The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-11-03
ELECTION QUIET
IN NEW YORK CITY
Voting Is Rapid Though Ballot
Is UnwieIdy.
BARNARD VOTES EARLY.
Both Hearst and Gaynor Vote Late
in the Afternoon = President
Taft's Son Watched Political
Game in Automobile.

} New York, November 1.-The features of
todavs election were the general absence
of disorder and the rapidity with which
the vote was cast, Notwithstanding the
unwieldy and complicated ballots.
Although many arrests were made for
violation of the election laws, the greater
part of these were found to be due to
clerical errors of misunderstandings. The
professional repeater and the guerilla
were chiefly notable by their absence.
Credit for this satisfactory state Of affairs
was given largely to the new signature
law, put into practice for the first time
in a municipal election.
If ever a New York election was we'll
watched, 1t was today. Every polling
place had Its full quota of watchers. in
Guiding nearly 1000 college students from
Columbia, Yale, Princeton and other near
by institutions, who were distributed
throughout the greater city. The entire
police of 1o,10o men was on duty before
daylight, the majority of them at the
polling places, with squads Of plain
clothes scouts and detectives ready for
any emergency.
Robert Taft Busy.
Robert A. Taft, the Presidents son.
who was among the earliest college men
to volunteer as a watcher. was stationed
early in the day at Third avenue poll
ing place. His presence, however. proved
such an attraction to the east side crowd
that the police were called upon to dis
perse the spectators, and young Taft was
transferred to work as a republican
scout" For the remainder of the day he
spent his time hurrying by automobile
from voting place to voting place, cover
ing reports of trouble and witnessing the
playing of the political game in hundred
different corners of the greater city.
Elihu Root, Jr., also studied the election
system of the city as a scout-watcher.
Today's weather, despite the gloomy
representations of the weather man yes
terday. was all that could be desired.
Somewhat cloudy in the forenoon the aft
ernoon weather proved clear and cool,
with the crisp tang of autumn tempered
by light breeze.
Barnard Votes Early.
Otto T. Barnard, the republican NOM
inee for the mayoralty. voted early this
morning
Both Hearst and Justice Gaynor were
more tardy about their ballots. Mr..
Hearst voted in an uptown garage shortly
after noon and Justice Gaynor appeared
at a little Brooklyn tailor shop where he
cast his ballot only an hour before the
time assigned for the polls to close.
The betting odds, which had made JUS
! tice Gaynor 1-to-2 favorite last night
advanced still more in his favor during
the day. BY the time the polls closed
| Gaynor money went begging at / to g.
| There was far less confidence among the
bettors, however, as to the remainder of
the democratic ticket, and the Gaynor
men demanded slight odds on the entire
city ticket. With Gaynor quoted at to 8
Barnard money asked to l, and Hearst
dropped to to 1. Herbert Parsons, the
republican county chairman, said tonight
the election had been the hardest fought
ever held in New York.
ut is true that this has been a quiet
election" he said 'but there has been
much crookedness. and l think we shall
hear much more of this later. Our watch
ers reported all day long that ballots
had been found already marked with a
cross in the democratic column before
being handled to the voter. There were
other peculiar things going on, too-how
generally l cannot say at this time"
Governor Hughes cast his vote Just be-
fore noon He was in the booth several
minutes and declined to make any COM
ment on the election.
Former Justice Gaynor, now the may
or-elect, did not take the trouble to
receive the returns showing his VIC
tory After leaving his Brooklyn house
this afternoon to vote. he did not come
back until 8:15 p. M, when his cleo
ton was conceded. He had taken a
14mile walk. The following written
statement, given out by the new may
or, was all he had to say on his cleo
ton: Il have nothing to say except that
I present my compliments to newspaper
proprietors and editors"
(Only three newspapers-one in
Brooklyn and two in New York-sup-
ported Justice Gaynor)
There was no demonstration tonight
in front of the Gaynor house and but
few callers. Among others Otto T. Ban
nard, the defeated republican candi-
date, sent a telegram of congratula-
ton.