The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1907-10-19
Board of Canvassers Hears sI
Men Marked as Voting Deny
Under Oath That They Voted.
Some of Them Known Person
ally to Dunn Warden and
Clerks.


the arguments OF counsel In the matter
OF petition for a recount OF the vote AT
the Ward Democratic property caucus
were concluded and Assistant City So
licitor Cram announced that the board
OF canvassers and registration would take
tht case for advisement.
There was the keenest interest in the
testimony and the arguments submitted
last night. and voter from all parts of
the city were In attendance.
So far as testimony and arguments
went the general opinion o4hose=pres-
ent at the hearings was that the Galner
side had the better OF II. In the first
place though Alderman Dunn was de-
clared to have carried the caucus by
only II votes q persons came before the
board and testified they did not attend
the caucus upon the lists OF which they
were marked as having voted
That is, in one branch OF the invostiga-
ton of the caucus q instances OF posi-
tive fraud were proved. Mr.. Gamers
side had three other instances OF citizens
whose names were checked though they
did not vote. These men refused 70
answer summonses to appear before the
board.
One OF the most interesting things
brought out by Mr.. Hogan, counsel for
the Gamer petitioners, was the absolute
disregard OF the provisions OF the caucus
law by the clerks named by the late
Dunn ward committee. IT was admitted
by the clerks that several of them
checked names on lists of other districts
than the one for which they were APP
pointed The penalty for this offence Is
70 days Imprisonment.
One of the most startling bits or testi-
mony In the two days hearing, was that
OF John J. Howard, an assistant foreman
OF the tool department OF the Brown W
Sharpe Manufacturing company Mr..
Howard swore that as he was In line to
vote near the polls he saw a clerk go
from one district list to another, and
when "A mans name could not be found
say TO the clerk on the list where the
mans name was supposed To be but was
not: Check any name" This man voted
and he. according to Mr.. Howard. voted
the Dunn ticket" Mr. Howard's testi-
mony was not contradicted.
Three men admitted that they voted at
the caucus and that they voted the Dunn
ticket. These men were not checked upon
the lists. Some q persons. II was shown,
were deprived OF their right To vote by
the Dunn warden and caucus clerks. Sew
eral other instances OF illegal conduct at
the caucus were proven
Walter III. Barney declared that no
fraud AT all was shown lie. with Thomas
2.
Barney grew eloquent and earnest In his
defence OF what he claimed TO be the
rights OF the sterling" Democrats OF
Ward g.
Representative John w. Hogan. In a
clear and convincing argument, showed
the ellegality OF the caucus. He pointed
out that last year there was no dispute
about who carried Ward l Democratic
caucus. but that the absence OF "A check
list invalidated the caucus In the opinion
OF the board. III the check lists from the
Ward caucus had not been legally
chacked UP they were not check lists
legally returned.
Mr.. Hogan showed how II was admitted
that the check list of the Fifth district
had been checked by persons other than
the clerk OF the district. and IL could not
DC considered as a proper list. This alone.
he claimed. was sufficient TO invalidate
the caucus.
He next took up the cases OF the Il
men who swore they did not vote. but
whose names were checked. No proof
was offered that any other 2l men voted
on those names. and the Inference was
justifiable and In fact conclusive that
those 2l names were checked to provide
for ballots illegally placed in the box.
Mr. Hogan also dealt severely with other
evidences OF froud in the caucus.