The Colorado statesman., 1905-01-28


The promise has already been fulfilled.
The contest committee had not taken
evidence more than two days before
the fact was fully established that the
Denver Police Department was seri-
ously and directly involved in the Den
yer election frauds. This fact will un-
doubtedly have an important bearing
upon the decision of the committee,
inasmuch as Governor Adams brother
is in command of the police machine
of Denver.
Naturally the Democrats have pro-
tested against the whole proceeding,
and with the usual charge of uncon-
stitutionality they have also demanded
delay and protested loudly because
they were not allowed more time, but
inasmuch as the Republican majority
has given the Democrats as much time
as the Republicans have themselves,
this complaint will not be regarded
seriously by the public.
Startling Developments.
OF course, the exposure of the enor-
nous frauds in the precincts SO far
examined is an important matter, and
it points very much toward the seating
of Mr.. Peabody, but the disclosures
that cause the most comment and
which are regarded as the most Sc
rious are those showing clearly that
an organized conspiracy existed and
that this conspiracy was carried out
by the police department of Denver or
under its supervision.
The Supreme Court has already
looked into the conduct of the election
in eighteen precincts. AS a result,
forty-three Democratic politicians, a
very large portion of whom are po-
licemen, detectives, local court officers
and other Democratic city officials, are
imprisoned in the county jail.
The evidence introduced before the
commission established the fact that
Chief of Police Delaney, who is di-
rectly under the command of Frank
Adams, president of the police board
and brother of the governor, met
large number of repeaters and imper-
senators and nearly one-half OF the
Democratic crooks who are now in
jail, at meeting in saloon on Twen-
tieth street. just before election. He
moved around in the crowd of election
thieves, consulted with nearly all OF
them personally, and made little
speech to the whole bunch, informing
them of the necessity of carrying the
election for the Democratic ticket, and
according to the witnesses, suggesting
that the workers would be protected.
The men collected in this crowd were
from the very lowest walks of life.
Four or five of them testified, during
the first two or three days, and all
were from the slums, some of them ex-
convicts. The names of the men pres
ent at this meeting disclose the char
acter of work they were expected to
do.
Scraped the Siums.
Immediately after the election, when
it was found that the Republican COM
mittee was going to thoroughly inves-
tigate the election frauds, these hobos
and disreputable characters were i'm
mediately ordered by the police to
leave town. Many of them were run
out, but some of them wanted to re-
main, and it was the persecution,
abuse and violence which these latter
ballot box suffers received at the
hands of the police that induced them
to tell the Republicans what they
knew of the frauds on election day in
order to secure protection. A very
large portion of the evidence of these
witnesses has been corroborated by
Supreme Court watchers and the con-
tents of the ballot boxes.
An effort has been made to discredit
the testimony of these people by Mr..
Adams lawyers and the Democratic
press, but the fact that they told
straight stories has been established.
In commenting upon this phase OF
the question, Governor James H. Pea
body said:
"The Democratic lawyers and press
are making desperate effort to in
duce the public to discredit the tesu-
mony of these poor dupes of the Demo
cratic machine in Denver, but 1 would
like them to tell me how election
frauds are ever to be exposed aud
stopped If the evidence of those who
committed the frauds Is not to he az
cepted II we have got to wait ,nth
men OF high character do the re ''uf
ing. lmpersonating and slugging ~,