Idaho Springs siftings., 1904-12-17
DENVER ELECTION
FRAUD SENSATION

The extraordinary disclosures OF
election frauds In Denver as result
of the Supreme Courts inquiry into
the contempt cases against election
officials in that city has attracted the
attention OK the entire country.
Neser In the history Of Denver cleo
ton thIeyery has It been SO extensive
or 20 brazenly committed. and never
before has punishment followed 80
swiftly upon the heels Of the crime.
The most astonishing feature Of the
whole matter Is that the frauds were
perpetrated In utter defiance Of the SD
preme Court Injunction and In the
very faces OF the official watchers Of
the Supreme Court .ho were stationed
at all voting places.
There Is but one explanation for this
extraordinary contempt for the power
Of the highest court IN the state.
Heretofore Escaped.
Heretofore the Denver election
thieves have escaped punishment upon
Gao prete1t or another. They knew
that they always hal the protection Of
the Police machine Of the Demo
cratic organization and the assistance
os the hest legal talent In the Demo
cratic party to keep them out Of jail
They felt that they were Immune, And
indeed they have received the protsc-
ton and assistance Of the Democratic
organization. leaders and lawyers, SO
far as they could give It. Senator's
Paterson and Teller have both ap-
peared before the Supreme Court and
done their best to save the election
crooks from legal punishment. but his
is an Instance where their political
power vas Of no avail
No Jury to Pack
When the ward heclers figured that
there would be some way Of getting
around the Supreme Court Injunction.
they reckored without their host In
the first place. there vas no jury to
take up time on to be packed"
The court enIaiHed the eyll-disposed
TO behave themselves and conduct the
election lawfully and honestly, Those
who violated this order were
promptly hauled up and promptly sent
to jail A high court rarely If ever In
terferes with lower court In its ef-
forts to enforce respect for its author
ity and dignity. and the appeal OF Sen
Ator Patterson to the United States
Circuit Court of Appeals was In vain,
and his friends OF the lower wards will
have to serve their sentences TO the
end.
Many Policemen Among oTendes-
Another surprising feature OF the
whole proceeding Is that such large
proportion Of the arrested and con
victed election crooks were policemen
and other law officials and public en-
ployes.
or the first forty-ona arrested. nine
teen were policemen. detectives and
court eonstables. deputies and other
police and county employ the
men who should have the most respect
for lawful authority. The very men
who arc daily called upon to carry out
the mandates Of courts and enforce the
law were the frat and most reckless
Offenders against the Supreme Court
and the election laws.
In some places the Supreme Court
injunction when served was torn up. II
Is said that Alderman Aahoney. one
Of the arrested men, tore the injunc-
ton into bits when II was served upon
him a, the polling place. In some
places the Supreme Court watchers
were thrown out and assaulted.
Violence at the Polls
At others. Republican judges were
thrown out, and in some instances Re
publican Judges were denied clerks
TO which they were clearly entitled un-
der the law. In several polling places
fighting and rouEh-house tactics were
pursued and Republican voters run
out. assaulted or intimIdated.
Thugs and bullies crowded around
the tables and ballot boxes in several
places and by the use OF foul and pro-
fame language and rough tactics gen.
orally kept numbers OF voters away.
Repeaters were voted In squads. as has
been proven by the examination of two
or three ballot boxes by the Supreme
Court. The Republicans have copied
the poll books and are now eanvassing
the city to see how many OF the feti-
tious names were voted which are
known to have been on the registration