Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-12-07
FLORIDA.

The Florida Board of Canvs ssers re-
convened at ten on the morning of the
28th. As the opening of the sealed pack
| ages was proceeded with the Republicans
gave notice that they would contest the
vote in nineteen counties, and the Demo-
Gratis gave notice of contest in nine cOun-
ties. The result of the Electoral vote as
read from the face of the returns show
Republican maiorities of I, AGO and Demo
cratic ma jOrities of 7,41S. Dade County
was not yet in. The Democrats claimed
twenty-three omitted votes in Clay County,
which appeared on the face of the return
from that county, but were not added up
in the general result because. it was not
in evidence that the inspectors and clerk
were sworn. The Democrats had certi-
fed copy of the returns from Baker
/ County, which gave them a majority Of
ninety-four, but a new return was read by
the Board which, by throwing out sew
eral Democratic precincts, give forty-on
Republican majority. At the evening
/ session AIr. Pasco, for the Democrats, de-
manded to know if the Board had not re-
oeived another return from Baker County
than the one which had been read. He
charged that the returns from that county
had been suppressed, and others sub
stituted therefor. The Secretary sub
! sequently read the returns, which the AS
sociated Press report says were signed
by the Clerk and Justice and prop
erly attested, and which gave Demo-
cratic majority of ninety five. 1t appears
that two returns, one signed as above and
another signed by the Judge and Sheriff
and Justice, were sent up. With the first
return admitted the Tilden Electors would
have lis majority. With both returns,
/ held subject to future decision, the Dem
ocrats had two Electors by five majority,
one by three majority, and the Republi-
cans have one Elector by one majority.
Several afidavits were presented by the
Democrats before the Board of Canvassers
on the 22d ult. in support of their claim
of fraud in Archer precinct in Alachua
County. The returns show 53S votes cast
while the affidavits are that only 319 bal.
| lots were deposited in that precinct. The
Republicans introduced counter affidavits
/ from four of the parties-Moore and
! Dukes two Inspectors, and Belten and
1 Webster two members of the County Can
vassing Board)-who had given the Dem
/ ocratic affidavits, to the effect that
such former affidavits were made
under duress, fear or apprehen-
introduced a third affidavit from Bolton
stating that if he gave any second affidavit
he was not responsible or in his true mind
when he did so. He reaffirmed, in his
third affidavit, the assertions made in his
first Other affidavits from citizens of
GAINESVILLE were presented to the effect
that Bolton was drunk during the whole
day on which the second affidavit was
delivered. Relative to Baker County,
the Democrats produced an affidavit from
the Clerk of the Court certifying that
the return which gave the Democrats
ninetyfve majority was the true and
only return from the county of Ba-
ker; that it was the only one that
he had been called on to certify to,
or that was filed in his office; that he had
no knowledge of any other canvass hav-
ing been made than the one by which the
4 true return was made up, and that he had
never been notified that such a canvass
was going to be held, or asked to partici-
1 pate in 1t, as the law required he should
+ be; that no return had been handed to
/ him with the request that he forward it to
/ the Secretary of State, as the law required
! he should do Further certified copies of
/ each of the precinct returns in the county
/ were presented, sigred by the inspector,
/ which footed up ninety-fve Democratic
majority.
! On the 30lh ult Moore and Dukes were
/ introduced by the Democrats. Moore
/ swore that all points in his affidavit of the
I 23d were true; that he had stated the facts