The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-04-26
THE FRAUD IN BAKER COUNTY.


THE FRAUD IN BAKER COUNTY.
The following aAdavits furnished in connection
with The confession OF McLn and explain In desai sho
fraud Baker county,
State Of Florida. Bako county. 50. A. A. Allen,
being duly sworn, Gays .hss no 10 citixon Of tho
county aforesaid. ara Is thirty years o. age.
year 1870. and participated In tho Presidential
election Of that year as republican. That
proper county officers to canvass the precinct returns
snd make county tetorn 20 the State officers, dc.
h1sasrs, Couasy Judge q said osnnsy. - isss i,s
the said Coke and one John DornaaO.
canvass and return. Deponsn. know that Driesors
refused 10 do tbs aud that such being tho osse tho
law PROVIDED that this deponsnt was tho only other
officer OF tho county legally authorized to tako tho
place Of said Driggcrs ana mako u legal canvass.
The sa'd Coxc, osvk, desired this opponent to act
So said Coke aud Dorman then proceeded TO mako
canvass and return and sent the Same to the State
Paul 3. csnovn, father OF George r Canova, who
was candidate on the republican ticket Tor tho
Legislature. approached deponsns before the said
ponent would not join them this deponcut could have
tho bcne0. OF hts tnc said Canoyas opon pocxebook
and his influence Tor tho best ofilcc In tue State.
CANVASS MADE.
Deponcut further that aftc said Coxo and Dor
had made their roturn Aforesaid this deponcns
was approached by said Driagsrs who said, s.Anen,
do something thcy tmcaning tho dcmocratsl
WIN pee. u.s." Deponens replied welt ,os mrp:" Ito
asked him hov wo could have canvass when
wo had no Justice Of the Peace. as Dor
"Bl Grocn has been appoiutoi.S Deponent
then consented, and said Driggcrs and THIS
gel possession OF the Clorx's Office. We got possess
sion or the Clerks office after dark that night,
ana ~ company WIN , Green: iSok sc over the
the returns from JohnsonviIie and Daroyvile pro-
cincts, which botn gave democratic msjorties.
u would givc the county 10 mo republican
Presidential electors by forty-ono majority, and
this would change the county from .nine.y-nve
%"S so. s .S0 throw rss s oS
these two precincts 20 obtained blank from
the Clerks ONCE, and then proceeded 70 tho rest
dcncc OF George 4. Canovs, ana there hlcd out tho
return according 10 our determination, signed
II and handed IL to said Drissers Alter the COON.
was over In Tallahassee said Drggcrs Informed this
deponent that our return was recognized all right by
the State Board OF Canvassers"
out
shadow OF rent and was done 70 throw tho
asy.. as s,s 'eS ss
oil tho Stale sbout tho samo In relative mejorIies
az . did the county Of p,ksr: ny giving the
democratic precincts, the democratic majority
In the State would DO about nineiy-lvc. by cx-
GLIDING these precincts and by taking The ssc return
signed by Dr,ggers. Green aud this deponent tho
republican majority IN the Satc would be about forty
pepon ON mt csnno. state sSs foe, from personal
Knowledge, but no believes, and the truth vas
understood 10 be at the time. that this fictitious
returns IRON tho Darbyviis ana townsville
prccncs was contested and carried out through tho
\. W. Drisgers and George r. Canova, aud further
tins deponcnt saith not a. A. ALLEN.
STATE Of Florida, Batter County. ss.-l,eiorc The sub.
scrbe Clerk Of the Circuit Court In and for tho state
aud county Aforesaid appeared A. A. AIlcn, who de-
poses aud says on oath that tho above statement is
sworn to and subscribed before me this 10Th OF April
A. ID. ls7s--F. J. Poss, Clerk Circuit Court Baker
county.
MARTIN L coxy's AFFIDAVIT.
State V florida. County Of DaraL @:--Mortn
!. Coxc. being duly sworn, dcposes and says
that no now resides In tho city OF Jacksonville,
IN said county OF Duval. and 10 forty three years
OF age. That be was the County Clerk OF Baker
county Fla, In 1870 and ex-ofcio clerk oil the CIR
cat court That he was At said timo and has always
been, . democrat Ia poitics and voted the demo-
cratic tckot In 1875 That no vol remembers tho
events Of tho Presidential campaign OF that
ter the election on tho csn OF November,
1885, and tho close OF tho canvass by the state
Contrasting Board at Taanasses IN December follow.
ting the election. That he 10 we'll acquainted with u.
w. Driggcrs, County Judge OF Baker county In No.
vember 1875; A. A. Alien, sherin, aud William Green
ami John Dorman, Justices oil tho peace.
Dsponcnt further says that immediately after tho
election he became aware that tho county OF
Baker had gene democratic BY ej major.
ity. That no became aware OF this fact for
tue reason that as the clerk oot tho county, nc
was the legal custodian OF tho returns IRON tho
vote was before Tho returns were opened on m. ION
day OF November, 1919 The vote OF the county was
also known TO said Driggefs and Allen, ana was also
From various sources OF Information this de-
poncnt believed that uniess a speedy county
canvass was had that either surrcpti.ious
or fraudulent return would DO concocted BY
sad Driggcrs aud his confederatcs or that tho
ballot boxes would be stolen from his Office. Dcpo-
ncnt was therefore solictous that a speedy canvass
and rcturn should DO made, and " that view he sp
ped TO A. A. Allen, shcrn, 10 Join dcpouent and
John Dorman, Justice, and make a canvass.
Said Allen declined, and this dcponsnt then thought
tina safaat was IA aal noxuan aad naka a rptnsa