New-York tribune., 1904-10-09
CHARLES C. BLACK THEIR CHAMPION.
HOW HE STOOD By THE HUDSON COUNTY BALLOT
BOX STUFFERS IN 1890.

lleNVi Hau 1uS pleasure or the aCQual lnt3nce OF
scores of men recorded as sharing their homes
with them Fortunate indeed. was it for the
weak nerved nien and the hysterical women OF
the county that they knew nothing of 1 gnostly
invasion OF the county indicated by the poll
lists till II was all over. and the risen cadavers
of a past voting era had slunk back in their
shrouds 10 their eternal sumbers again. Scores
OF men were recorded having voted from
saloons not large enough to have afforded them
even standing room. II the records OF those
lists had been true the canal boats must have
been alive with eager sUfragists and the open
lots scattered through the county must have
been as populOus as mass meetings. OF other
hundreds whose names figured among the voters
no trace, either in the past present. could be
secured. Dishonest election officers had used
the names of these dead and absent and myth
teal citizens 70 cover their frauds AS they had
crowded handfuIs of bogus and fraudulent bal
lots into the boxes they had written as many
false names On the lists Of voters as there were
bogus and fraudulent ballots.
The poll books in some Of the polling pre-
cinctS represented whole lines of citizens
having voted in precisely the same order in
which, ten days before, they had registered; and
in others that hosts OF Mr.. AS and hosts of Mr.
BIS and hosts Of Mr.. C's had followed each other
| 10 the polls in an alphabetical procession that
could not have been more methodical IL they
had stepped out of directory"
After recounting that the papable rascali-
ties that had produced these freaks Of record
were aided and facilitated. II was shown. by viO-
renee and thuggery at the polls; that voters
! by the score told how they had been intirnidated
and driven away from the polls by bulles and
roughs." and relating other incidents in their
mad career Of falsfying the election. the author
says
IT took the committee several weeks 20 COM
plete the starting disclosures Senators
! Gardner and Rue Joined in report declaring
that lI64 irregular time ballots had been dis
covered IN the several boxes: that false voting
lists had been employed. that the polls had been
surrounded by rufians intimidate honest vot-
] ers. sixteen ring policemen being engaged at
one polling place 10 prevent the beating OF a
| Republican election clerk and so forth and so
on 10 the end Of the most disgraceful chapter IN
/ the history Of politics in New-Jersey the nm
! shot of which was that on the last day OF the
session OF the Legislature Mr.. Mcdonald was un-
seated ami Mr.. Stuber was sworn in as a Sena-
tor only IN turn 10 he unseated by the Demo-
/ sion Of the Legislature
But this was not all that included in the
! case or the ballot box suffers. Their turn was
/ 70 come next. Sixty-seven Of them were in
dicted. and. as has been said. only one of these
escaped conviction. After days Of delav in
! which every effort was made to prevent their
/ being brought 10 trial. the men who were
! charged with the crime OF stufing the ballot
When Prosecutor Winfield" the author or
Modern Battles Of Trenton" declares had pre-
! pared the cases for trial. he proceeded 10 re-
! deem his promise to start file Of four toward
/ Trenton each week. TIL they had an baaD an,
! prisoned. and brought the first accused OF the
! eiectlon boards 10 the bar OF Judge IIppfncotts
court The scene in the courtroom as the trials
| progressed was memorable one. ThronCs OF
! the unWashed dOcked TO the benches outside tbs
! bar rail. Troops OF distinguished citizens who
! had never seen the inside OF a court room he
| 1oTe filled the chairs within the rail on one
flde OF the green table. in front Of the Jury box
/ the four defendants sat with counsel some
notable lawyers were among those who had
/ Abram O. Garretson was the onl, one
l OF them under retainer"
By his side. .as volunteer assistants" accord
ing TO the author OF Modern Battles Of Tren-
! Ion. We're Robert 6. Hudspeth Norman L
Ro1e and Charles c. Black,
II IS one Of the privileged pleasures OF the
LlIsilus OF the late Governor Leon Albeit To
ueciaTe that he always was loyal 10 his friends
/ - @nd that no public man in high Office was more
PtTinpt 20 reward those who had served him.
The records in the State House at Trenton
SioH = g, Iiat Governor Albeit appointed Charles
! -. Black as member Of the State Board OF
/ taxation on March 20 1891 and that his com
mission IS dated April ! Of the same year
f-laI - "a - ., IIle oaHot box suffers for whom
IIeI4es -. HlacK IS recorded being one OF
/ several voluntary counsel was begun al the
Co.i! Cpenlne ot the september term OF the Hudson
The records OF the last Democratic state Con-
, neslion a. trenton show that Charles c Black
Governor On September II 1904
The Democratic party that nominated Charles
:. BIach ior Governor is largely composed OF
me same Democrats I'm Hudson County who
/ did everything IN their power 10 prevent the
! convection Of those Democrats who were more
/ largely instrumental than any others in the
! state IN erecting the election as Governor Of
! Leon Albeit. 1t was these same Democrats who
contributed more largely than any others to
! the nomination OF Charles c. Black for Governor
! of the state The leopard has not changed his
/ spots nor have the Hudson County Democrats
/ changed their coats. Charges OF stupeRdous
] frauds upon the registration in parts OF Hud-
son County have been made within the last two
weeks. II these allegations are true as upon
! the best authority obtainable they are said 70
! be. history and the Democratic party are re-
| peatng themselves in Hudson County.
In view Of these facts. are the people Of New
Jersey willing again 70 ntrust the political con-
troll or the state to the Democratic party by the
/ election Of Charles G Black?