegally and further. ac-
cuses the judges in many of the pre-
cincts of wilfully counting McCaslrin
votes for McConochie. 1t is possible
that the grand jury searchlight viii
be turned on these latter as we'll as
those who voted illegally or swore in
votes i'm manner frowned ON by the
law The number of those who are
alleged to have voted without Il right
to is i'm the vicinity of a score. ac-
cording to Mr.. McCaskrin's volumi-
nous document filed in the office Of
the circuit clerk Yesterday afternoon.
The proceedings started by the de
feated candidate in the circuit court
is for an order from that tribunal to
| compel a recount of the vote. the pro-
duction of the affidayits, and i'm ease
it should be found that the recount
thus made should favor the petitioner
lthat he be declared the elected mayor
Iof Rock Island and that William Nc
Conochie be declared not elected and
that a further order be issued for his
abdication of the municipal chair.
II Lengthy 1911.
The McCaskrin document is a for
midable affair. of nearly forty tyhs
written pages. and goes through fife
entire affair at great length. reciting
the action of the council i'm refusing
to recount the vote, the way the cleo
tion was conducted and alleged ir-
Irregularities.
The number of votes in the entire
city perverted to McConochie is alleg-
ed to have been about $50, more than
enough to have elected the plaintiff
by respectable majority. The num-
bers given are: In the First ward,
26; in the Second ward.5; in the Third
ward. 21. in enc precinct; in the
Fourth ward, between Is and 25; in
the Fifth ward, "a; in the Sixth ward,
21; in the Seventh. 16. 1t is further
alleged that many votes not properly
made out and which should have been
destroyed were counted for Neon
Ochie, while on the other hand ballots
perfectly made out for McCaskrin
were declared defective and treated
accordingly.
The Illegal Voters
The following are alleged to have
voted illegally, having been sworn in
by persons who were aware of that
fact: Ed Green in the second pre-
cinct of the Second ward, c. +. Adds
in the first precinct of the Third ward
M. 5. Patch in the second precinct OF
the Third ward, Fred Trescher, VIII
liam Rattigan or Fitzgerald, John
Boro. George Wahl and John Murphy
in the first precinct of the Fourth
l.
Charles Evans. Eric Nelson and Julius
Vanversal in the first precinct of the
Fifth ward. Mate Faber in the second
precinct of the Sixth ward. and 9th
ers Those mentioned, it is claimed
were fragrant and willful violations
of the law, while there were many
other cases which would probably APP
pear on recount of the vote as de
sired by the complainant.
Other Abuses Cited
iii Many other abuses are cited in the
paper, such as improper electioneer
ing. coercion at the polls by pale
4 poll workers who are alleged to have
received from S. to SO and upward
4 for their services. 1t is represented
that a saloon was open within the
prescribed limit of one mile and thai
drinks were dispensed there free al
4 day to those who would promise tC
vote the prescribed republican ticket
Another Case of Contempt.
Zetta Address, a young woman whC
4 has been before the grand jury. was
brought before Judge Gest in the cir
cult court this afternoon to show
cause why contempt of court pro
ceedings should not issue against her
lShe admits she is the victim of Sc
4 lduction and criminal operation, bul
refused to give the names of the 9th
4 U-l,o,, a. o1,,,,+