The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-05-05
STATE COMMITTEE
OF c. O.P..' IGNORES
FAKE BALLOT BOX
Charges of Primary Frauds in
Hudson County Get No
Consideration.
[rrom a staff corregpondent.l

TRENTON, May 5.-Though a ballot
box with a false compartment was ex-
hibited to the Republican State Com
mittee as evidence of fraud in the re-
cent primary in Hudson County, the
committee declined to consider the
charges and referred the whole ques-
ton of further investigation to the Gre
dentials committee, after bitter argu-
ments OF both sides.
The charges of ballot stuffing were
backed principally by Edward Fry and
Colonel Samuel D. Dickinson, State
committeeman from Hudson County
1t was Fry who showed h box with
the false pasteboard compartment.
This was used in the Ninth Ward in
Jersey City. 1t was charged. 1t was
by the manipulations of such Illegal
vote receptacles. they declared. that
Rotterdam delegates were elected to
the State convention.
Former Mayor Doremus, of Newark,
said that the charge of ballot-box stuff
fing was of sufficient gravity to be
looked into by the State committee.
The evidence of fraud, he said, that
had been presented by Colonel Dickin-
son and Mr.. Fry should be thoroughly
investigated, SO that there should be
no odium cast upon the Republican
party. John l. Blair Kelley, of Warren,
Endorsed Mr.. Doremus's stand n adj
vocated some action.
Fry and Dickinson were accused of
being o~verzealous in seeking to prove
fraud, as their terms in the State COM
mittee soon expire, and the delegates
who hold the credentials from Hudson
County will elect their successors. Gem
eral Murray iptimated that the ballot
box which Mr.. Fry produced as evil
dence of fraud might have been fixed
up by the contestants, and insisted h a
the Rotterdam men who handled the
box in the Ninth Ward were honorable
men. Theodore Strong, Republican
overload of Middlesex County and
mouthpiece of Davy Baird. leader OF
South Jersey, accused Colonel Dickin-
son of being a New Idea man.
Former Governor Franklin Murphy,
State chairman, who presided, a TO
rap for order and insist that no more
personal remarks be made by either
side.
Both Fry and Dickinson warned the
members of the committee mat tney
were playing with fire in not heeding
the charges against ballot-box stuffing,
and said the temper of the people IN
Hudson, in view of alleged frauds
which had been perpetrated there, was
such thai the Republican party might
lust as we'll go out of business in Hud-
son If 1t did not repudiate those who
had brought it into disrepute."
The New Idea men this morning
flooded Trenton with 10000 copies of a
| statement of how they were robbed
of representation in the State conven-
ton"
Former United States Senator John
F. Dryden was the unanimous choice
| for chairman of the State convention.
| The committee named for assistant
| secretaries John r. Moxon, Union
County; Howard Tyler, Cumberland
County: Captain James Parker, Pas
sale County, and Walter f. Edge, At
lantic County. Former Governor Ed
ward G. Stokes, Hamilton Kean, Of
Union County; United States Senator
Frank o. Briggs n Congressman
John Gardner were named a committee
to draft a platform for the convention.