Evening star., 1921-05-25
ELECTION CHARGES GALORE.
Factions Make Wholesale Claims ~
Voting Intimidation.

By the Associated Press.
BELFAST. Ireland. May 25.-Whole-
sale charges Of intimidation and per-
sonation during the balloting in
Ulster for members Of the new north
ern Irish parliament are being made
by both the nationalists and the union
lists
A nationalist newspaper cites dozens
Of incidents with names. in which it
declares nationalist voters in Bally
macarret. across the River Laean
from Belfast. were beaten on their
way to the polls. or after voting, thus
preventing others from attempting to
cast votes.
The unionists likewise claim their
supporters were prevented from ex-
ercising the franchise in nationalist
districts. Neither side appears to at
tempt to conceal the fact that Der
sonation was carried on to an unpre.
cedented extent
Many Children Voted.
AS reports come in from the prov.
inces the number of cases in which
children voted yesterday increases
but there was only one anywhere
which matched that Of the child Of
two and one-half years who voted for
Moles. candidate in South Belfast.
That was the case Of girl lust under
three years. who cast her vote for
J. NJ Barbour. a unionist candidate in
Antrim. who is well known in the
United StateA
1t is not unusual for Ulster children
to get on the voting lists In some
cases the parent after whom the child
has been named has died. and as the
child bears the name on the list il is
entitled to vote.
Oftener. however. il arises through
member Of 4 family misunderstand-
ing the election agent who ia can
vassing his di strict, before the voters.
/ lists are made up. to see that all sup
porters OF his party are registered
The agent asks how many members
or the family are "eligible" Not un-
derstanding what eligible means. the
| person answering the question gives
the names OF the whole family. with
the result that they are placed on the
lists. When the lists are gone over
by the registrar some names not en-
TITLED to be there are overlooked and
, remain.
OmciaIs Begin Counting Votes.
Election officials this morning be-
gan at O'Clock to count the votes
. cast IN Ulster yesterday for members
or the new north Irish Parliament IL
was expected that when the canvass
ers adjourn at o'clock tonight the
! results in this city. and possibly
many districts outside would be
known. In case the count is NOT An
ished by O'Clock tonight the ofticial
will adjourn until tomorrow morning
] All of the 3ss polling places in this
; city were busy yesterday. and esti-
mates were made that fully 90 ner
cent of the voters went to the noI1s
Reports from Strabane and Other i'm
! portant towns in Ulster indicated ,ha,
the vote would be very heavy.
Returns May BE Slow.
| Belfast had returned to almost nor
! NAL after a night of widest excite
ment. reports reaching the city inIi.
! eating that many districts in I-lster
were similarly affected. Crowds con
| tinued to walk the streets until II
| o'clock LIST night. in the expectation
/ that trouble would occur. but when
! that hour arrived armed soldiers sent
pedestrians to their homes. Now and
! then throughout the night. however
| there could. at frequent intervals. be
! heard the command Of: Halt, Hands
| up." sentries gathered in strag.
giers.
The complicated system Of propor.
| iIonai repr'SH SHnfatlon prov iIod f.,,
under the Irish act made il doubtful
IT was said this morning. whether tn.
| complete returns would be known un,
] III the end Of The week.