The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-04-27
POLICE ARE AFTER
DUMMY VOTERS
Chief O'Connor Orders Detect.
ives to Show Up Repub-
IiCan Committee Trick.

John J. OConnor, the chief of po-
lice, yesterday called the bluff of the
Republicans and struck terror to the
hearts of the kid aggregation by or
dering the entire detective force to ex-
ert every effort in an attempt to learn
the identity of the six men who falsely
registered from the First precinct of
the Fourth ward March Is.
1t is not expected by the chief that
with the assistance of the entire police
department he will be able to locate
the men who were used by the Repub-
hcan campaign committee for the pur-
pose of making a showing against the
Democrats, but every corner of the city
is being searched in an effort to locate
the fellows who allowed themselves to
become tools in carrying out the
scheme.
If the detectives are successful, and
the developments yesterday led to the
belief that such may possibly be the
case, some of the members of the kid
aggregation may find themselves be-
hind the bars on the charge of abetting
the offense of false registration. 1t is
believed that two, or possibly three
men, did the entire job, and that i'm
mediately after carrying out their part
of the compact they left the city, real
izing that if they remained in St. Paul
they would certainly fall into the
clutches of the police department. Sew
eral promising clues have been dis
covered by the police, and if even one
of the criminals is located it is be-
lieved that the entire conspiracy will
be laid bare.
Planned Trick for Many Days.
Enough has already been learned to
warrant the assertion from the police
department that the trick was con-
ceived some days before the primary
election, at a time when the Repub-
licans felt certain that F. P Wright
would be the nominee for mayor, and
that two or three pliable tools were
engaged to perform the task
The later discovery of the fraudu-
lent registration was planned before
hand, this being evident from the fact
that it is three weeks since Wells first
interviewed the women on whose state
ments he claims to have had the war
rants issued.
In attempting to follow out the plan
to fool the voters it is evident that
Sheriff Justus was not made aware Of
the full extent of the conspiracy, this
being shown when the sheriffi yester-
day very unexpectedly placed A. l..
Lake under arrest and accused him of
having given the name of G. Lake when
he registered. The Lake arrested an
sWered the personal description given
by Wells, bore the surname of Lake,
but somehow or other his arrest SEEM
ed to upset the Republican campaign
managers.
Evidently much surprised that there
should have been an arrest, Wells and
H. II. Halbert, the latter acting as at
torney in the case, tinddly entered the
sheriffs office, looked upon the counte-
nance of the prisoner and shook their
heads. To make a better front they
sent for James COnlin, the Republican
judge in the precinct, and of course
the judge said that he had never be-
fore to his knowledge seen the man.
Wells winked at Halbert and the two
men took their departure. Lake was
at once released from custody.
Despite this failure to make good,
the Republicans are frantically trying to
convince the voters that the Demo-
Gratis are guilty Of having padded the
registration in the manner charged,
but mere assertion and minus the facts
are depended upon to have the desired
effect.
In line with this policy the evening
Republican organ yesterday made the
assertion that the Republican cam
paign committee has in it's possession
"voluminous evidence that several
hundred illegally registered primary
day, and in every case the offenders
called for the Democratic ticket"
No Attempt Made to Arrest.
No offer is made to substantiate this