Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-11-08
ELECTION FRAUD UNCOVERED
Democrats Switch Labels on Levers
in Third of Second.
TAoTICs BRING our sHERIFFs
In Several wards Delays Are Pur-
pOseIy Made by Democrats In
order to Discourage RE-
publican Voters.
Mhnt thc Lcnhcrr snr.

What the Leaders Say,
John l.. Kennedy, Republican State
State Chairman-"lts my Judgment that
the entire state ticket val pe elected by
a safe majority"
Ben s. Baker, Republican County Chair
mani don't propose TO revise my
opinion as TO the outcome. The returns
will show the republicans have carried
the county and the judicial district by
good majorities."
Louis ]. Piatt, Democratic County
Chairmsn-"There's no use in making
predictions now when we will know the
results in a few hours. However. 1 stin
believe We will carry tho county and
the state"
After having spent weeks in hypoerit-
ical pretense of holy desire to make
this general election an honest and fair
one. the democratic experts in political
trickery started out bright and early
Tuesday to steal the election bodily.
When reports of the low tactics played
by the democrats in control at many
polling places began to pour IN, Sheriff
Bradley sent out his men TO help safe
guard the elections Extra deputies also
were put on duty.
In tho second precinct OF the First
ward the most brazon piece Of work
was perpetrated. Republican voters dis
covered that the labels on the republi-
can and democratic levers on the voting
machines had been tranSposed. The re-
publican lever is at the top OF the ma
chine, the democratic coming just under
it, The top lever on this machine was
labeled democratic and the second lever,
republican. The apparent purpose of the
transposition was to mslead the repub-
licsn voters. Naturally they would pull
the lever labeled republican and a vote
for the democratic ticket would be re-
corded. The democrats would be in
formed that the labels were transposed
and would pull the lever marked repub-
lican, thus registering more democratic
votes.
In the Fourth precinct OF the Ninth
ward the voting machine refused to work
when the polls were opened, and a large
number OF voters were unable to vote,
some Of them declaring they had to leave
town and would lose their votes. 1t was
nearly o'clock before the machine re-
sumed business.
Republicans Arc Blocked.
AnOlueT SCneIIle put INTO execution was
to delay the making ready Of the voting
machines in strong republican precincts,
! the purpose being to tire the voters until
they would give up waiting and go away
without voting.
In the first and fourth precincts of the
Twelfth ward this scheme was worked in
the most bungling manner. In other pre-
cincts it was more cleverly done and the
ynta 10 hot
delay was effected purposely. In the
first and fourth OF the Twelfth democrats
in charge OF the voting machines killed
time by jlmmylng and tinkering around
the machines and did not get them ready
for use until nearly 0 O'Clock. Republican
voters stood In line and waited until the
patience OF some was exhausted and were
forced to leave without voting because
they, could not go late to work.
Special Deputies Appointed.
In addition to his regular staff Of
deputies Sheriff Bradley named the fol-
lowing men as special officers to help
preserve order and TO make arrests Il
necessary:
j. 4. Larson, second of the Tenth.
Joseph Zigmond, fourth OF the Third.
w. r. Plumer, first Of the Third.
| Con Williams, third of the Third.
Sam Hoff and j. H. Kern, everywhere.
Ticket split in Twelfth.
| In the Twelfth ward, where there is a
very heavy registration, the voting was
fairly fast during the early morning, but
fell off to- almost nothing in the middle
Of the day. In the First precinct of the
Twelfth, with a registration of $50, only
200 had voted at l o'clock. Most of the
balance will have to be voted between 5
and o'clock. The same is true of the
Fifth precinct of the Twelfth. where but
1872 out of the 4GS registered had voted at
1 o'clock. The First precinct has two
machines, the Fifth but one. Consider
able splitting Of tickets is being done
in this ward. judging by the time voters
remain behind the curtain.
Judges and Clerks Mix.
wrangllng among members of the
election boards in several precints de-
layed the beginning OF line voting. IN
some cases clerks and judges came late.
Some failed to arrive at all and 1T was
necessary to swear in substitutes. III
ono precinct two election board members
got into a dispute as to which should
look after the voting machine and which
would write down tho names OF voters,
each wishing to escape the clerical labor.
Noters' protests against the delay be-
came insistent and emphatic that the
quarrel was ended
In the Second precinct of the third
ward, one OF the assistants of l.. Il. Il.
Ridgway, voting machine custodian, In
sisted upon remaining constantly in the
voting booth. When ordered out no
protested, but finally he was convinced
that he was not supposed to remain in
the booth and instruct voters, but only
to stand ready to put the machine in
working order IL the judges and clerks
should have trouble with IT.