New-York tribune., 1919-09-04
Charges Ballot Robbery
in Primaries; Will Put
Case Up to Swami and
Ask for a Recount
Jail for Cul prits,
Is His Threat
Declares He Was Elected:
Attacks County Leaders
Koenig and Knewitz

charged last night that he had been
robbed of the Republican nomination
for President of the Board of Alder
men in Tuesdays primaries. He said
he would contest in the courts the
nomination Of his opponent, Repre-
sentative Fiorcllo H. La Guardia. In
addition to civil proceedings, which
Ne said he would begin to-day, he de-
slared he would ask District Attorney
Swami 70 institute criminal action
against the ballot box thieves"
La Guardias opponent charged that
the circumstances in Tuesdays pri-
mares paralleled those of 1917, when
he apparently was defeated by Mayor
Mitchell Tor the Republican Mayoralty
nomination, but was later given the
nomination by the courts, and later
rnety election officials were sent to
isi for fraud
ie announcing his determination to
ash for recount, Bennett issued a
bitter attack on Samuel s. Koenig and
john j. knewitz, the Republican lead
ers IN Manhattan and The Bronx re-
spectrely, the only boroughs carried
ny ia Guardia. The leaders in all five
boroughs backed La Guardia, counting
ch hrs war record on the italian front
to 1cl him a large soldier vote in addi-
ton 10 the organization vote.
la Guardia's Majority 1858
The complete official returns vester-
day gave La Guardia 2S,274 and Ben
nett 25,5S6, q majority of 1888 TO,
La Guardia. In the Bennett Mitche]
primary contest in 1917 the returns
gave Mitchell a majority of more than
1000. which was later TRANSFORMER d
by the courts into majority of GIL
Tor Bennett.
Benefits announcement of his inten-
tlonS to institute court proceedings was
contained IN the following statement:
u DO not concedc the election of Mr.
La Guardia On the contrary. | am
convinced, as ] was the day after
primary day in 1917. that I have been
robbed OF the nomination. The cir
cumstances in both are the same. 1t
10 history repeating itself.
Bennett Charges Crime
The crime against the ballot box
OF 1918 has been perpetrated by the
same criminals who stole the 1917
primary, but vino we're forced by the
courts to place my name on the ballot
as Sre republican nominee for Mayor.
am also convinced that, as in 1917,
sumo OF the election thIeves-well paid,
oy the way will soon be on their way
10 Iall. Two years ago ninety of these
naHot box thieves who tried to rob
'he enrolled voters of the Republican
party, as we'll as myself, were sent to
prison
l shall inspect the returns to-mor-
row morning and thereafter shall ask
voted and unvotcd, be impounded by
'ne Board OF Elections. shall also
ASK District Attorney Swami to inst-
'ute criminal proceedings.
Object Not Personal
My primary object in so doing is
mot personal, but | have made up my
mihd to see that the Republican or
ganization in the City of New York
snail recognize the fundamental prin-
s'ple Oh our government that every
man and every woman is entitled to
o"e vote, and that one vote shall be
counted and shall not be trafficked in.
A"a III TINS, with the aid of the decent
s saVn and women i'll the party, | shall
Earlier in the day Bennett had is
o o.eu another statement, directly ac-
sssa~1ns unnamed elections officials in
",,"nh@'tan and The Bronx of counting
non-eNstent votes" for La Guardia.
!" lhls statement he said:
La Guardia's Advantage
me only thing that saved Congress-
d" d,ah la Guardia was the fact that he
at.N asew hr5t place on the ballot and the
"ip'I.H OF some of the inspectors Of
saecuon IN Manhattan and The Bronx
,sr " count non-eNistent votes. Manhat-
e AN IS no different from the other bor-
Oaghs The city is practically homo
sNSneoNs. In my opinion, the vote in
fa"nhattan would have been in my
'"syr ..Sl mad 1T been honestly conducted.
,ho Inaer the leadership of Sam Koenig
l.s. Nepuohcan candidate for Governor
La.. year was beaten by to ] in Man
JJaLs'an' and under the leadership of
IBvnhhle hnewitz he was beaten in the
-, ~'0iA by to l. The object of polti-
os s' =. organization is to get the confidence
/, th me voters and win the election. That
ae,s we theory on which Tammany Hall
snss, s, ana Iammany Hall would have
it, its"weu w sam koenig and Johnnie Knew
podys' Q, It's mouth long ago, as it did
Renuuy Dlvver twenty years ago. The
and 5"ga'can ", organization in Manhattan
lew, me Bronx is now back on the
Ssn' OF the days of Jake Patterson.
th1oenig must be destroyed if the
Of ffWapi'sans expect to carry the state
. ms;" ,ew York for President in 1920. The
&bs operation on Sam koenig should
eoupps. pss1lormed when the newly elected
Iec. committee meets this month to