New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-28
Moose Leader Says Pro-
greSsive Petition Bears
Many Illegal Names.
PROSECUTIONS FOR
FRAUD THREATENED
Entire Number of Sigma
lures in Fulton County
Under Investigation.

Charging that hundreds of names on
the designating petitions filed for the
Progressive primary by Governor Whit
man and the entire Republican ticket
were forged, John j. O'Connell, chair
man Of the New York County Progress
sives, announced yesterday that an in
vestigation will be started at Albany
and complaints fled with William j.
Cassidy, District Attorney of Fulton
County, WHO'RE many specific cases are
cited
0'Connell charges that not only were
signatures of well known men wrong
fully signed on the petitions, but
names Of dead men were used. An at
tempt is 70 be made to haveethe petit
tions thrown out, and many indict-
ments are to be sought, according to
O'Connell.
Progressive managers assert that the
Republicans were able to put through
the alleged crime because of the diff
Guilty Of detection and proof under the
peculiar requirements of the primary
law. Under the law all petitions had to
be filed with the Secretary Of State at
Albany before midnight on August %.
Objections had TO be filed by 'August %
and final decision by the court must be
given by September 7. To throw out the
petitions it is necessary where forgery
=. al I1fa 20 70
actual forgery or perjury. The only
way is by the sworn testimony from the
men whose names appear on the petit
tions denying that they signed them.
Difficulty of Prosecution.
In the short time allowed this is
almost impossible. because it is neces-
sary first to obtain complete list Of
the signers, with their addresses, and
then canvass those men in each county,
so as to determine whether the sigma
lures are real or forged. O'Connell
charges that the Whitman forces have
possession of the complete Progressive
enrolment and a request made to the
state chairman by the Seabury man
ayers for the enrolment brought 80
response.
"The Whitman forces" said O'COn-
nell yesterday. "saw practical immunity
from trouble and decided to file list
of names not only sufficient TO put
them in the Progressive primary, but
sufficiently large in numbers TO carry
conviction that Whitman was popular
with the Progressives. SO at one min
ute before midnight on August % they
filed a petition containing 4.790 names.
The law requires only 1890. and they
felt in the extraordinary condition of
the law we would be unable to show
enough dishonesty to reduce the
amount below the required number
Charges of Wrongdoing.
O'Connell showed a telegram received
from Wendell P. Murray, a Progressive
Of Gloversville, n. Y, who went to the
Secretary of States Office last Thursday
and examined the signatures from Full
ton County. The telegram addressed
to O'Connell said:
"Thirty-seven of the thirty-nlne
names purporting to be Progressive
petition for Whitman from Fulton
County are forgeries and men who have
not been in the county and many are
names Of six months"
Murray knows intimately every Pro-
/ gressive in Fulton County, and follow
/ ing his trip to Albany began an inves-
| tigation which brought the following
| telegram to O'Connell:
"All Whitman Fulton County petition
signatures are forgeries. | have Sc
/ cured twenty-five sworn affidavits and
/ will have all by tonight, each one will
| ing and anxious to prosecute"
Murray sent by special delivery"
O'Connell said, copies Of the twenty
five afidfvits already sworn to and we
are expecting the rest.
To File Information To-day.
Information will be filed to-day with
William j. Cassidy, District Attorney
for Fulton County. He is a member of
the Republican machine in the county,
and while he doubtless intends to do
his duty, we will see that pressure from
| higher up will not cause him to side
| step.
'"Our Investigators are working on
the petitions now at Albany, and as
/ soon as the work is completed the nee
essary legal steps will be taken.
"No guilty man will be allowed TO
/ escape. We will enlist the aid of the
Honest Ballot Association and Of every
decent citizen Of the State of New York.
Republicans and Democrats will be
, asked to aid in this work, and not only
will we ask to throw out the petitions,
! but criminal prosecutions will be
| started"
O'Connell said that from reports be-
ing received the conditions in Fulton
are no worse than other counties.
Ferdinand Pecora. an attorney and
executive committeeman of the Pro-
gressive party in the 2lst Assembly
District, has also filed q protest
against the petitions with the Seere-
tary of State.