Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-12-10
FOX BUMPS LILLEY
The Governor Flee! Served Wilh
 Papers al The ElioD.

10 purify politics in this state was begun last evening when Deputy Sheriff John w. Hut of New Haven i came to town and served upon GOV l ernor-elect George l.. Lilley. papers charging him with corrupt practices in the recent election. For the hrst time in the history of the state an election court Is to be held and It is remarkable coincidence that the defendant as one might call nm, IS him / nose slogan all through the reeynt election campaign, ana Ill rae, .ver since he came to the polllicai surface, has been purity in politics It seems only yesterday, though ln fact 1t is seven or eight years since the bill boards of this city were GOV cred with posters declaring "A vote for Lilley is a vote for honest gov, ernment." The same bill boards ana the bill boards all over the state bore practically the same declaration dur ing the last scenes in the recent election. The party back of the com plaint is George L. Fox of New Ha- ven, and he has put Mr Lilley on ms mettle to show cause why he should take the office of governor of this state. Rumor has it though, that Mir Fox is only the nominal com plainant, and that the real complain ants are men who opposed the cleo ton of Mir Lilley from the time his name was first mentioned in connec- ton with the office. Men who re- member things politically were re- minded to-day that it was a strange thing indeed that one who has been forever declaiming himself as the pinnacle of purity in political olhce tho man who called his fellow com mitteemen in congress pretty bad names, who in turn was denounced himself by those same committee- men should be the first to come un- der he heavy hand of the corrupt practices act in this state.
 During the past week the law of fees and the court houses of the city have been discussing hardly anything served upon Mir Lilley a week ago last evening demanding him to show reasons why he should be declared governor of this state, but so out rageous seemed the rumor that few lawyers could be found to give it the slightest credence. George l.. Fox, alleged author of the corrupt practices act was looked upon as a joke and if was said that even If such papers were served upon the governor-elect, a hearing upon them would +n npt,ipO
 IL was said that Martin Parkinson member of the republican state committee and of the local town committee was guilty. in the name of MT Lilley. of corrupt practices and when this rumor was inquired into his own alleged statement in a newspaper office was based as the foundation of the report. This state ment was made in connection with an alleged Lilley club In the back room of a saloon on Baldwin street the same which was raided one Sun day afternoon and some men arrest ed therein. MT Parkinson is report ed to have said at that time "Oh it's all right, this is a Lilley club we're all republicans here" The en- tertainment given in the club that Sunday. the beer that was consumed he cigars and pipes that were smoked were paid for. it was said then by money furnished by Mr Iil- icy, or by the republican town com mittee. Whether this is so or not, will be brought out in the election court trial of the charges instituted against MT Lilley
 It was said also during the week that William II. Sault. who was pre- sumably appointed messenger in the house of representatives in Washing ton by MT Lillev, was embroiled in the charges, on account. it was said oi his having made certain statements to certain parties in the name of Mir 1.illey. But it transpires that Mir Sault's name is not mentioned in the papers.
 Lawyers look upon the whole as a joke. Said Attorney John ONeill this morning in an off hand way. "I don't know what the penalty for cor rupt practices ill an election is, nor if there Is any penalty, but I guess it is all rot anyway. The idea of trying to put our politics in the same place as English politics makes ma laugh. Why it was only a short time ago that | read of an election In England. Some laddybuck was running for member of parliament and he gave a dinner to some of the boys and begad under every plate was hundred pound note. That s purity in English politics.
 Lawyers say that this corrupt practices act is like a COW without horns or dog without tail, in that 1t is not half complete, and they say that even if the charges against Mr T.illey are proved he cannot under the law be prevented from assuming the governorship of this state. While the law provides that the governor can declare void the election of any candidate for public office found guilty of corrupt practices, the can ddate for governor himself even if in the same box cannot be prevent cd from taking office. In his case the law is very lame. IL provides that the election court. which must consist of two judges of the super for court, must file their finding with the secretary of the state and that ends it. The law does not state what the secretary of state shall do after he receives the finding of the election court. The procedure is this:
 Any person. acting in good faith rcc course. may bring charges against any candidate for public office. be- fere a judge of the superior court The charges must be in writing and sworn to This iudpa acuuaintc the