The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-11-29
FLORIDA.
A Fraudulent and Altered
Return.
One County Kept Back to fix for the
Necessity.
Several Counties Con-
tested,
FLORIDA.

TALLAHASSEE, Noy. 28.-Upon the as
ssmbling of the board this evening Mr..
Pasco, tor the Democrats, demanded to
know whether the board had not received
another return from Baker county than
the one which was read.
Ihe chairman declined to state, as Ba-
ker county was under discussion. Mr..
Pasco insisted that paper ante-dating the
one read, regularly signed by the clerk of the
court and justice. as required by law. and
giving different result. had been sent to
| the board, and demanded to know why
that return had been suppressed and by
whom. The chairman still refused to
consider Pasco's inquiry. Pasco then read
the second rule, which reiterated that all
returns should be told before the board
and the board should decide which were
legal and regular on their face. He then
charged that the return had been sup
pressed and another return read to its ex-
| clusion. He then demanded that the sup
pressed paper be read in order that the
board might decide, with the aid of testi-
mony, which was the right and proper re.
turn. At this point the secretary, with
out any further opposition, read the, return
signed by the clerk and justice and prop
erly attested, which gave Democratic
majority of 95. 1t appears that the two
returns were signed as above, and another,
signed by the judge and sheriff and jus
| tice, were sent up. With the first return
admitted. the Tilden electors have lis
majority. With both returns. held subject
to future decision, the Democra have two
electors by majority, one by majority
and the Republicans have one elector by
majority.
The canvassing board met with local and
other politicians present and began open
ing the sealed packages of votes. The
Republicans. gave notice that they would
contest the counties of Columbia, Hills
boro, Holmes, jackson. Levy, Liberty
Manatee, Nassau. Orange, Putnam. Polk
Sartarosa, Sumpter, Suwanee, Tay-
or, Valusia, Wakutta, Walton and
Washington. The Democrats notified
} that they would contest Alachua, Baker
! Clay, Duval Escambia, Gadsden. Jeffer
son, Leon and Marion. The results of til,
electoral vote from the face of returns wa
as follows, on the highest in each case
] Republican majority Alachua tit. Bake
, Al lDnval $50, Escambia Us, Gadsdel
465, Jefferson 1898, Leon 2,032. sMadisol
446, Marion 596, Nassau 1876; tota
Republican majorities 1860; Democrat
majorities-Brevard SO, Bradford 504
Calhoun l52. Columbia 1885, Clay 164
Franklin 76, Hamilton 2S7. fernando 455
t Hillsboro 704, Holmes, 2S4, Jackson 9S
I Lafayette 257, Liberty Ga. Levy 2SC
Manatee 236. Monroe 81, Orange 70l
Putnam 90, Polk 450, Santarosa 35s
St John l63 Sumter 334, Suwanee l6$
Taylor l6S, Volusia 274, Wakulla II!
Walton 582. Washington 2SS; total Demt
l cratic maierities 7,4iS; net Republica
> majority Az Dade county is not yet il
The majority in this county cannot DC ove
: twenty either way. The Democrats hav
/ claim of twenty three omitted votes
!; Clay county, which appears on the face
the returns from that county. but are nc
/ added up in the general result because
is not in evidence that the inspectors an
clerk were sworn. The % votes will
C c,unted, probably by common consen
This would leave majority of l9 for Il
Republican electors The county th
"a made the only violent lnroad on the Dem
e Gratis calculation was Baker. They ha,
p a regularly certified copy of the retur
from that county. giving q Democrat
OF majority of 94 This return was regul
Is and it was thought fnal This morni
8; a new return was read, signed by the jud
70 and sheriff, but not the county eler
which by the throwing out of sever
o. Democratic precincts give Republic
o. majority Of Al, making a difference Of /
"a votes The Democrats we're astound
r at this alteration and will produce the pl
IL cinct returns to show that it is not c.
rect return. Upon completing the coul
en- ing of the returns the board adjourn
until p. m.