Omaha daily bee., 1911-10-05
REPUBLICANS CHECK VOTERS
Are Making Investigation Into the
Charges Of Illegal Registration.
DIFFERENT STORY LAST YEAR
Expected to Vote for Hitch
cock and Dahlman and All
Was Declared Legal.
DIFFERENT STORY LAST YEAR

Republicans as we'll as democrats have
taken notice Of the charges made by the
World-Herald that on September last
numerous persons registered Illegally in
the Third ward, and an investigation Is
being carried on to get at the facts. so
that If the charges are found 10 be true,
prosecutions may be Instituted.
In making the investigation It has he
come necessary to so into the registra-
ton OF one year ago that names may be
checked and computations made. While
this has not been completed, it has gone
far enough to develop the fact that in
the same locations where the World
Herald charges fraud this year the same
situation prevailed year ago without
causing the democrats uneasiness.
One year ago when q. NJ. Hitchcock
was a democratic candidate for the
United States senate and James c. Dahl
man a democratic candidate for governor
the World-Herald was bending all it's
energies to boost the registration, little
caring whence the parties came and
whether they registered as republicans
or democrats, just so that they regis
tered. The idea was at the time IL par
ties registered as republicans they could
be worked to vote for Hitchcock and
Dahlman and If they registered as demo-
Gratis. IL they were opposed to these
candidates they could be whipped into
line until after election day.
GIarinE Fraud Last Year.
One of the most glaring registration
frauds of 1910 was perpetusted in con-
nection with the Salvation Army Work
ing mems home. AIS South Thirteenth
street, although the management knew
nothing about it at the time and insist
they had nothing to do with securing
the men or furnishing their names.
The Salvation Army Working Mems
home is a little two-story building at AIS
South Thirteenth street. The lower
story is used for an office, dining room
and kitchen. The second floor is used
for lodging house purposes, containing a
dozen beds and cots. From this one place
last fall thirty mine persons, seventeen
republicans and twenty-five democrats,
registered. At no time in its history has
the Salvation Army Working Mems home
had accommodations for more than half
of this number And the great majority
of the people who patronize the home are
transients. They seldom remain in the
city more than a few days at a time.
From this place last fall. it is apparent
that every man who was there at the
time was taken to the booth and regis
tered, regardless whether a resident of
Omaha or Kalamazoo.
One year ago when the democrats were
turning heaven and earth TO roll up a
big majority in Omaha for Hitchcock
and Dahlman it evidently didn't make
much difference to them how they got
the votes.
This is clearly shown by the registra-
ton from the three little rooms over
Sager's saloon at the corner of Thir-
teenth and Harvey streets. For years
this place has been used for lodgings,
the people operating the same keeping
two rooms for themselves and renting
out three The three rooms are each
large enough for only one bed, yet not
wtthstanding this last year from this
particular locality eighteen persons were
registered, but no protest came from the
World-Herald or any democrat. OF the
men who registered fourteen designated
themselves as republicans and four as
democrats.
Registration figures for 1910 show that
from 1919 Dodge street thirty-one persons
registered, twenty-three republicans and
seven democrats, with one without a
political preference.
At the Dodge street place a saloon is
and was in operation on the first floor,
with offices and lodging rooms on the
two floors above. The upper floors have
been used as lodging house for some
years, but at no time has there been
the necessary room for the accommoda-
ton of more than half the number of
persons who registered from there last
year.
But as they were all expected to vote
for Hitchcock and Dahlman the World
Herald insisted and persisted that the
election was fair and on the square.