New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-22
Mistake in Transmission Had
Boosted Mayors Majority
by $40
Specific Charges
Of Fraud Made
Bennett Asserts He Was
Counted Out in District
Next to koenigs

An error in the tabulation OF the
mayoralty vote in the Republican pri-
maries, which was discovered yester-
day, reduced Mayor Mitchel's majority
over William NJ. Bennett 10 sos votes,
instead Of the 1875 previously an
nounced. The error was not due to the
count BY the Board of Election official.
or the Police Department, but to an
error in transmission of the figures to
the newspapers.
It was found that in the transmission
of the figures from Police Hesdquar-
tiers for the 1st Assembly District In
The Bronx Mayor Mitchell was credited
with $50 votes, whereas it should have
been 500. This reduces the Mayors
margin TO the danger point, in view OF
the possible result of recount, which
Mr.. Bennett announced yesterday he
would make application for in the
courts on Monday.
The surprise which had been ex-
pressed among the Fusion leaders at
the Mayors small majority of l,l2S
which the revised figures first showed
yesterday with all of the 2,06O election
districts in the city accounted for,
turned to alarm when il became known
that the Fusion candidate had lcst 54O
more votes. The almost fateful turn in
the situation encouraged Mr.. Bennett
aud his managers 10 cry fraud" the
louder and insist that he (Mr BennetD
would yet be the Republican candidate.
II made il almost certain that Bennett
would run on an independent ticket if
the Mayor should still hold on TO the
nomination in the expected recount.
Startling Revelations Promised
Mr. Bennett issued statement last
night, after hearing of the error in the
Mitchell vote, in which he promised
startling revelations" when he took
his case into the courts. He declared
that he had already received sufficient
evidence TO justify his prior statements
that he was counted out in Manhat-
tan" Without being specific as to
charges of fraud, Bennett directed his
suspicion to the figures of the I'd As
sembly District in Manhattan, of which
Joseph Lcvenson is the Republican
leader. An investigation of the returns
at the Board of Elections from this
district disclosed that thirteen election
districts out of a total OF thirty-four
had not given Bennett single vote
and that he had received only one vote
-, al lietr
Bennett contended, was a significant
situation. His statement follows:
81 have Just been informed that Mr.
Mitchel's alleged majority has been re-
duced to 595 votes on the face of the
returns. For the last two
Gays have been receiving reports from
people in Manhattan and certain dis
tricts in The Bronx as TO frauds and
Irregularities practised on primary day.
] have already received sufficient evil
dence 10 justify my prior statements
that | was counted out in Manhattan.
"We are conducting Investigations in
q number of districts, and the reports
which we have received thus far dis
close an astonishing condition.
This afternoon ! had an investiga-
ton made at the Board of Elections Of
the returns from the "a Assembly DIS
trict of Manhattan. ! found that in
that Assembly district out Of thirty
four election districts the inspectors
in thirteen election districts Lave given
ne no votes whatever and in two more
election districts have given me only
cne vote. This means that out of the
2&g votes cast in these thirteen election
districts the inspectors credit me with
no votes whatever, and this is in a part
oG the city where the opposition to the
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