The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-12-02
FLORIDA.


Proceedings OF the Canvas sing Board
TALLAHAssE. December 1.-The Cam
vsssIng Board met this morning and the
Republicans introduced witnesses in the
Alachua cases.
Mr.. Vance, the clerk at Archer pre-
cinct, swore that the election was fair
and regular; that 535 votes were polled; |;
that certificates were made out TO show
this number OF votes, and were regularly
signed by Messrs. Moore and Dates, the
inspectors. He described with great par
ticularity the method of conducting
the election and the count. Upon being
cross s-examined he swore he was employed
as q clerk of the County Commissioners
about month before the election, IN the
office of Mr.. Dennis, and that q tally
sheet was kept He did not know what
became of the sheet. He said thst the
ballot box was taken TO his Nance's)
house on election night and kept there
till morning, when 1t was taken in a
basket to the Court House. Witness WAS
born in Canada, and educated in the
common schools of Buffalo, New York.
P.H. Black (colored) was introduced
and testittsd-He was inspector Of cleo
ton of Archer; that 535 votes were cast
counted and put in the certificate.
The regular Democrats then filled
objections 10 the vote of Duval county
on the ground that So non-registered
men voted; that 80 men voted twice; that
l6 under penal conviction voted, that IL
inmates OF the county Jail voted; that the
registration list was padded and packed,
the Only Democratic member OF the
board of couRty commissioners beng
removed lust before the election TO make
room 70. fraud there The Resublcans
flied objections to twenty-nine votes in
Nassau and twenty three in Duvsl, on the
ground that two paymasters Of the rail.
road gave Democratic tickets marked
with certain numbers to negroes and told
them they would be discharged if those
numbers were not found IN the ballot
box; that these negroes, through fear,
did vote the numbered tickets and vari-
Gus Others.
The Republicans objected to Jackson
county on general charge of intinlda-
ton, violence and fraud The speciti-
cations assert that the Democratic in
spectors drove the Republican inspectors
from the polls, and then refused TO re-
cave seven Republican votes; that the
ballot certificate was not signed by the
inspectors; that they did not announce
the vote to the crowd or any one
else; that the baliot-bOx WAS taken
hat = q
Of Democrats came and endeavored to
induce him to take it to some other place!
that ne refused To do so; that Ee did not
put illegal votes IN boxes; that no one
else did; witness was born la Philadel.
phis and educated IN Edinburgh.
Ex.Cungressman Walls (cOlored tes-
titled that he did not offer Dukes twenty
five dollars or any other sum to sign an
affidavit introdsced by the Republicans.
He did 20 10 Dukes house with Bolton
to persuade Dlkes TO sign il. Dukes
said he would sign them in town.
When they reached town Belton
and Dukes returned to Beitons office.
Be.ton came out after while, saying,
dukes has touched the pen and signed"
Dukes cant write his nsmei he touches
pen and mark is made for him.
May McCsn (colored) sworn he was
in Beltoh's office on tho 18th and saw
Dukes put his mark to the affidavit
and that it was read to him. 1t WAS
something about the Archer box
being placed on low bench where the
voters could not see; that one inspector
took handful of TICKETS out of the box
and put them in his vest pocket; that all
the Republican votes were taken from
the box at one precinct during dinner
hour, when it was left open and un-
guarded.
The Board then adjourned tor the day.
Papers in the other counties will be ii led
tomorrow, which is the last day for the
fling Of papers.