The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-11-04
String of Cases Of Election
CrOOkednesS Are
Discovered.
TO WATCH FOR FLOATERS
Names Illegally Registered in
Second, Fourth and Fifth
Wards :. Sheriff's Office
Busy--SOmmer Viii Keep
Sharp Lookout.

Wholesale registration frauds have
been unearthed by Sheriff Frank Fl.
Sommer. and as a result nearly two
hundred warrants for arrests have
been issued, and the number is being
steadily increased. In fact, the situa-
tion is such as to make it probable
that this number will be more than
doubled before night.
Every warrant will be served should
the person mentioned in the papers
present himself at the polls He win
be arrested under instructions from
Sheriff Sommer even before he makes
an effort to vote His presence at the
polling place will be taken as SUFFICIENT
evidence to show his intentions to vote.
His vote will not be challenged, but
he will be summarily placed under arr
rest and locked up.
For the last several weeks thorough-
ly reliable private detectives and men
attached to the sheriff's office, acting
under instructions from Sheriff SOM
mer, have been working diligently day
and night gathering evidence, and now,
since persons believed to be guilty OF
illegal registration and procuring IL
legal registration have been summoned
to the sheriffs office, the situation has
become such as to alarm the guilty
parties, and not a few have personally
informed the sheriff that they viii not
vote tomorrow. and thus make thern~
selves amenable to the law.
The evidence in the hands of Sheritr
Sonuner shows beyond the question ou
any doubt that there has been sys-
tenatic. Wholesale scheme OF flieEae
registratf6i and that persons well
known 10 the sherffrs office--naen a1ldl
women who were engaged in questions
able pursuits prior to the ant'-viea
crusade-are responsible for colonizing
various districts in the city, as well as
the outlying districts.
Some of these people are now under pros
baton, while others have added to the
county's treasury by paying heavy lines
after pIeadng non wilt. This morning one
Of these men was before the Sheriff ana
asked to give an account OF the many
names registered from his furnished room
house. He said they were all .'roomers,"
and that they had right to vote. War
rants have been issued for the arrest OF
every one of these men and should they
present themselves at the polls tomorrow
they will be locked up.
Evidences Of illegal registration by the
wholesale have been discovered In the
Second Fourth and Fifth Wards in this
city. West Orange, Orange and Bellevilla
are not void of these conditions and many
warrants have been issued covering these
districts.
Officers regularly attached to the Sheriffs
office and specially sworn officers will be
on duty at the polls where illegal registra-
tons have been made from early morning
when ehe polls open until they close at
night. These men Will meet In the Sher-
iffs office this afternoon and receive their
instruction
Considerable trouble is anticipated, and
1t is believed by those who are familiar
with the situation that the county jail
will be well filed with 'foaters'' Nbefora
sundown tomorrow.
Seen at his office at noon today SheriT
Sommer said that he had spent a busy
morning. and that he had found it neces-
sary to have specially printed, as 1t would
require q corps of clerks to fill out the /
regular warrants.
1--WE are going TO prevent illegal voting
II possible tomorrow, the Sheriff said to-
day." and it will make no diftarence
whether the guilty ones are Republicans 4
or Democrats. II they present themselves
ct the polls they will be locked up we
don't care whose interests are jeopardlzedR
we are going TO enforce the law as we hnU
it."
When the news leaked out today OF the I
number of warrants that the police have
II caused big sensation, and set the polA
ticians guessing. Today DR.. Ulainor ALT
len. foreman of the September Grano
Jury, appeared before Supreme Coure
Justice Pitney and suggested that this
nafhes of alleged voters be stricken from
the lists, so that there could not be any
possibility Of any OF them voting tomor-
row.
Justice Pitney demurred but later SEM
for County Prosecutor William H. Spee9
George L. Record and Robert Cary. VINO
are looking after Mr.. Fagan's interests
Then he had DR.. Allen repeat his s'1gges-
ton
Mr. Record said he did not approve ns
the idea. but that he preferred to let me
Illegal voters be given an opportunity u
vote and that as soon as they did they
could be arrested After long discussion
it was finally decided to leave the names
on the registration lists.