New-York tribune., 1905-11-07
WEAVER CH0KES BOSSES.
FORCE NET BY FORCE.
4roused Voters to Resist Thugs Dis
guiScd as Deputy Sherfs.
nv Teieg7eph to The Tribune. ]

rrv Telegraph TO TIE TTibuuel
r,,.;iateInhia Nov. cat the close of the most
.os,a-afe municipal campaign in its history
.1.ss1,,nia faces an Election Day that threat
= he marked with dire disorder. Acknowl-
&C bv their refusal to wager dollar on the
s,,,t ,bat they are hopelessly beaten, the Re-
..t,can machine bosses had prepared to sur
p- fs.,,a the rons places with thugs in the guise
:, za,,,+,- sherjTs and create a reign of terror
- ,-ouId protect repeaters and ballot box
- end frighten decent citizens away.
-. ,,,o,-e announced in a proclamation by
.,,-,ef lanes L. Miles who is also the machines
T. committee chairman. and boss of the notori-
o,v white Slave District" was met to-day by
:. extraordinary proclamation from Mayor
Weaver.
,, .,,s nrocIan1ation the Mayor says that an
,-,areancv confronts the people and that ne VIII
lie nereonal command Of the police force to
.,-ent the threatened lawlessness He quotes
~ ,,-o,-ision Of the Election law which ex-
nieitly prohibits me Sheriff from appointlIs
s.,,,,v sheriffs for service on Election Day. and
proclaims:
This action is direct defiance of the law,
nd is Intended to produce disorder and turhu-
ience at the polling places 10 encourage elo
isfors of the election law and TO intimidate law
abiding citizens and the appointed custodiaiiS VI
the peace L b;,, for
that purpose will be absolutely without author
iiv and any attempt by them TO exercise tue
noyers of deputy sheriffs at the polls Will De
;tself a crime. / announce to the ciuzens tnat
II is not lawful for any deputy sheriff 10 pre-
tend or TO attempt TO act as such at the poiilhs
nlaaes and that resistance TO such pretehded
ssnfhorify is not only the right but the duty of
The citizens.
Aroused as the people have been by Miless
announcement of his daring intentions, they
were fairly startled by the incisive vigor of the
MAYORS proclamation. The last hope Of the
machine was in carrying through plans of fraud
hr violence 1t made clear that the admin
istration WAS fully prepared, and wouio meet
Illegal force with lawful force 10 any extent
After the proclamation was made puohc Mines
igrominiously surrendered, Issuing this state
nnent which darinsiy contradicts his own proc
lan1adon:
have not appointed any deputy sheriffs,
neither has such action been contemplated Inc
preservation of peace and order is committed 10
the police force and upon them alone the re-
sponsibility rests
Another desperate machine move was hirlhs
rol.cenen to resign In squads election morn
ing. About a dozen officers and men, all with
sy,otted records have quit in the last four days.
each advertising that he resigned rather than be
coerced into working for the reform party-a pal
pable pretence- The machine bosses gave thelr
repeaters to understand that 500. perhaps l,ooo'
roncemen would turn in their shields early to-
morrow morning thus leaving many polling
places without protection. and making work
easy for thugs and repeaters
In preparation to meet this contingency, the
director OF public safety to-day swore in nearly
a thousand husky men as special policemen.
Scores Of athletic young men. including football
players from the University of Pennsylvania.
and ba 1e6i colleges
have been enrolled. and If half the police force
should desert tomorrow. their places would be
filed instantly The football tackes and line
buckers have eagerly volunteered TO take charge
in the toughest election districts.
AS the machine never was close to over
whelming defeat. so 1t never poured out money
- lavishly as in the last days Of this campaign.
Vote buying to-day went on briskly anu
openly as trade in the city markets. Down in
the slums, especially among the negroes. poor
men proudly displayed rolls of bills they had re-
ceived negro preacher VINO was making City
party speeches up to last night, to-day dscov-
cred that he would have to vote the regular Re
publican ticket
One incident shows how lavish the gang bosses
are with the money contributed by the railroad
companies, the gas company and the trac-
ton company. A well known Democratic lawyer
was approached this morning by stranger who
questioned him about his vote. The lawyer who
has been stumping for the City party. pretended
TO waver. Finally the stranger thrust SO in
bills into bis hands and left him. The lawyer
took the money contribution to the City
partys headquarters.
With such complete preparation for every
move the machine may make, whether by use
Of the scores of repeaters who have been
cruited by d siege of disorder at the polls
victory for the City party is assured. Tonight
surprising reports are coming in from all over
the State indicating that the defeat Of J. Lee
Plummer. Republican candidate for State Treas
urer. is growing from remote possibility TO a
strong probability