New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-10-02

down bv valiant Democratic 'heelers5 N one SiN,
tenth Ward when he attempted 10 YoIe: .ra.i
trainioads Of repeaters. with the infamous 80 a,
n hse ae ss HerTcks system when repeaers were
Instructed 10 soldiers and sailors from any
vacant otswhn that the boss OF tt that sgs
Of the union cannot vote for him"
THE ia not evidence for the courtroom 1t is
an evidence OF public opinion in Albany County
II ia the evidence that one heard in c!uDrooms
and IN public places when the nomination was
made To take another instance OF HerrlcA
rule. citizen Of Albany, not unknown to'u ."e
following story of an aldermanic election uiioer
the Herrick regime:
ct served with a volunteer cltizehS COM
n,ttes" said the narrator TO a Tribune re-
porter who had asked for a story OF FORMER
DAYS when watchers at the polls sought 10
check the excuses OF the Herrick machine. As
a watcher | saw rowdy attempting to vote
under the name Of a man knew. attempted
to call a policeman, who promptly walked away.
Then warned the election district captain OF
the Herrick side-I told him that meant to get
evidence and prosecute.
lis it evidence you want?' queried the Her
rick man. and he called a man from the crowd
Of thugs that stood around.
whats your name?' he demanded Of the
thug. The man gave local name and address
No mean your real name and address; tell
the gentleman the truth The man complied.
giving Troy address.
Now go vote as -. continued the captain
giving the man name and address on slip OF
paper. The man complied and returned.
Now go vote as -" giving the man sec
Ond name on a slip. The foster again obeyed
| and returned.
"'Csn I be of any further assistance TO you
in getting evidence inquired the captain po-
i or l,ulI who about
| 20 attack me-
| RECKLESS REPEATING OF VOTES
This was Herrickism in 1893; it was the firing
| line manifestation of the army Of which the
Judge-Boss was supreme commander But 1t
| may he urged THAT this is hearsay and not affi-
davit evidence There is fortunately, adequate
sworn testimony Of a multitude of afhdaVits
made al the time but the following will serve
| to indicate the similarity between the stories
! told by citizens who experienced the Disorders
Of that day and held now in memory and those
| Of witnesses in court at the time Here IS
| sample AFFIDAVIT. which was read at the mass
meeting of November ~ 1898:
Charles L. Kettrein in his affidavit said that at
! Dove SITS he saw Joseph Mccain. detective give
a young man one Of rol! Of bills immediately after
! voted again. As Kettrein turned to leave the
save nan aDproached the window some one behind
! said ne was ali right. and he voted third time.
! Oficer Tim Curtin uniform went into the
| apparently folded ana arranged the ballot To the
best Of Kettreins knowledee me EoHns man Vas =,
! not even resident OF the ward ketlrein saa 20
| Curtin: This is nice way for man 10 vote,
5efore or words to that Effect curtin replied
1T is of your business; get out Of here. and
! showed Kettren from the polls
There was an element of humor amid the
darkness Of crime on that day. II is recorded
in the yeracious legendary history Of Albany
that noater in one ward low browed rowdy
| OF a marked type attempted to vote under the
name Of William G. Doane.
! But you're not Bishop Doane,' gasped a Re-
| publican watcher.
I'm not?' was the truculent answer. The hell
I'm not"
The story Of this Election Day is 20 be found
| in the files of the press OF every party OF that
| time and It's methods remembered in the
| capital city b. scores who saw evidence ~
crime that day.
The police have chosen" said the Democratic
| Argus" the next morning; they prefer the
friendship of criminals TO the favor OF good citi-
zens" Several weeks later The Argus" sadly
| chroniced that its surprising bit OF independ-
| ence on that day had cost It all the county
| printing for judicial dignity did not prevent
| punishment, and the power that could reach and
| discharge a Water Department enploye could
discipline a Newspaper. without sffront TO judi
! clal propriety. This circumstance ought To lie
noted for the Herrick machine did more than
| corrupt the ballot: IL sought TO intimidate the
| press. Thus the Democratic paper chroricled
| the happenings. The night before the Repub-
can Evening Journal" which with noticeable
anxiety watched the railroad station. tells OF the
sudden influx Of gangs OF rowdies and thugs ON
| Troy Belt Line trains Moreover. by common
consent not merely living citizens of Troy. but
| dead citizens OF Albany. were lmperSonated TO
| cast Herrick ballots. Gangs of heeiers made
! progress from polling place TO polling place.
casting straight ballots at every booth A Ior-
ton Of this story can be found in the press ~
| the day a fraction leaked into the New York
City newspapers as the situation developed. but
| the repository OF the history of this era lies In
the memories of Ahaniaus and can be had for
| the asking
But the end was already in sight. Two RENE
| dies remained 10 the citizens of Albany. who.
poweress to resist. had seen the SHAMEFUL pro-
| ceedings Of that Election Day. II remained TO
| invoke the aid Of the officials OF the city a IA =
miIiar proceeding in such and TO invoke
the citizenship Of the city, to appeal to the in
dignant and outraged public spirit ~ the capital
| city. The appeal TO the officials came first. As
| New-York citizens. without regard tn party or
religion, rose to destroy Deveryism. the people
of Albany united to check HerrlcEIsm Three
! DAYS after the electloh Il committee OF thirteen.
| charged with work entirely analogous to that
which was subsequently performed by the Com
mittee OF Fifteen in New York city united in
addressing letter to Mayor Manning.
CALL FOR PUBLIC ACTION.
II is an interesting historical parallel with the
| experience in New-York City i'm 1901 In the
latter case it was the letter OF Bishop Henry c.
| Potter to Mayor Van Wyck that stirred the
! popular Indignation This Albany letter bore
the signature OF Bishop William c. Doaue who