Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-05-21
FRAUDULENT VOTES.

FRAUDULENT VOTES
one who reflects upon tho curious
fact that municipal elections iu go
many OF our larger cities turn out en-
trcly contrary 90 the wishes Of the
majority OF the citizens. naturally asks.
how Is ID done2 In @ country where
the majority. in theory. rule how Is
| IL possible for minority 10 manipulate
the ballot box in the interest of graft
and vice? For instance. in "a city where
the majority of the citizens are men
! with moral ideals, and even the women
| vote. how Is Il possible 10 elect dive
Keepers 10 the city council and mon
| who are financially Interested in the
sale OF domnation 20 tho highest om-
ces On the gift Of the citizens? Il is
evident that the manipulators OF cleo
tions that turn out contrary TO the VIII
Of the majority, are exercising some
kind Of black art the secrets OF
which are not public property
A contributor 10 the Independent for
May ~. Edward Ridley Finch in an
able article on "The Fight for a Clean
Ballot" shows how repeating" Is done
by which process thousands OF fraud
ulent votes are being east in nearly
every election. After careful invcs-
tigation IN 1907 in New York. the COM
mittee reported that the number Of
wholly fraudulent votes cast in an an
nual election in the Borough OF Man
haitian never falls below 10000, and in
elections considered important far ex-
ceeds that number with such odds
against him. what can the honest vot-
er do7
Mr.. Finch says one Of the producers
Of fraudulent votes told the organ
izers" that he would be able 10 deliver
$50 votes from his district though the
registered vote was only 400. That is.
he promised $50 fraudulent votes or
more than q per cent These are the
methods employed:
His wife and he occupied tho first
floor above the basement Of a three
story house made over to accommodate
a family on each floor Eight names
were TO be registered as living with
them. and his wife knew her role. He
had been able 10 provide some odd
iobbs for the man who rented the floor
above. ana I'm return this man and his
wife were 10 stand cover for seven.
The woman who rented the top floor
was 10 pretend that FIVE lived with her.
In consideration OF tho payment Of her
rent for a month The barber IN tho
basement. favoring "a steady customer.
was willing 10 put a screen In the rear
10 cover a double cot and make pre-
tense for two more lie had gone 10
every one who had taken names the
year before and had urged the necessity
Of the greatest possible Increase In
addition. he had canvassed the ianitor
and the lessee of every apartment
house and the proprietor of every house
with rooms to let. wherever there was
q vacant apartment he had endeavorcd,
and in most cases with success 20
persuade the lanitor 90 say II was oc-
cupicd hy the persons whose names
hc furnished The persons living in
his district whom ne know he ap-
preached directly, and others he app
preached through mutual friends
Those who were willing he paid either
with cash consideration or a future
reward
"a doctor. who was hoping To Pee APP
pointed as Curoner's physician. ocCu-
pied "a house with his father and broth
cr. and was willing 90 take four adj
ditonal names. Tile inmates Of dis
orderly house had been sent away and
twenty cots has bccn sent IN,
and the house had sign as renting
rooms TO men only. A stable IN the
block had furnished cover for eleven
more. II any questions were asked
~ these men. their only answer was 10
be that they worked and slept I'm the
stable He himself was employed IN
"a city department, and consequently
only put IN an appearance Tor "a few
minutes once IN the morning and once
n the afternoon Every one In the
department understood that 10 was the
month before election. Tie had kept In
mind an the year around the real work
that Doe was assigned tn DO. Whenever
amy favor was done for any house
holder or lessee. there was always the
idea that this person might boz OBJ
talned as cover FOR additional false
votes"
when this man had procured his $50
voters. or as many as he could. De
hired vacant basement near the poll
ling place The story continues;
Here De had a helper In charge who
had a list Of the places from which
the names We're 10 be registered
Throughout the four days OF registra-
tion De would be visited from time 10
time boy "a man whom ho would know
and who would introduce to him two
or three men at a time. and these men
would De- sent into the basement. and
there given the name and address ANA /
Information under which they were 10 |
go up and register IN the polling place |
As soon as they had registered thcv |
would come back 10 the basement ana |
would De furnished with "a slip upon |
which they would write the name ana /
address under which they had lust /
registered. and the name OF the person /
with whom they had stated they lived /
ON this same slip they would also sign 1
the name Just the same as they signed |