The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-03
MURPHY'S DISTRICT
SHOWS VOTE FRAUD
Stuffed Ballot Boxes in COnsti-
tutiOnal Convention Elec-
ton Revealed.
ERROR STARTS AN INQUIRY
Citizens Recorded as Voting
Testify They Did Not Go
to the Polls.

Evidence that many fraudulent votes
for State constitutional convention were
cast in the Twelfth Assembly district of
which the Tammany leader Ia Charles +.
Murphy. and in a few other strong Tam
many districts has been obtained by AS
eistant District Attorney DE Ford.
OF 500. citizens in the Murphy district
who were recorded as voting in the special
election three weeks ago 14s have testi-
Ned that they did not go to the polls. The
boxes, Il Is said, were stuffed In the names
Of the absentees. An equally interesting
situation Is understood to have been re-
vealed in Thomas +. Foley's district, the
Second. and Thomas +. McAvoy's district,
the Twenty third.
Whatever the result Of the investigation,
which Is still going on. there is no posi-
bility that the decision to hold a constitu-
tional convention next year will he re-
versed, although 1t was reached by the
measre majority of 1858 votes. The rea-
son is that tAe number of ballots In the
boxes corresponds with the number Of
names on the tally sheets certified by the
election officials to the Board OF Elec-
tons. A recount would show nothing. It
Is q we'll established principle that there is
no way to go behind the official count.
May Prosecute Omcials.
What the District Attorney can do. and
guilty election officials and repeaters, IL
he finds them. That Is the purpose of the
present inquiry. 1t is reported that the
n ~ ~. a
many witnesses and that indictments may
be found this week.
The investigation started through the
discovery of an innocent clerical error
when the ballots were being counted by
the county board Of canvassers. Alderman
Ayman Pouker. Republican, chairman Of
the board. came across certified return,
whose Endorsement indicated that the
twelfth election district of the Sixth As.
sembiy district gave 312 votes for con-
vention and none against. The sixth ia
Republican County Chairman koenlg's
district and the Republicans were against
a convention.
''Niust be some mistake there" said
Alderman Frank Dotzler. who lives In the
Sixth district. They examined the re-
turn again and found that although the
Endorsement was wrong. the face of the
return said sixth election distric, OF the
Twelfth Assembly district" That Is Mr..
interested. He found that the registration
in this election district was 42l and that
the percentage OF votes cast was extraor-
dinarily large. even though Tammany had
tried hard to muster all Its men.
whitman On the Trail.
County Clerk William +. Schneider, in
dependent Democrat. who certified the
returns after the canvass was completed,
was made acquainted with the suspicious
of some OF the canvassing board. Eventu-
ally Republican leaders and the Honest
BALLOT Association, OF which DIR. Talcott
Williams Is president, asked District At
torney Whitman to investigate.
The recorded vote in Mr.. Murphy
Assembly district was ZOO Tor inc con
vention and only lO4 against MT
schneider said last night:
"The only other districts that gave
majorities 10 be compared with TINS Were
Mr.. Foley's and Mr.. McAvoys.