February 6, 2010

Soapy Smith political cartoon


All a part of a days work in Denver at election time, 1889

In the spring of 1889, Jeff, Ed Chase, "Bat" Masterson, John Morris, Ned Parker, John Kinneavy, John (Texas Jack) Vermillion, city detective Sam "Sheeny Sam" Emrich and a host of others were involved in the criminal act of fraudulently registering hundreds of names to vote so the ballot boxes could be stuffed with hundreds of false and fictitious votes.

"Election day, April 2, 1889, turned into a carnival of abuses. Reportedly, because of their twenty-thousand-dollar slush fund, saloonkeepers were able to pat two dollars per vote. Bonuses for repeaters were generously awarded in the form of lottery tickets and free beer. Tramps and hoodlums from nearby towns were brought to Denver and marched to the polls by election-day special deputies." —Tom Noel, The City and the Saloon.

From: Alias Soapy Smith: The Life and Death of a Scoundrel, p173.







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