Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1907-02-23
ELECTION FRAUD
HUMBUG EXPOSED
Attorney Prichard
Tells of True
Conditions
IN TORRANCE COUNTY
Democrats Were Dupes of
Larrazolo Contest-.-Not a
Single Indictment.

Larrazolo Contest-.-Not a
Single Indictment.
In spite of the attempts Of politi-
clans from the Democratic ranks to
bolster them up and Notwithstanding
the unwarranted and sensational
newspaper publicity given them, the
truth has at last leaked out, as it al.
ways does, about the so-called gross
election frauds of Torrance County.
The truth is smple-there were no
election frauds.
The contest between the defeated
Democratic candidate for Delegate to
Congress 0. A. Larrazolo and Dele
gate to Congress w. H. Andrews, as
| much OF a contest as it isis said to
| be responsible for the dragging out of
the forlorn hope Of proving election
frauds in Torrance County There are
number of Democrats in the Estan-
cia Valley who came there as home
seekers and who are in no way ac.
quainted with the true condition of
affairs either in their own county or
in the Territory at large These well
meaning individuals have been freely
used, 1t is said, by the friends of
Larrazolo, in continuing the election
fraud charges in order to give the
Democratic candidate some grounds,
though very slight ones-for inaugu-
rating his contest for seat in Con
gress which it is generally admitted
even among Democratic leaders, he
can never hope to secure.
No Hope Of Conviction.
Colonel George w. Prichard, the
well known attorney and former at
torney general, who has Just returned
from Esrancla, where he has been on
| legal business, was retained by those
charged with violating the election
law in the November, 1906, election,
as their counsel. He has a full and
| detailed knowledge of the true con-
ditions and is authority for the state
ment that there is not the slightest
| hope on the part of the district at
torney for securing convictions should
| these cases ever come to trial. which
lit Is probable they will not. In the
first place. there has not been a
Single Indictment for election frauds
as vet and the matter has gone no
further than The fling of information
! against certain judges and clerks Of
election. This will probably be the
sum total of all the talk the matter
has precipitated.
Unjust Prejudice Against Natives.
1t is noticeable also that the
| charges in every case are made
against natives Of Torrance County.
| Against men who were there before
ever a settler thought of building a
cabin on the plains and against men
who have voted for years in that
county without ever having been ac-
cused of Illegal work at the polls This
goes to show that there exists to a
certain extent, an unfounded and un-
| just prejudice against these native
citizens among certain Democratic
new comers which cannot help but re-
act.
Attorney Prchard in speaking OF
the so-called fraud cases in Torrance
County last evening gave the follow
ing lucid statement Of conditions:
"Contrary to newspaper reports
sent out by poorly informed cores
pondent, the grand jury, recently in
session at Estancia did not return a
single indictment for election frauds.
The matter has gone no further than
the filing of informations sworn to by
persons, in most cases, not in posi-.
ton to actually know the facts.
Voters Were Not Registered.
In Precinct Number |, known bet
ter as Tajiqui Precinct, the judges of
election, Candido Sanches, Manuel
Otero and Jesus Candelario, are
charged with having prevented the
following persons from casting their
ballots Alfredo Schubert, William
Dow, John Harding, Solomon Schu-
bert, William King, Pedro Schubert
(now sheriff by appointment of the
Goyernor), Polonario P. Schubert and
Santiago Mares. 1t is said the reason
for the action of the judges was that
these men desired to vote the Demo
cratic ticket. So much for the
charges.
II saw. the defendants. They stated
that not a single one of the men
above named was registered as the
law requires they must be to VOTE
Furthermore, the judges say, not one
of these men offered to vote under
affidavit as the law provides in case
they are not registered When these
men came early in the day of Novem-
Der and wanted to vote, they were
not allowed to do so. They We're not
refused this privilege by the judges
for political reasons as is alleged but
because they we're disqualified by law.
Later in the day, friends of the
judges prevailed upon them to let the
men vote. ! believe six of these men
who were not registered, did vote by
permission of the judges. It Is
claimed, however, that the judges did
not count the ballots of these six
voters.
1T is evident that under the law,
fha i,,drac nf aIactiop waro ri0bt IN