Evening journal., 1908-10-19
TROUBLE In THE
SECOND WARD
Book Of a Democratic Watcher
Stolen and Negroes and
Whites Fight
Mr.. ROBERTS TELLS WHY
GUENTRER WAS NAMED

some trouble ended the registration
dav in the Fourth district of the Sec
ond ward at A and Buttonwood streets
on Saturday evening" although no
complaint is made of the registration,
with which both parties seem satisfied
During the day the Democrats station
ed James Y. Conner. q young man, as
watcher in the registration place.
Evervthing went we'll until late in the
afternoon when somebody stole hoo'S
in which Conner had entered q list Of
persons registering. Conner, however,
had kept a duplicate list secretly. Hs
remained in the bootb until the regis
tration books had been signed by the
officers and insisted that they be sign
ed in his presence. which was done
This Districts inhabited mostly by
colored families. there being but fifteen
or twenty Democrats In the entire dis
krict.
County Chairman Ca;rles D. Bird.
Democrat. was in the room when Con-
ner's book was taken and he called
on Sergeant AIcDermott to arrest the
man who grabbed tho book and also
10 protect Conner. In an instant sew
eral negroes made threats against Mr..
Bird. and he made his way TO his car
riage. a block away. The patrol
wagon with policemen dashed to tae
place. but everything was serene when
1t arrived.
About go o'clock in the evening an.
other eght broke out between soi1e
negroes and some white Democratic
workers and fro a while things were
lively. Several persons were Knocked
down and Silas Faulkner. an onlookei,
was struck in the head with stone.
During the FIVE DAYS 2S5 persons were
registered IN the Fourth district. At
the citv election 307 votes were polled
there end two years ago 275 votes were
polled.
Democrats Treated Fairly.
Th Democrats objected TO William
r. Guenther serving IS registration o.
hcer. as a representative of their party.
IN the district on the ground that he
IS rot a Democrat George W. hon-
erts. a member Of the Department OF
Elections. saws that Guenther was the
onlv available Democrat left TO ap
point. Mr.. Roberts says the Demo-
Gratis have been given every consider
alton by the department in regard I"
appointments Of registration officers.
First Of all the Democrats did not ME
thoir list Of names from which they
desired registration officers selected
within the legal time. and were given
three DAYS grace. The law requires
the filing of two names 70 each regis
trat.on officer to be appointed, or sin
for each district. In many districts
the Democrats orlv fled three or four
names. ana for the Fourth district ot
the Second ward they filed but three
names. Two wears ago, Mr.. Roberts
saws. Owen Palmer was appointed from
the Democratic list. but he disappeare1
one registration dav and Guenther had
70 be Dut in. He served three days
then. The Democrats also put in
man named Quinrg as clerk on regis
tration dav. Mt Roberts says and
Quinn resorted to dlatory tactics in
endorsing the backs of ballots and had
to be called to task by the epartmen.
This year a man named tlanlsan was
appointed assistant registrar from the
Democratic list, and after mis- appoint
ment the Democrats wished the Depart
rent Of Elections to remove him. This wss
refused unless charges were preferred
against Flanagan. Finally. after falling TO
file charges. the Democrats induced Fan
agan 10 resign Then John y. Callahan
was named at the request OF the Demo-
Gratis and it was only after insisiont work
that Callahan was induced to qualify for
the place lie removed from the district
several days ago. leaving Democratic
vacancy again. The Democrats wishe d
John B. Farley or Wade Spence appointed
TO the place. Farley was already appoint
ed a. voters assistant and oouid not serve
IN both positions. and the board therefore
refused to name him. and also declined 10
appoint Spence after making an investiga-
ton. This left Guenther as the only avail
able Democrat, Mr.. Roberts said, and he
was appointed. He moved back into ;he
district recently. The Democrats protested
that he could not write. but Guenther had
made application in his own handwriting
for the appointment N tie presence OF
some of the commissioners Of the Elec-
tion Department
Satisfied With Result
The Democrats to-day said they were
satisfied with the result OF the regisfra-
ton in the Fourth district. They were
fearful that the registration list might be
padded. but It seems that there Is no
charge Of anything unfair in the reg st a.
t.on in the district on Saturday.
Another instance that came 20 the at
tention Of the Department of Elections en-
Saturday was that OF an Italian in tie
Eleventh ward. He was natura iz5d in
1902. and when he appeared to register no
was asked TO read the Constitution He
could not do so. and was nor registered.
The Constitution requires .he reading Of
the Constitution Of all who become voters
after 1900