Evening star., 1916-05-21
COERCION CHARGES
IN PRIMARY DENIED
Statements of Chaplin Brown
Are Questioned by Other
Republicans.
FRANK HOGAN TO FIGHT
SEATING OF HIS RIVALS
Threatens to Go to Chicago and Tear
Up Miller-Chase Election
Certificate.

Statements were made by Chaplin
Brown. republican national committee
man from the District of Columbia. to
the effect that the certificate issued by
the returning board announcing the
ward u. Williston as delegates to the
republican national convention was not
valid. He said also that it had been
obtained under threat from the mem
bers of the board. who feared bodily
injury. and the denouncing of these
statements as false by Mr.. Hogan and
George G. Gertman one of the two act
ing members of the returning board
were features which developed over
night in what promises to be one of the
most interesting local political fights
ever held in the District.
Mr. Brown was reached by a Star
reporter at his home late last night
He said that the report of the return
| ing board in no wise constituted an
election. and that the announcement
| made by that body that the Hogan
votes to 1903 for the Miller-Chase
| ticket and 1.O23 for Bradshaw and
Marshall had been obtained because
| they feared for their lives.
Says Ballots Were Destroyed.
He stated that affidavits to the effect
that several thousand ballots cast for
Miller and Chase had been destroyed
were in the hands of the board OF
elections. The certificate issued by
this latter body. he said, was valid, the
defeated candidates having recourse
/ IN cal aN j.
| lican national committee.
Mr.. Hogan was reached at his office
| Informed of the new developments il
| the case. he characterized the statements
| to the effect that Miller-Chase ballots
had been destroyed and The returning
| board intimidated into making an un-
! true statement as to the outcome of the
primaries as deliberate falsehood."
| Il can only suggest that you inquire
! of the two gentlemen most intimately
! concerned, Mr. Gertman and Mr.. Snidei
| as to whether they were led by fear t.
| issue their statement as to the outcome
| of the balloting." said Mr.. Hogan. And.
| he concluded, you may inform youl
| readers that if Miller and Chase go tt
| Chicago on the certificate of the boaro
of elections. | will go there too, and teal
up that certificate"
Denies Board Was Coerced.
| George c. Gertman, one of the two
members of the returning board who
| counted the ballots. was reached at his
home. Informed that the statement had
| been made that the body upon which he
served had been coerced under fear OF
| their lives in the making of their re-
| port, he said:
| THAT statement is not true 1t is alb
| solutely false that fear played any part In
| the making of my report on the election
returns. AS to Mr.. Snider. | can only say
| that. Immediately after the job was over
| he assured me that there had been no
! fear on his part"
further development in the three
| cornered fight arises in the contention
| of Aaron Bradshaw and Charles Mar
| primary should have been held and the
! delegates chosen at a convention, they
| are the bona fide delegates. They show
| certificates of their election at a con-
| ventiOn and state that they will ap.
pear before the credentials committed
! and ask to be seated as the properly.
! elected delegates.
| Chairman LinkinS of the committee
| on elections said yesterday:
| There is some color of truth in what
| the BradShaWMarshall men say abou,
| a convention. | thought of holding q
| convention. but d majority of the candi.
dates favored the usual method of Sc.
| lecting delegates by a primary"