第83章

Remsen City, boss-ridden since the Civil War, had experienced many a turbulent election day and night.The rivalries of the two bosses, contending for the spoils where the electorate was evenly divided, had made the polling places in the poorer quarters dangerous all day and scenes of rioting at night.But latterly there had been a notable improvement.People who entertained the pleasant and widespread delusion that statute laws offset the habits and customs of men, restrain the strong and protect the weak, attributed the improvement to sundry vigorously worded enactments of the legislature on the subject of election frauds.In fact, the real bottom cause of the change was the ``gentlemen's agreement'' between the two party machines whereunder both entered the service of the same master, the plutocracy.

Never in Remsen City history had there been grosser frauds than those of this famous election day, and never had the frauds been so open.A day of scandal was followed by an evening of shame;for to overcome the League the henchmen of Kelly and House had to do a great deal of counting out and counting in, of mutilating ballots, of destroying boxes with their contents.Yet never had Remsen City seen so peaceful an election.Representatives of the League were at every polling place.They protested; they took names of principals and witnesses in each case of real or suspected fraud.They appealed to the courts from time to time and got rulings--always against them, even where the letter of the decision was in their favor.They did all this in the quietest manner conceivable, without so much as an expression of indignation.And when the results were announced--a sweeping victory for Hull and the fusion ticket, Hugo Galland elected by five hundred over Falconer--the Leaguers made no counter demonstration as the drunken gangs of machine heelers paraded in the streets with bands and torches.

Kelly observed and was uneasy.What could be the meaning of this meek acceptance of a theft so flagrant that the whole town was talking about it? What was Victor Dorn's ``game''?

He discovered the next day.The executive committee of the League worked all night; the League's printers and presses worked from six o'clock in the morning until ten.At half-past ten Remsen City was flooded with a special edition of the New Day, given away by Leaguers and their wives and sons and daughters--a monster special edition paid for with the last money in the League's small campaign chest.This special was a full account of the frauds that had been committed.No indictment could have been more complete, could have carried within itself more convincing proofs of the truth of its charges.The New Day declared that the frauds were far more extensive than it was able to prove; but it insisted upon, and took into account, only those frauds that could be proved in a ``court of justice --if Remsen City had a court of justice, which the treatment of the League's protectors at the Courthouse yesterday shows that it has not.''

The results of the League's investigations were tabulated.The New Day showed:

First, that while Harbinger, the League candidate for Mayor, had actually polled 5,280 votes at least, and David Hull had polled less than 3,950, the election had been so manipulated that in the official count 4,827 votes were given to Hull and 3,980 votes to Harbinger.

Second, that in the actual vote Falconer had beaten Hugo Galland by 1,230 at least; that in the official count Galland was declared elected by a majority of 672.

Third, that these results were brought about by wholesale fraudulent voting, one gang of twenty-two repeaters casting upwards of a thousand votes at the various polling places; also by false counting, the number of votes reported exceeding the number cast by between two and three thousand.

As a piece of workmanship the document was an amazing illustration of the genius of Victor Dorn.Instead of violence against violence, instead of vague accusation, here was a calm, orderly proof of the League's case, of the outrage that had been done the city and its citizens.Before night fell the day after the election there was no one in Remsen City who did not know the truth.

The three daily newspapers ignored the special.They continued to congratulate Remsen City upon the ``vindication of the city's fame for sound political sense,'' as if there had been no protest against the official version of the election returns.Nor did the press of the state or the country contain any reference to the happenings at Remsen City.But Remsen City knew, and that was the main point sought by Victor Dorn.

A committee of the League with copies of the special edition and transcripts of the proofs in the possession of the League went in search of David Hull and Hugo Galland.Both were out of town, ``resting in retirement from the fatigue of the campaign.'' The prosecuting attorney of the county was seen, took the documents, said he would look into the matter, bowed the committee out--and did as Kelly counted on his doing.The grand jury heard, but could not see its way clear to returning indictments; no one was upon a grand jury in that county unless he had been passed by Kelly or House.Judge Freilig and Judge Lansing referred the committee to the grand jury and to the county prosecutor.

When the League had tried the last avenue to official justice and had found the way barred, House meeting Kelly in the Palace Hotel cafe', said:

``Well, Richard, I guess it's all over.'' Kelly nodded.``You've got away with the goods.''

``I'm surprised at Dorn's taking it so quietly,'' said House.

``I rather expected he'd make trouble.''

Kelly vented a short, grunting laugh.``Trouble-- hell!''

ejaculated he.``If he'd 'a' kicked up a fight we'd 'a' had him.

But he was too 'cute for that, damn him.So next time he wins.''

``Oh, folks ain't got no memories--especially for politics,''

said House easily.