A Revolver at the Polls: Seattle’s Republican Primary Erupts

Republican primaries in the city yesterday passed off quietly except in the wards where the A. P. A. had taken a deep interest, and where the result was late in coming. The large vote cast and the bustle around the polling places showed how much feeling had been aroused.

The principal battle was in the First ward, where two tickets struggled for supremacy. One of them, led by J. H. Woolery, was defeated, and finally so divided that it sent off and held a polling place of its own. In no ward except the Second did the A. P. A. make a fight. They made by far the best showing in the Second, but were beaten by a small majority.

At the polling places in the First ward there were many dramatic scenes. The arrest of a policeman, the attempt of the crowd to place their own men in control of the ballot boxes, and the rush of events by which the scheme was defeated have yet to find a counterpart in the political history of the city. The sensation of the day was when the chief of police, seeing his man, rushed from Judge Humphrey’s court, plowed his way through the crowd to the railing in front of the polling place, faced the crowd and, drawing a revolver, announced to the voters: “The polls are now open.” The defeated faction opened a bolting polling place, but polled very few votes. A similar scene occurred at the other First ward polling place, but it was characterized by dramatic incidents, and in both cases the regular ticket won.

The election in the Second ward passed quietly without apparent controversy, but the workers were wide awake all day. Two tickets were in the field. Both were alike except that the names of H. A. Chadwick and Carr from the Fourth precinct were substituted for G. W. Somerindyke and Anderson.

In the Third ward five tickets were in the field—the regular ticket, straight ticket, Singleton ticket, McGinnis ticket, scratch ticket and the official ticket. A good many prominent local politicians busied themselves at election headquarters, but everything passed smoothly without a jar or dispute of any kind. The Singleton ticket won by a majority of about three to one.

The contest in the Fourth ward was a long one. There were two tickets in the field and the fight was a hot one from the time the polls opened until they closed. The regular ticket, headed by Jacob Furth, beat the opposition ticket by a small majority.

In the Fifth ward, immediately after the polls were opened, a test was made of the registration question. The judges held, adversely to Corporation Counsel Scott, that if a voter at the primaries possessed the requisite qualifications of age, residence and citizenship, registration was unnecessary. Under this ruling a number of votes were cast. There were but two tickets in the field. The vote was heavy from the beginning. More than 100 votes were polled the first hour, and with the exception of about ten minutes shortly after 3 o’clock there was no intermission whatever, the average being about 130 votes per hour, bringing the total at 3 o’clock up to 650, with the Lewis men jubilant over leading Forrest by an estimated gain of 100. The crowd about the polls was quiet and orderly, and the only threatened disturbance was caused by the challenging of the men who publicly withdrew from the Lewis ticket the day before. Numerous challenges were made, principally on the ground of residence and political faith. Almost the only loud talking noticeable was a desultory discussion between a German and an Italian, each recently naturalized, who in broken English harangued each other on the rights and privileges of American citizenship.

In the Sixth ward there was a brisk vote during the opening hour. There were two tickets in the field, and at the outset the contest between the factions looked close. Several former Democrats were challenged, but all took the oath to support the Republican ticket at the coming election. There was considerable loud talk of “downing the ring,” and about 2 o’clock some diversion was afforded by the complete destruction of a new ticket which then made its appearance, containing a confusing array of names of supporters of both factions. The ticket was prepared by Charles F. Repath, who said in explanation that it only cost $1.50 and he had it printed “for the fun of the thing.”

The Seventh ward quickly developed a pitched battle against the A. P. A. Friday evening the representatives of the various factions met and, from the list chosen in open meeting Thursday, selected a compromise ticket, which it was agreed should be the only one placed before the voters yesterday. But each faction was suspicious, and each one prepared to checkmate the first move of the other’s bad faith. Before sixty votes had been cast an “A. P. A.” ticket, headed by W. W. Kirkwood, made its appearance, and this was signed as expected by the other parties to the agreement, who immediately from every quarter set out their ticket. At 4 o’clock the A. P. A.’s were so far in the rear that they were unable to catch up. Voting was orderly, and there was but one challenge, that being to the vote of a former Populist, who promptly took the oath. Out of the votes cast the anti-A. P. A. ticket, headed by P. D. Hughes, received 190 and 4 scratched; and the A. P. A. received 36 straight and 9 scratched. The remainder of the vote was scattered.

Near the close of the polls in the Eighth ward, a man who gave the name of C. E. Seam approached and offered a ticket containing forty-two names. At the foot of the ticket were paragraphs claiming that Mr. Meany was a candidate for Seattle and King county and urging voters to support the combination. The ticket was a trick. Mr. Meany at once posted a notice denouncing it. Seam surrendered the tickets, which were destroyed, and he returned the money. The regular ticket won in the Eighth ward.