Cheyenne record., 1916-10-19
CHARGE FLAGRANT FRAUD IN
HERD-LAW PETlTiONe.
Claim Names Were Forged, MlnSrs |
Signed, JaiI-Blrd Signatures Are In.
Attorney Threatens Drastic Action
for Expose Of Sfii.

Opponents Of the so-called "herd
law" initiated by the Denver Pest and
its weekly, the Great Divide, were not
granted the privilege last week in
Denver OF submitting their evidence
OF fraud in the petitions to the dis
trict court. Judge Dennison sustained
plea to quash tho mandamus appli-
cation brought by Daniel A. Lord. g
farmer of keen3burg, Colo, to pro-
hibit Secretary OF State Ramer put
ting the bill Oh TIE ballot, dcpriTiag
J, ]. Srr,--r, Ir. Tc-i'. attcr-r"v, OF
c-i c2fortunily to p, cent his evidence.
Judge Dennison gave no reasons in
handing down his decision. The ap-
plicaticn was fought by Assistant At
torHey General Montgomery, and JohC.
7. Bottom, o Post attorney, and ar
guod for by Attorney Sullivan. The
lGGt-named declared he possessed eyi-
dence to prove fraud and rli3rcprcSen-
t2tion praCticed by circuiGtor3 hired
By the bills hackers, in obtaining sig
rature3 to their petitions. una assert
ed that the fight was not yet ended.
The evidence we have will indub.t-
ably be used in some manner" he
said, ITO expose the rottennass o. this
measure, even if we must appeal to the
criminal code. The further this meas
ure is investigated, the more appar-
ent il is that it is iniquitous, and that
there IS 4 sinistar comet hing back Of
il which must be brought to light.
We will not stop fighting Until the
last COWS come home"
MI. Sullivan claims TO have proof
that not only are more than 5000 of
tie signatures Oh the petitions invalid
because they were not certified le-
g2lly. but that evidence OF actual
fraud in the signing OF the petitions
has been found. A diligent search
for the circulators il in number,
who were paid cents name by
the bills hackers to Obtain 10000 sig
natures in Denver in twoday can
paign, discloses that thirty cannot be
found, he declared, and offers it as
Part proof that the circulators were
- "'l qualified electors as they were
sup. o. ed TO be. C.5rar t:h'? csarac.
tors and professional oir"ulators we're
among the ia, he charges, and in
| .Gany instances they signed each 9TH
ers petitions in order to increase
their earnings, in violation of the law.
Mr.. Sullivan declares also that de-
| toctives have discovered many OF the
| signatures rank forgeries, and that
| many fictitious names were used.
Names of inmates of the jails, and
! minors also were found in numbers.
| In great many instances persons
signed the petitions who later have
! declared they are opposed to the bill.
cad were led to attach their sigma
lures through misrepresentation.
And net cniy are the petitions alb
solutely illegal because of fraud and
Irregularities, but also because. with
! he aid OF the secretary OF states Of
| :iCe, they were filed In direct viola
ton of the law" the attorney charges.
! "1he statute provides that petitions
for initiated measures must be filed
with the secretary of state within
four calendar months of election. The
! last day for filing these petitions
within the laws limit was July G, and
they are so recorded. But 11,13O
names were filed July 7, and sworn
to on that date. The petitions show
it on their face. Secretary of State
Ramer, evidently. to help the Post. al
lowed them to be dated back day.
July G and July 7 were the two
days the hired circulators obtained
their 10000 names in Denver-and
prior to that time, several weeks be-
fore, in fact, 20OC names had been
procured in the rural districts, and
1000 in cities and towns outside Den
YER. The bills opponents declare that
this fact. the character of the Ieti-
tions filed. the fact that the Post is
spending money to have the bill made
law. and that newspapers record in
past schemes political and otherwise
are enough to clothe the measure in
suspicion, without comment on the
bill ITSELF which threatens to practi-
cally ruin the agricultural industry Of
the state, and it promises benefit only
to tho railroads. who will be relieved
of all responsibility for livestock
killed and injured. and Of the neces-
sity of maintaining fences. and to GER
tain land spectators whose lands the
small farmers will be compelled to
rent, or lease or buy outright and
fence, where now they can utilize
them free fer grazing.