The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-04-24
THE FLORIDA FRAUDS.
A Detailed Account of the McLi1 and
Dennis Confessions.
How a Secret Agent Worked Up
the Matter.

National Associated Press to the Star.
New YORK, April 24.-The Herald says,
editorially, what appears on the face of the
interviews with Congressman would seem
conclusive enoughas to the chances of Mr..
Blair's project, but to perceive their full
force it is necessary to read them in con-
.nection with the remarkable dispatch from
Jacksonville, describing the confession
of McLin, Chairman of the
Florida Returning Board, and giving alleged
indisputable evidence that Tilden carried
that State. In spite Of their knowledge of
McLin's forthcoming confession, the
members Of both houses OF Congress are
almost unanimous Ill Condemning the at
tempt to reopen the question OF Mr..
Hayes. title.
The Herald's special from Jacksonville
says: For several months capable agent
has been at work in the State of Florida Sc
curing such evidence as would go to show
that the State went for Tilden, and was
fraudulently counted for Hayes. 1t is i'm
possible to say in whose interest, or by whose
orders, this investigation has been made.
The agent has been well supplied with funds,
has accomplished things that usually re-
quire money. He has worked systemat-
ically, and has had heavy correspondence
with Washington and New York, writing
to evidently fictitious names 1t is said on
one hand that he is in high Democratic en-
ployment, and by others that he represents
the Anti-Hayes Republicans. That he is at
work for some powerful and
determined organization is certain. He has
worked with the utmost secrecy, and per-
haps not half dozen persons outside of
those directly interested know what he has
been doing. He declines to say word
even in regard to matters traced to his very
fingers. He was in Florida during the Re
turning Board campaign as Re-
then been North. One thing is certain he
has succeeded in getting from the managers
of the count the most complete confessions
of fraud. Enough has been confessed to
give the seat to Iilden by q large majority.
McLin, the Chairman of the Returning
Board, has written an affidavit,
in which he says that he is
now convinced that he was misled
in the count, and that the State really
went for Tilden by 500 to 600 majority. He
says Noyes, of Ohio, offered him all sorts of
preferment and reward if he would only
stand up to Hayes, adding that he was
authorized to speak for Hayes. McLin
says he was influenced by this pressure and
| by his strong partisan bias, and by
the tremendous stakes at issue. He
was misled and gave the State to Hayes
when it should have been Tilden's His
affidavit is general i'll its nature, and is a
mere premise of what he will say when oc-
| nn,,ioS Of tbia offHnuit
are in existence, one in New York and one
in this city. The most important admis-
sion is made by Dennis, the Little
Giant of Alachua, who has confessed,
in written statement, to the fraud of
Archer, number two, where 219 votes were
added bodily to the Alachua vote. Dennis
saws he secured the election returns signed
in blank before the election. That night he
had Vance and Black. at his house, and
they destroyed the real returns and filled
out those that were signed in blank, adding
219 names. The whole details of the work
are given in the confession.
The Baker County case is shown up
quite completely. 1t will be remem-
bered that this county, reliably Dem
ocratic and near to the Capital, was
held back until the very last. The
official returns give the Democrats 95 ma
Jorlty. by strange coiliiVaiice VIC C'a.e
was just evenly balanced on prima facie
returns without this county, so that as il
stood, Tilden would have had the State by
95 majority, Or just his majority in Baker
county TWAS of course, important that
Hayes should have a prima facie victory,
so that there would be no appearance OF
changing the verdict of the people.
Accordingly new Justice of the
Peace was appointed, and new
return made by dropping ou