The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1915-10-22
FORLORN HOPE Of
QUINN & BEALL
Pres. Wilson Not Likely In.
tercede in Behalf of Con-
victed Election Officers
THEIR CASE REVIEWED
Conspiracy Under Provision
Known as Grandfather
Clause Plainly Proven

.TnE action Of the court Of appeals
\ in confirming the sentence imposed
ON Frank Quinn and j. j Bcnl. the
Kmcnshrr county election officers
convicted In the federal court Of con.
spimcy toprryent United states citizens
from voting, calls To mind again one
" the musl interesting cases Okla.
homu has known
The -uggr,liuu I'm various county pa.
urrs that the men be- given prrsi
duIul pardon on the ground that they
were forced by state law 10 commit
the crime and that Il was not then
known that the grandfather provision
was unconstitutional Ignores the true
facts Goo the case
lIrull and Quinn were convicted, not
hemu-r they enforced the state clec-
tipu law known Ms the grandfather
clause but because they outragcously
ignored the plain provisions. Of that
uw md very flugrnutly denied United
states citizens the right 10 cast vote
for Emitted Stntes officer as provided
by tnpt law.
\n Honest DelusiOn PmCturrd
Ihi, statement may amaze good
many people who have been laborlng
undrr am honest dclusion with respect
to 'ho matter. The trial " the case
disclosed series " circumstances
Rpull and Quinn were the Democrat"
election officers IN Il precinct In King
fisher county In or adjacent 10 Dover
township Resident In that township
were number Of substantial and well
educated negro citizens and property
owners. 4 number ~ them were pros
porous farmers, and among the mum
hrr was at least one school teacher.
graduate ~ number uf colleges
These negro citizens offered them.
SELVES 10 vote early In the morning
The system inalHurntcd 10y Rrnll and
Quinn was 10 have each applicant
write out II long test, consuming hours
of time. In this way they expected to
make II eimpossibIe far more than a
| half dozen negroes 10 vote during the
entire day. The n,groes mentioned,
acting under advice offered to make
affidavit to their qualifications IN the
manner and form provided by law
touching all other qualifications NJ the
voter This was summarily rejected.
Practice Was General
Parcnthctically, II may be- etntcd
| that the tactics pursued by Bcnl and
/ Quinn were prarliccd In every negro
precinct throughout the state. The
Democratic officials Of the precinct
would herd In few ~ their own stool
pigeons 10 take the test aud these
would hold the booth for hours, thus
preventing the regularly qualified ne.
gro voters from casting their ballots.
The Dover township negroes left the
precinct hut returned later In the day
aud offered 10 comply with the rpquir T.
mcnts II Hcall and Quinn They were
refused The evidence. IN the trial Of
the ease. showed conclusiycly that the
defendants were not attempting to com.
/ ply with the provisions Of the grand
father clause, hut were seeking 10 pre-
vent every negro from voting regard
less of his qualifications that con.
,plrncy 10 that end existed
Thcwrttcn tests of number "
negroes who had been rejected wcr
Offered In evidence. These. In many In
stances, showed superior education Ia
that possessed by the election officers
both ~ to writing and spelling and
construction " the constitution one
was rejected because IN beautiful
exhibition NJ handwriting aud gram
mar he used the word labor" where
"lnhorcr" should have been used
Why Government Stepped In
The federal court took Jurisdiction
because congressman, federal officers
We're being voted on The grandfather
clause, nor any other provision NJ the
state law was assallcd The prosecut
ing attorney refused 10 proceed In any
case against the election official,
where there was even substantial
compliance with the provisions NJ rho
state law; where the negro citizen,
were afforded n measurable opp0rtu
nifty tO prove their qualifications under
that law. and proving them, were per
mltted to cast their vote, as It pro
vlded they might do
In his charge 10 the jury the court
Judge Cotteral declared the grnndfa
ther clause unconstitutional. hut sal,
that II the Jury was convinced thai
the defendants were consClentiously nj
tempting to fairly enforce the provis
Ions Of the state law then they showed
no criminal intents and should be az
quilted; hut n the jury was convince,
that they were conspiring 10 proven
qualified voters from exercising IN,
franchise and their constitutions
rights 10 vote for federal officer
then they should be- convicted
Pretended Preseniment
The OklnhOman recently In pre-
tending TO present the facts In conncc
I tlon with this case, said:
j - The facts relative 10 Quinn and