Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-09-01
HUDSON ELECTION
FIGHT ON BEFORE
JUSTICE SWAYzE
Authorities Also Investi-
eating Alleged Thefts of
Letters from Mail.

Postoffice Inspector Entmann is today
investigating the charges of the Pro-
gressive Republican party in Hudson
county that the failure of sev~enty-f1ve
of its election officers to answer by mail
the questions prescribed by Law was due
to a robbing of the mails and the des-
truction Of the election blanks they sent
to the County Board Of Election. Mean
while. the County Election Board is
guarding its records and allowing no
one to examine them, and the Rother-
ham, or Regular Republican faction, Ia
making efforts to prevent the issuance
of writs. rules for which were granted
by Justice Swayze last night, and which
are returnable before the Supreme
Court at Trenton on September 8.
George L. Record, leader of the Pro-
gressive Republican faction, and Mer-
rift Lane, attorney for that party, mo-
tored TO the home of Supreme Court
Justice Francis J. Swayze, in this city,
last night, and were granted by the
Justice q writ of certiorari to declare in
valid the rejection of the Progressive
election officers In Hudson county, a
rule to show AUS why a writ of man
danus should not be issued compelling
the Hudson County Board Of Elections
to permit the Progressive party's off,
GERS to examine the books and records
of the board, and a rule to show cause
why the board OF elections should not
issue credentials to Progressive officers
on primary day.
The coming of the two Progressive
chiefs to Newark followed a lively tilt
which Mr.. Record had with Anthony ].
Trasso, Rotterdam member of the
County Board Of Elections, and secre-
tary of the board. The fight started In
the rooms of the election board and fol-
lowed Trasso's refusal to allow Record
to examine records of the board refer
ring to the dropping of the seventy-fve
election officers of the Progresslves.
Mr.. Record Wants Records.
Mr.. Trasso declared the records were
in the safe and that the combination
was known by no one but Clerk Streb-
ling.
aaThat is d mysterious!" said Mr..
Record.
Mr.. Trasso disagreed with the Pro-
gressive leader and is said to have
been informed that conspiracy would
be charged If the boards records were
withheld from him.
Mr.. Trasso is then said to nave de-
clared hat the making Of such
charge by Mr.. Record would be fol-
lowed by suits.
"All right" declared Record. Go
ahead and sue. me. I wish to thunder
you would. I can back everything L
say"
August Graf, who was in the cleo
ton board rooms at thu time, offered
to find Clerk Strebling. but Mr.. Record
babe him not to trouble himself. and
shortly after he and Merritt Lane,
armed with forty aff1davits from Pro-
gressive election officers in Jersey City
and Hudson county, entered an auto
mobile and came to Justice SwayZe's
home. The afidavits declared that
they had mailed their election blanks
to the Board of Elections. 1t was be-
cause of alleged failure on the part OF
the Progressive election officers to mall
these blanks that they were ousted by
the election board and members of the
Rotterdam faction appointed in their
places.
Postal investigation Begins.
Postoflce Inspector Entmann was to-
day furnished with affldavits from the
deposed election officers, as well as
with an affidavit from Commissioners
August Graf that he did not receive
the certificates. The Progressives are
charging that the malls were robbed
and the certificates destroyed.
Following the investigation Of the
postofice inspector his findings will be
laid before a United States commits
sioner and indictments against those
involved In the alleged robbing Of the
mail will be sought from the Federal
grand jury.
Meanwhile the County Board of
Elections is allowing no n TO xam-
Inc its records. Commissioners John
| Zeller, Thomas F.. X. Griffin and An
thony Trasso have given the orders
| regarding the Keeping Of the records
secret. Mr.. Graf. who is a Dickinson
lite, is said not to approve of this
action.