Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1877-01-13
[Special Dispatch TO The Baltimore San
The Florida Investigation.

WASHINGTON. Jan 8-The House Florida
committee returned 10 Washig ion This MORN
ing aud the members speak freely Of the
suit Of their Investigations There were bnt
ten counties out of the thir,y-twu in Florida
where there were any charges If irresulIri,irs.
fraud or intimidation l'te>e ten cnuntes were
Leun, Mauiree, Monroe Hamilton. Duy1ll,
h ,ker. Clay. Alachua. Jackson and jefferson.
The committee went into al exhaustive in
ves,igation of all the circumstances connected
with the election and the canvass of the votes
in these ten cnuutits. \ member OF the c"m-
niittee states q the most positive MANNER that
every opportunity was offered To the republic
cars 90 pr..duce testimony g. sustain the
| charges nf intimidation made agiinst the dein-
| ucraiic party 81 Florida, aud that there was
| an utter aud absolute failure 10 d" 81. The
committee discovered III most abundant evi-
deuce of fraud on tie part II tie republicans.
! In one precinct Ia Dnvall county sixteen ptiS-
nuers we're taken out "f Jail, republican tickets
we're put ia Their hands aud were dep 'si'ed nv
! them Ia the halot-h"a In Alachul c"nity
! 2l9 fraudulent republican votes were discover
e,l 10 have been p"lled. In "ne precinct IN
Leon county out 81 l79 republican votes ~
| fraudulrnt votes were discovered. which the
committee, from tie evidence before IT, were
| forced IT, conclude had been put in the ballot
hox before the polls were opened. The re-
| turning board threw out several hundred dem
ucraiic v't-s in two precincts 81 Jackson
| county on she grorni of rTegnarny, although
there was no question that tie ballots bad been
deposited by bona file vo,eIs The irregnlati-
! t. cnnSis,ed in the fact that the count nf tho
| L. Il Al al
visurs on the night Of the election. bnt MAS
| finished the text morning hv conm"n consent
If both the republican and democratic super.
! wilson's.
I, was es,ahlisI ed before the committee be-
| yond donht that the dem cratic State ticket
was elected by 900 majority; that on the
face &c The returns ihe TiIdrn electors Ind e5
Majority, ADD that excluding the fraudulen,
republican votes the Tllden maiIi VAS be-
tween 600 AID 700. II is believed that the
presence of the committee in Florida exercised
considerable influence in securing to The demo-
! cratic State officers the positions So shch
thev bad been fairly elected. The committee
we've rather prrpossrsSed ia fsycs 81 the Su-
preme Court "f F'oridi. a. they considered
! rhst lis action had been just, and the men'bets
| hadtJseu above mere partisan cnuH icTa'ionS.
When she committee l,tt .he Democratic
! State government q Florida WAS in sue sssful
| operation, university recognized ell over the
State. AID feeling of satisfaction aud quiet
~ i-ttd among the people 81 which they hsd
| long been strangers A hill was introduce Il
| ia the LEGISLATURE last Thur>day. ins'ructng
| the new returning board. which Is noS en''Te-
! Is democratic o. iSSue cert afes o. such cleo
| hrs A. were shown d. BE- el, c ell on tle face OF
! the returns This will Of course. result IN the
cert. icAies beiug isSned 81 the rlden electors.
A. Ne Tllirn clectors met in due fnvm at the
| time appointed hy law aud sast their vote II
il shall he demonstrated that they received n
majo'ity Of the popular vote, aud their sciion
certified 10 dne form. being uov in the custody
| of the President of tie Senate, il p<eenis n
! question which must be met aud dispnsei ot
when tie two houses ISocsed % connt ili- cleo
,nral vote II csnut yet hs assumed that the
Committee will he uoauin"us ia lheir TSp"s,
but il The republican members differ tt"fn ihe''
| Associates il will Inc on technicalitirs entirely
A. they caunnt undertake b. G,irs,y the facts
| The resnlf NJ the lahors af tie committee hs>
| served ca give cuLrid, r>hle encouragement T.
| the democrats