Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-04-29

they voted in order that contests mays
be raised where the tally sheets show evil
dences of tampering.
An effort is being made now to prevent
the well known practice of permitting
election officials to withhold the vote
for any precinct until the canvass has
proceeded to a point where it is known
bow many votes are necessary for the
success of any one candidate.
Delay in making the returns to the
canvassing board is prima facie evidence
Of fraud and attorneys have pointed out
that the election commissioners have the
power to refuse to accept such belated
returns or to remove the members Of the
dilatary boards and appoint new officials
to take charge Of the ballots and count
them.
HELD OUT" RETURNS
TO BE CONTESTED.
Six hours is regarded as a reasonable
period in which to complete the count
and it is certain that there will be con-
tests over the receipt of any precinct re-
turns that are held out" more than
twelve hours after the polls close.
Special instructions are being given
representatives of candidates to pay par
ticular attention to the first ballots
voted. 1t has been a practice in Indian
apOlis to give the first voter in the booth
two ballots. He brings theSextra ballot
out to a confederate who marks it and
hands It to the next voter. That voter
gets a blank ballot from the election
official. votes the ballot already marked
for him and then delivers the blank
ballot to the same person from whom
he got his marked ballot. BY this
method the election crook can mark
every ballot that is voted in the precinct
under his direction and he always has
guaranty that he is not paying for votes
he did not get.
In the last few days desperate efforts
have been made by administration forces
to raise money for last minute use at
the polls. Two meetings have been
called wherein it was hoped to induce
business men to put up cash for use in
the election. Representatives of anti
administration candidates have been
smuggled into both these meetings and
the contributors to such funds win be
connected with whatever use is made OF
the money so collected.
Never before in the history OF Indian
apolis has there been such a large
amount of determination to prevent
crookedness expressed. Threats have
been numerous and there is more likely
to be "rougher time" at the polls this
year than ever before.
Plans for the arrest Of anti -administra-
tion workers as fast as they come to
the polls were revealed recently by
man who was called into conference to
arrange the details, and preparations
have been made to prevent the improper
use of the city court under the guise Of
law enforcement.
The posting of rewards and the ex-
pressed determination of admins
tration forces to Ego through" with any
expose of corruption obtained has un
doubtedly caused a timidity among the
crooks who were depended upon to steal
the last primary.
CROOKEDNESS DOES
NOT WORRY HOWE.
1t is most significant that up until yes
terday there was no movement on the
part of the administration forces to pre-
vent any crookedness at the polls, and
the supporters of Mr.. Thomas c. Howe
had absolutely ignored any efforts for a
clean primary, as we'll as refusing to take
part in such movements.
Yesterday. however, the administration
forces discovered that in the nomination
OF election boards a number of their pre-
cinct committeeman has crossed" them
and nominated election officials who
could not be depended upon to do their
biddings.
Immediately the administration forces
began to charge that these committeeman
had been corrupted by the ants.
1t is a safe prediction that there will be
at least 5000 votes stolen in the pri-
maries Tuesday, but the anti -administra-
tion forces are generally of the opinion
that more than 5000 votes will be neces-
sary to elect the Administrations candi-
date.