The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-05-08
BOX STJFFING CHARGED
TO ELECTION WORKERS AS VOTERS
MOVE THROUGH POLLS SLOWLY
Early Estimates of Total
Turnout of 10000
Are Revised.
SET AT $4,000
Louis Markun Asks Re-
movaI of Whole Board in
Thirteenth Ward.

Hints of ballot box stuffing
marked the Marion county
primary election today as a
heavy outpouring of voters
wrestled slowly and painfully
with the clumsy and unwieldy
Australian ballot.
Although the turnout was large,
the snail's pace at which the voting
proceeded indicated that early
estimates Of a 10000 total vote for
the county would be too high and
that the ballot total probably would
be approximately $4,000.
Many voters we're forced to take
as much as ten or fifteen minutes to
cast their ballots, and party leaders
regarded it likely that many anxious
to vote would be unable to get into
the voting booths by the 6 o'clock
closing time required by law.
So heavy was the early turnout
that card tables with hastily rugged
up curtains were set up in precincts
where the vote. was the largest.
Irregularities Hinted
Hints that serious irregularities
occurred in several precincts were
reported to election commissioners.
In both the Fourth and Eighth
wards it was reported that watchers
we're not allowed by election in
spectors to see the ballot boxes be-
fore they were put into use.
Affidavits will be filed in one
case, John Niblack, attorney, act
ing for one faction. announced.
Removal Of the entire election
toaTd in the First precinct & the
Thirteenth ward, 1926 South West
street, was asked of the election
commissioners at noon today by
Louis r. Markun, Republican cam
didate for mayor.
Affidavits Are Presented
Markun presented sworn afi-
davits to the commissioners that Mr..
and Mrs. Loren Small, two of his
supporters. had been refused per-
mission to vote for him this
morning.
The Small affidavits set out that
they had asked information how to
vote for Markun and charged that
the poll officials marked their ballot
for Walter Pritchard and stuffed the
ballots in the box.
Election commissioners started an
immediate investiga zion of poll Of
ficials' explanation that the Smalls
had attempted to change their votes.
Admits He Is Not Qualified
Joseph Gordon, Democratic clerk
in the Ninth precinct Of the Elev-
enth ward, 306 North Delaware
street, admitted he was not quail
fed to serve, election commissioners
said. Gordon was removed because
he was not a registered voter.
Precinct reports on the progress
of the voting varied. but in the ma
jority of the voting places the
voters were willing, but had to wait
too long while those ahead fumbled
unavailingly with the lengthy
ballot.
At 11:30 a. m, only 200 had voted
in the predominantly Republican
Ninth precinct of Warren township.
In contrast at the same time, 280
had voted in the Thirty-eighth pre-
cinct of Perry township.
Voting Is Slowed
With a heavy turnout in the
Fourth precinct Of the Fourteenth
ward. the voting was slowed by the
necessity of checking many regis
tr~-ons because many had regis
tered for the wrong address. Only
200 had voted at IL a.. m.
The voting was heavy, but slow,
in the Seventh and Ninth precincts
Of the Seventeenth ward. Only 140
votes of 408 registered IN the Negro
Fourth precinct Of the Fifteenth
ward had voted by 1890 a.. m. The
voting here was 2 to ! Democratic.
An unusually light vote was be-
ing cast in the Second precinct of
the Twenty-second ward, where
approximately 500 voters are reg
istered. Only III had voted at
1870 a. m.
Vote Discourages Denny
A light vote in the far-north
wards was viewed by many political
observers as discouraging to the
Republican mayor candidacy Of
George L. Denny. He had been ex-
pected to obtain his greatest
strength in wards north of Fall
creek.
Election officials in the Four
teenth precinct of the First ward.
1920 Columbia avenue. thought they
ought to have a POLLOCK, which is
not needed because Of the registra-
ton system. The polls, consequent
ly. were not opened until $50 a. N.
and voting got away to a slow start
with than thirty persons IN
line.
Deputy election commissioners
made few trouble runs in the early
hours of voting. An alleged drunken
judge was removed in the Fourth
precinct of the Twentieth ward, 1904
Southeastern venue
A substitute wa worn in and tha
voting proceeded after approx
mately sixty persons had been de.
layed In casting their ballots
Turn to Page Threel