",,, many persons with criminal records, some of whom had been convicted of election frauds, were again and again appointed as precinct election officials. ... Ballot thieves are recruited from the ranks of the pickpockets, card sharks, confidence-game men, and gambling-house operators. These persons have defied the law in other matters and know the sleight-of-hand tricks that are needed to put over ballot-box stuffing, alteration of tally sheets, and ballot erasures."