Evening star., 1932-11-18
VOTE ASSISTANCE
CALLED ILLEGAL
Roosevelt Worker at PhiIa-
deIphia Describes Acts
I Before Probers.
ny ths Associated Prsas.

Committee on Campaign Expenditures
today that he saw illegal assistance be-
ing given voters in polling place.
AT least three men we're allowed to
vote who don't live in the DIVISION he
said. IT saw Elmer Turner. county
employe, hand ut least three voters
envelopes which saw opened and
which contained So EACH" h
A woman was taken back Of the cur
tain in the booth and given assistance,
but no afidavit taken to show Sne
ance was made" the witness said, add
ing that drunken persons were also
permitted to vote"
Vote Buying Reported.
The committee, headed by Heartsill
Raron. Democrat, of Arkansas, investi-
eating alleged election irregularities, yes,
terday heard witnesses tell or aAegeo
vote buying, intimidation Of citizens VINO
wanted to vote for Roosevelt and liegal
assistance of voters.
witnesses were questioned by S. Davis
wilson, Philadelphia. chairman Of the
Roosevelt Independent State Commit
tee.
Representative John e. Nelson, Re-
nnblican. Maine, wanted to know from
Mueller how ne knew persons who dlo
not live in the division were voting.
Mueller replied that he had been sus-
picious and had investigated.
The session had been under way Dat
a few minutes when Nelson and wilson;
who frequently clasned yesterday nao
sT don't know whether you are
LAWYER or not" Nelson shot ct wilson,
ssb,It II you are skilled lawyer you
know you are pursuing unfair tactics
here"
wilson shouted back:
.eYou are a defeated lame duck Con-
xressmari and you have not been 1ar
during this investigation"
I'VE will leave that to the PUBIC
Nelson said.
"Ie0 Fail to Sign Book"
The clash between Nelson and Will
son came while Joseph Custodio, an
oyerseer in q South Philadelphia divl-
sion was testifying. He testined tnat
100 out of 20S persons who were assist
ed in voting had failed to sign the cleo
ton book that they needed assistance.
Complaint that city employees were
active on election day in the NTH waro
was made by Joseph Kalensky, 1t was
q violation Of law in Philadelpnla Ior
any city employe to be active IN poll
tics.
Kalensky said he caused the arrest
of the Judge Of the election In the
fiYst division Of the ward on charge
of conducting an illegal election, but
that he was freed through bail obtained
by State Representative Arnold N.
Blumberg.
Benjamin L. Jacoby. former Re-
publican division leader, testified he
was dismissed as city employe. under
the civil service protection, because he
failed to pay a political assessment.
He said he understood the assess
ment was per cent Of his $2,5o0-a-
year salary. Slack Of work." he said,
was the reason given for his dismissal,
Sewers Denies Charge.
Testimony that he had bought votes In
the twentieth ward In last weeks elec-
ton were characterized as nonsense"
by State Representative Clinton o.
Sewers today.
Two coiored witnesses. testifying be-
fore the House Committee on Cam.
paign Expenditures ct the opening OF
the inquiry into the Pennsylvania elec-
tions, said Sewers had paid from IS
cents to 81 to voters.
IT refuse to take these charges sert-
ously," said Sewers, "for some people
are using their Imagination. OF course
/ shall ignore the statements"
Sewers. an attorney, has been asso-
ciated for years with the Republican
leadership Of the twentieth ward.
Requests for the subpoenaeing Of
records to determine whether Phladel-
phias voting machines were tampered
with prior 10 the November balloting
were under consideration by the COM
mittee.
Nelson declared yesterday specific IN
stances Of fraud we're not being given.
Called Part Of System:
Wilson asserted he was trying to
develop these instances through the list
of witnesses and said he wanted to show
that the alleged irregularities were AL
part Of the rotten system Of running
elections in Philadelphia."
Through examination Of James M.
Hazlett, Republican city chairman. and
Harry G, Davis, executive secretary Of
show that city employees had been as
seased for campaign contributions, but
both denied that any such assessments
had been made.
Davis submitted to the committee q
list Of contributions to the campaign
fund. He denied that job holders had
been assessed /, 2 and per cent OF
their salaries-according to the posi-
tons they held.
Representative Harlan, scanning the
list, wanted to know how the odd sums
of $20.5o, $500, $14.50. $1001 and s33
were arrived at by contributors.
Wilson interposed that these amounts
represented an assessment OF 5 per
cent.
Blakely McCaugh, treasurer Of the
Republican state Committee, showed
the committee records indicating that
$l05,000 had been collected for the
state campaign and that $Ss,0 600 had
been expended.
Many Witnesses Heard.
A long line OF witnesses was heard
who testified TO alleged intimidation
and illegal assistance of voters.
Many Of them testified to alleged
activities OF city workers 1t was ex-
plained to the committee that under
the city charter, 1t is violation OF law
for city employees to be active in politics.
One witness testified that threats had
been made to Negroes that their food
orders would be taken from them II
they did not vote the way organization
men wanted them to. Others testi-
fed to alleged strong arm" methods.
Joseph Marinelli, an attorney and an
oyerseer in the second ward, testified
to illegal assistance and added that II
at least 90 per cent Of the vote was not
illegally voted the Republican organ
ization forces would not get 10 per
cent Of It.
FIVE SOUGHT IN VOTE THEFT.