The New York herald., 1877-01-16
WHERE WE'RE THE ELECTION FRAUDSp

WHAT THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON ELECTION
FRAUDS CLAIM TO HAVE DISCOVERED I'M
PoRTANT STATEMENT BY MIR. S. s. cox,
CHAIRMAN.
Mr. Cox chairman Of the House Investigating Com.
mittee on Election Frauds IN New York. Philadelphia
and other Easorn Cities was In this city yesterday,
after having completed the Investigation In PhiIadc
pha, and returned last evening TO Washington. IL
expected. that the committees work IS completed,
that report will soon bo made giving tho result OF
their investigation In this city and Philadelphia and
among city politicians OF both parties little interest
Is manifested as to what the report will be 1t will be
remembered that tho investigation of the New
York election grew out OF the wholo-
sale charges mado by republicans after the
paign that Tilden's victory this State had been
procured by means OF irauduleniy obtained majority
ip ,his city. AS appears from tho nterviow gwen
below with the chairman Of the committee, Mr. s. s..
Cox, this charge would seem to have been thoroughly
retuted by the testimony adduced before the commit
tee, and, moreover the democratic majority OF tho
committee have turned the tables their republican
cofrsres who started Tho inquiry, ny showing very
heavy republican frauds in Philadelphia. Mr. Cox, us
chairman oil the committee, naturally feels u deli.
but from what can be learned from trust
worthy sources tho above acts are clearly
established In the minds Of thu majority OF tho
mittee. The absence Of fraud IN tho last election In
this city will probably not be admitted by the minority
but the testimony Of 'JOhnny" Davenport which was
that the election btcdly honest and alr
one leaves doubt whatever that the conclusions Of
the majority OF tho committee on This point Will satisfy
fair minded citizens oil New York. The following Is
the material portion Of tho ntcrviow with Mr. Cox:-
REPoKTER--ME Cox, you have finished your invcs
gatcn now Have you found much fraud In either
PhiIade phia or New York;
ONLY THIRTY FRAUDULENT VOTES IN NEW YORK.
Mr. Cox---You have PROBABLY watched our committee
In New York and know that the amount OF fraud
found here was almost infuitcsmal when you con-
z IL he a. 40
REroRrEK-How many fraudulent votes did you ind
hcrcy
aud these thirty were nearly all arrested and
punished.
REPvKTER-T0 what do you attribute this wonder fu
absence oil fraud9
MT Cox-PrlncpalIy to the fact ,ha. the democrats
here were as ANXIOUS TO prevent fraud as the rvpub
licans.
REroRrER-How this manifest or proven, il
may ask?
Mr. Cox-By the very fact that here In Now York
the democrats acted with the republicans n suppress
ing frauds Mr. whitney, our democratic Corporation
Counsel acted with Mr. Bliss, the republican United
States District Attorney, and 80 on II was entirely
dinerent In PhiIadcIphla.
REronrEK-we not about 2, 900 names OF persons
VINO were ffaudslentIy registered published Ia the
Times OF this cityY
Mr Cox-Ycs sir but that deferred all but 800 per.
from attempting TO VOTE and, upon careful inves-
gation IL lound that ninety per cont ol these 800
really had right to voto aud tDat only ten per cent
tbIrty-were genuine fraudulent votes
THIRTY THOUSAND FRAUDULENT VOTES IN PHILADELPHIA.
REroRTER-And how was II IN PhlIadelphia!
Mr. Cox laughed good humoredly at this question,
~ though IL had opened rather amusing subject.
Mr. U0x-WelI, sir, IN Philade. pnla ~e did not find
thirty fraudulent votes, but We found $4,000
KEroRrkR--How was the syscm OF fraudulent voting
carried OnY
Mr. Cox--Wca, sir, tho two parties did not act TO-
gether, but the republicans had IL all their own way
REP0RTER-Had not tnu democrats The right ol chal-
lcngc2
Mr. Cox--rhe way they manage the election in
Philadelphia Is this Thor so-caiicd 'asscssors--
and all but Of the 'assessorsn republicans
colate what tnoy give list oil voters these
names then TO voted upon whether tho persons
represented entitled 10 or The democrats
have lhc right pcli ION the Court Of Common Pleas
TO strike oil the names which appear, ON good cvl.
KEPoRTEK-And this right oil petition re-
spccted IN the last cicctiOnY
Mr. Cox--rhcy told US at the beginning that all the
fraudulent names which the democrats pottioned TO
have cancelled strckcn We got the list then
and found that Tho petition asked to strike out Il QUO
Names fraudulcnty registered, white the Court only
struck 0ut Ii UUO There YOU have 10 900 votes eay
REronrsn--how is the court consl,la'cas
judges We have only Two.
The tone IN which this reply was gwen sounded
very much as II II meant 70 say You soc, under the
circumstances, you couldn't expect much y
REroRrxR--Was there much repeating" in Phia.
deIphIas
TO uf the exposition hotels, and the landlord VINO
would be a republican, would say. II have seventy
boardcrs here who are entitled to vote" and these
seventy names would bo put down whcther or no,
anu thcn repcaters would 90 round and vote on these
names.
can instead OF democratic election fraudsy
Mr. Cox--As am the chairman oi the committee
II would hardly become me to say what our report
viii bo before II Is ready to be submitted 10 the House
Tor It's action.
m order to make apparent tho significance OF tho
figures adduccd by Mr. Cox, Is necessary add that
Hartraut carried Pennsy yvana by $4,000 majority, and
If really 80 900 Illegal fraudulent votes were IN
the CITY OF Bronerlv Love- then the democrats must
have carried the state by IL 900 votes. Inis the
precise significance OF the figures AS sivcn by Mr. Cox
ana the question Is whether tho republicans who
started the inquiry viii be satisfied with show
ing? Before ending the interview Mr.. Cox was asked
what he thought oi the Presidential situation ana no
replied that impossible tell until inc ioint
committee on the count had reported, but hc added
that soon the excitement In Wash ington woula be
great and vast concourse Of people might bc ex-
pcced. as tho Tine tor holding Tie WAS drawing