Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-16

Staggered by the enormous growth
shown by the returns of the new census
for a number of western cities, Director
Durand of the census bureau ordered an
investigation, the result of which ap-
Deared in the announcement last night
that gross frauds had been perpetrated.
Mr.. Durand gave out also a letter from
President Taft directing that persons I'm
plicated in the alleged frauds should be
prosecuted.
Cities specifically mentioned as being
affected by the frauds are Tacoma, Seat
tie and Aberdeen, Wash; Portland, Ore
minneapolis. Minn.; Boise. Idaho. and
Fort Smith. Ark. 1t is stated that there
are many others
Tacoma's False Showing.
The result of a second enumeration for
Tacoma, Wash, was announced last night.
The city shows population of s2.972,
an increase of 45.2,S or 100 per cent, over
the population of 1900.
The first figures turned in for Tacoma
were 116.26s- In other words, the actual
1926. which would have meant a further
addition of 40 per cent
These additions were made in thirty
four out of seventy-three enumeration
districts in Tacoma. In some of these
districts the number reported proved to
be several times greater than the actual
population
In ten districts the first enumeration
stn-
rect number was found to be IL ,646.
Director Durand attributes the frauds
In the Tacoma census taking to Stacey
NJ Corwin, one of the special agents Of
the census bureau. The enumerators by
whose aid Corwin was able to bring about
the Hedding. Mr.. Durand declares. were
guilty also.
Durand Explains Tacoma Fraud.
Director Durand has made public a let
ter which he addressed to Secretary Ma
gel of the Department of Commerce and
Labor. relating to the census padding in
Tacoma October 8, and which was for
warded by Secretary Nagel to President
Taft The letter sets forth that attempted
padding OF the census in Tacoma was
brought about mainly through the use of
slips printed by private individuals and
containing the census questions.
These were distributed very generally
on street corners and elsewhere. and were
filed out by thousands of people who
either had already been enumerated or
who were NOT permanent residents of the
city and not entitled to enumeration
there II is possible that in some cases
the names were wholly fictitious
These slips were turned over by the pri-
vale individuals who collected them
through special agent of the census bu-
reau named Corwin, to thirty-four OF the
enumerators. They. under the instruc-
tious of Corwin, added the names to the
ers' or dodgers" TO various houses in
their districts
In other words. the director states, the
enurerators deliberately made the false
statement that these persons were resi-
dent al this or that particular street num-
Der. although the enumerators knew moth
ing whatever with regard TO the names
so fraudulently added.
\ letter of the director further des-
cribes the methods employed by the CEN
sus bureau in rechecking or recounting
the population of these padded districts
in Tacoma, stating that the work was
Gone with the greatest care, in order
that the full population might be ascer-
tanned,
Padding in Other Cities.
The director declares also that more or
less extensive attempts at padding the
census have been discovered in the other
cities mentioned. He adds that investi-
cations are in progress with reference
to number of still other cities.
Fun information regarding these cases
will be made public later. In many In
stances, he states. this padding In these
cases consisted of the repetition of visits
by the enumerator to hotels, boarding
and lodging houses. In this manner peo-
pie who came to the city af' IT the census
day. perhaps merely for stay of a few