Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-11-12
CANVASSORDERED
in PENROSE WARDS
Director Wilson Calls for
Investigation of Registra-
tion Commissioners
Charge
CAMOUFLAGE SUSPECTED

\ police canvass of the Penrose- McNichol
wards has been ordered by Director Of
Public Safety Wilson 10 discover phantom
votes which the Ware controlled Board Of
Registration Commissioners allegc were
cast at the last election.
independents say this new move is made
in the hope Of compiCating the nvestiga-
tion which they have started to discover
general Irregularities at the last election
Director Wilson was requested 10 make
the canvass in the following letter from H.
:. Thomas, recording secretary Of the Board
~ Registration Commissioners:
numerous complaints have been made
to the Board of Rogistrati tion Commissioners
regarding illegal registration in a number
Of wards. In instances where dozen
names appear from residences and sup
posed boarding and apartment houses. they
do not have sufficient rooming place or
beds for the alleged registered voters.
THE Board of Registration Commission
ers in session this day respectfully request
that n police canvass of registered voters
be made at once so that the result OF the
canvass and registration records may be
compared for the alleged fraudulent regis
tration supposed to have been permitted
with the knowledge Of the registrars.
"'The commission therefore requests that
you arrange to canvass the following
wards First. Third. sixth, Eighth, Tenth,
| Eighteenth Twenty-fourth Twenty-hfth
| and Thirty-seventh.
Immediately after receiving results of
| your canvass the commission will order the
| registrars Of the divisions in which the
| fraudulent registration exists to appear be-
| fore them for hearing
| of the wards named, the First Is ro-
ga rded Ms the only Ware ward. The Third
| is controlled by Harry Trainer, the Sixth
| and Eighth are Penrosc wards, while the
| Tenth. Twenty-fourth. Twenty-iifth ana
| Thirty-seventh are McNichGl wards,
/ ,,tatt t.,,, tod nf 10
| sixteenth and Seventeenth Wards, the Off
| clal count of the votes cast at the last cleo
| ton give william r. Nicholson. Town Meet
| ing candidate for city Treasurer, gain of
| about 100 votes on Frederick J. Shoyer his
| opponent on the Republican ticket, in six
| teen wards The count is completed from
| the First to the Seventeenth Wards, ex-
| cluding the Seventh.
| The Seventh Ward has not been COM
| pleted on account of the rather vague re-
| turn sheets from the fouth division. Re.
| turns from the seventh division of the
/, Eighteenth Ward are also complicated Al
| the order Of Judges Finletter and Martin
the minority inspector Of the seventh
| division Of the Seventh Ward was sent 70,
| in the hope Of unravelinR the complica ions
Counsel for the Republican City Com
nittee assert that the returns for these
| two divisions will show gains for Shoyer
| Despite the small gain made by MIR. Nichol.
| son, the Town Meeting attorneys believe
| that when the independent wards are
| reached the figures will favor the Towr
Meeting candidates in larger numbers They
| are confident that In the case OF the Cit,
, Treasurership Shoyer's lead Of little NOR,
| than 200 will be overcome.
1t was expected that John r.. X. Scott
| representing the Republican party, would
| file 700 petitions to have ballot.bOxcs Openc,
| in the Penrose- -McNichol wards but Mr.
Scott said that this action would not bt
| taken today.
The opening Of every ballot-box in tn,
| city for a recount of the vote In the 1885,
| election divisions probably will be asked
later today by the Town Meeting party
1t was generally expected that the inde
| pendents would file petitions today to hav
| the ballot boxes in two divisions Of IN
| Eighteen Twenty fourth and Thirty-frs
| Wards and seven diNtsrUnS of the Thirty
| sixth Ward opened. Election officers frp
| these divisions were summoned by the Re
| publican party, whose attorneys declared
they were prepared to prove there were n
! Irregularities in the divisions questioned
The claim was pade by Organization at
| torneys that sogan Of less than "A hundre
votes for the entire Town Meeting tcke
| will he shown when the total vote for tn
city is counted, II was also predicted b
the counsel for the Republican part" tha
| should the ballot-boxes in some OF the In
dependent wards h" "r"ned. the msilUru
for the Ware candidates would be in
creased to more tnsn Io,0OU votes.
T.. l. ID. Roach, secretary of the Com
| mittee of Seventy, who is investigating IN
| election said he welcomed the action pro
posed by Mr.. Scott.
IF John r, X. Scott makes good hi
promise to file 700 petitions today Il vii
save us that much work." said Mr.. Roacl
What are after IL a recount and w
are not interested in who files the petition,
scott threats about the ballotinR |
the Independent wards mean nothin,
We are ready to join in an appeal 10
| a recount OF the votes In any and a
divisions, regardless Of who won In IN
election on the face of the police re
, turns
THE design Of the Ware lawyers in tbI
move is perfectly obvious. They mr.
simply trying to congest the court wit
work BY getting in the bulk of the
petitions first. they hope to keep the cou,
| so busy between now and the first of lar
uary that there will not be time to one
ballot-boxes In wards where every or
knows there have been fr lud and error
|, This effort will fail, There is plent
OF time to open every bsllot-box in Phil,
! delphis, and that IL what we are afte