I had never heard of Jazz in those days: Jazz was decidedly a dark horse.

But the man was strong for him and wanted his friends to vote the same way.
There is a trick that was often used in small-town elections.

When the "reform element" made a fight on the "old gang" it was customary for the gang to lie down and place the name of the new man on the ticket.

The reformer thought the gang beaten and that his own election was sure, so he didn't make a hard campaign.

But the gang quietly passed around word to scratch the name of the reformer and to write in the name of a gang candidate in the secrecy of the polling booth.
Was this trick being played on me?
Were they now passing around the word to scratch me and write in the name of their friend, Jazz, who had not come out as a candidate before?
I edged in closer to the man who was boosting Mr.Jazz for my job, and after listening for a while I learned that "Jazz Davis" was the man he was electioneering for.