Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-09-28
UTTERLY FALSE"
SAYS Mr.. M TAGUE
Election Board Member So
characterizes Statements by
Former Sheriff Harrigan.

Declaring that the statements OF
former Sheriff William Harrigan
fnas he was robbed Of the nonnina-
tian for sheriff on the Democratic
ticket. are not only utterly false
and a reflection upon the integrity OF
honors BILE and efficient election on
sicers, but in a sense an attack upon
The Geran law. the C0urt of Common
Pleas and the County Board Of Eiec-
tiens. William G. McTag1ie, of the
lioafnty Board of Elections, takes the
matter up in specific reply.
I'm Justice to the thirteen hundred
election officials in the County of
Essex, I take issue with Mr. William
Harrigan, the defeated candidate for
sl1erif, who ran on the Democratic
ticket at the primaries" says Mr..
McTague
an Saturdays News there appeared
a statement made by Mr.. Harrigan
which, in effect. charges every election
ofIeer in the county with having conf
mgtted a criminal act OH primary day.
.sNr. Harrigan makes the serious
charge that he was robbed of the
nomination, that ballots cast for him
were not counted, and that votes cast
for him were counted for Mr.. Bracken.
Every right thinking voter in the
county, I am sure, deplores these
statements. Such unreasonable gem
eral charges, hearsaY evidence on
their face. should not have been made
nv Mr. Harrigan, nor should they De
made by any defeated candidate with
out absolute proof. AS one who knows
personally most of the election officers
In the county, one who knows what
! fine body of honest, respectable citl-
gems they are I am positively assured.
that the charges are utterly false Wild
vsporings | term his statement.
CaIibre Of Election Officers.
n,rhe election officials in this county
are chosen. as provided by the Geran
act from a list OF names OF persons
who have passed an examination
conducted by the Civil Service Com
mission. The list Of names is sent
TO the Judges of the Court Of Com.
n1on Pleas and to the County Board
az Elections. The County Board OF
Elections is a bipartisan board COM
posed of two members of the Demo
cratic and Republican, parties ap-
pointed by the Governor. The names
If All persons in THE civil service INST
are placed in ballot boxes, the hrst
name drawn in each district. Hepup-
lican and Democrat, RECEIVES the APP
pojntment. The drawing Is III open
court. The vast majority OF election
officisis are not members of any po-
lisinal organization and they GER
tainIy are not controlled by any per
aof. or machine.
Enough Mr. Harrigan charges
are without doubt not based on
fact, they should not be permitted to
mas unanswered and uuchallensed.
They are direct assault on the
terax1 act, the most advanced leB1s-
lntion pertaining to the regulation OF
elections passed in the United states
and for which the Democratic party
in New Jersey rightfnlly claims and
Justly deserves great credit. Any
person who has had anything to do
with elections since the passage OF
the Geran act will unqua lifiedly pro
nounce it a success. Furthermore,
ihese charges place the judges of the
Court of Common Pleas and the
county Board OF Elections on tno de-
fensiye They are by law given direct
supervision over the election officials
and the conduct of elections.
-Trf therefore,, as a member or the
County Board of Elections, | call
ilN6n Mr. 1Iafrisan to present his
charges and produce his proofs to
ebe end that the election officials
"a, the county of Essex be indicated
ef the charges made by him If they
are not guilty. and of Which am
confident they are moi, and that the
few dishonest officers. If any there
be- may be punished. do not main-
tair that here and there dishonest
election Office. may not be found,
but / do assert chat there il not a
crooked bosrd of electors in the
connty."