The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-09-15
CHICAGO REUSED BY
MACHINE CONTRACT
Newspapers and Public Pro-
test Against Purchase
of Device.
COSTS THE CITY S942,5 500
Commissioners Rush Closing
of Big Deal-One OPP
poses Move.

When Judge Cooper gave instruc-
tons to the grand jury investigating
the Chicago voting frauds, he recon-
mended that they appoint a special
committee to examine the deal where
in Chicago made a contract with the
Empire Voting Machine company of
jamestown, New York. For two
months this committee has been in
vestigating the deal from beginning
to end. With former governor Deneen
as legal advisor and with three of the
best mechanical experts in Illinois to
give testimony, the committee has
made exhaustive researches in the his
tory of the entire case.
In January, 1911, County Judge
Owens, urged the election commission
ers to purchase voting machines for
Cook county, 1t was this which led
the commissioners TO give contract
TO the Empire" company for one thou
sand machines to be delivered in lots
of two or three hundred, and to cost
the city s942,5OO. After the election
frauds of last fall, inquiry began as to
the manner in which the deal had
been put through. All the Chicago pa
pers with the exception of w. r.
Hearst's Examiner, demanded that
plain statement be made to the people
or that an investigation be conducted.
In response to this demand, the Butts
committee was appointed.
Begins Negotiations.
1t seems that in the latter part OF
1910, w. II. Barr, representative of
the Empire concern called on T. H.
Picker, formerly mayor of Ottumwa,
Iowa, and it is said he told him he was
trying to arrange to make an opening
for his machine in Chicago. But the
voting machine had been turned down
in Chicago he said, by every previous
election board and it would be neces-
sary to get around" the present board,
composed of Messrs. Taylor, Keller
man and CZarnecki. He told Picker
so it was brought out, If he could
find two other friends" to assist him
and would pave the way" into the
confidence of the Chicago commits
sioners, the Empire company would
pay them $1,000, as a brokerage fee.
contract was made and signed by
the three Ottumwa men and Agent
Barr This was produced before the
Butts committee and the whole story
given to a subcommittee which ex-
/
Picker himself.
In January, 1911, Judge Owens began
TO work on the election commissioners.
Taylor and Kellerman took kindly to
the deal from the beginning but the
Republican member, CZarnecki, fought
it stubbornly at every step. Repre-
sentatives of the Empire concern
often called upon the commissioners.
upon Andy Lawrence, manager of
Hearst's Examiner, and upon a number
| of the managers of Hearsts Demo-
| cratic machine.
Oppose Machines.
| When il was learned that the voting
machine question was again up, every
paper in Chicago except the Examiner
| began to fight it. Citizens held pro-
test meetings, filed protests and made
it known in every possible way that
| they objected to the use of voting ma
| chimes. The Chicago Bureau of Pub
| lie Efficiency vigorously Joined in the
| fight. But in spite of all protest the
election commissioners, by vote OF
two to one decided to call for bids
Specifications were drawn up and
bids were advertised for. Some thirty
or more concerns went after the big
job. But the board allowed only TWEEN.
ty-five days in which the competing
| concerns could make their investiga
tions, draw up their plans and submit
their estimates. Several filed com
plants against the election board for
the too brief time permitted but to nc
avail
When the bids began to come in il
began to appear that the specifications
had automatically eliminated all but
two companies, one of which was the
Empire. Good faith" checks, it seems
were made altogether too steep for the