The Republican journal., 1877-02-08
The Florida Case.

Ihn disputed electoral vote OF Florida
which At the date OF this writing is under
consideration by the Special Commission
may hc decided before this paper hall be
printed, and With ii the contest IN favor
OF the Democratic candidate Tor the Pres
idency. The case is so peculiar and re
yeala such a 3hocEing case OF official crool.
edness that we give 4 synopsis of th'
iact5 aa gathered from the report OF th'
House committee of inveatigation---
The case for the Hayes electors rests entirely
on the counting Of a fraudulent return oi thu
vote in }ai.er county, IN which 1876 votes to1
1on WnattEerby me county CanVaSSaTs return
which was excluded by the Returning Boart
itself on the first canvass, when a majority wa.
secured for Hayes by excluding the true re
turns i'll other c0unteg. The following extra,
show the fraud i'll this case
1t was proved that /. " Drigger~, the
county Judge, acted with the deliberate and vii
ful intent OF defraudin" the legal voters Of Ba
Eer county OF their votes, and OF making il ap
pear thai the county gave 4 majority Of 49,
votes for the Hayes electors, when, iii truth
and in fact il gave a majority for the 1iilei
electors of votes, thus making difference il
favor OF the Hayes electors of I3I VOTES. There
Wa not the slightest pretence for 50 doing. The
facts are 1ulIy given i'll the testimony Of The
clerk OF the Circuit Court, John DOrman, jus
ticc Of the peace, and Andrew A Hen, sheriff OF
the county. The sheriff testified that the colin-
ty nudge on Monday, the 18th of November
lS.t, invited him to asst t; that at night, after
the cIerl- Office was closed, Drigger and the
justice o.! the peace, Green and himself. Went
10 the clerks office, the Judge haYn" the lev
and unlocking the door, and alone in the Office
~ nI Ia t.ltII
THROW ING AWAY TWO rREIINC1at
one wa parhyyiil precinct, and the other wa
townsville precinct The Sheriff further les
tilted a. follows IN answer 10 qlr4tion- pro-
pounded TO him
luestion-Wh ich ,Iil ,ou lhrow out hrsl.
Answer ohnSviile prerinct
Q.--And then Won threw away the D4ri,y lille
prerinct2 AYES sir.
p.--pil You have any witnesses at ,ii before
Won? A.-Nonc ii ALL
't.-Dlh YOU have ANYTHING before yonexrept
the returns: A.-No sir.
Q.-Why did You throw away Johns lille
precinct? A. We believed that there was
some intimidation there; that there WAS one
party prevented from voting
tl-l'id you have any evidence before Nou 10
thai effect: A.-No, Sir; there was onl> his
statement
Did You not have particle of evidence
before Won? A.-No sir.
Inundated and prevented from voting: A.
! eS. sir.
p.-And therefore YOU threw out the Iohu>-
Vile precinct: Ayes, sir.
Q-Was there any reason for throwing il
onl: A.-N0, sir.
V.-None whatever: A.-No, sir
Ono other reason suggested but that was
there: A.-No sir.
BAREEACED FRAUD.
IN nnyt tl,.a,U ant IN, 4.
Ayes. sir.
Q.-For what reason did you do 30: Awe
believed that there were some Illegal votes east
there.
Odd YOU have any evidence before YOU at
all: A.-No, sir.
Q.-Not particle: A.--No, sir.
Q.-But you had an impression that some H.
legal votes We're east there? Ayes, sir
p.-lou had no proof OF it at all? A-No,
sir.
GLOW many illegal votes did You have an
impression Were cast there: A.--About seven,
think, as well as ] can recollecl
Q.-Therefore you threw out the precinct
without any evidence at all? A.-leS, sir.
Q.-Then you made up your returns. A
Nns ii