The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-04-26


never was elected to by the people. Whatever
may be the opinion OF men In regard to my mo-
tives. give them facts, and leave my motives
TO higher tribunal B. u. McLIN.
,SS Sat. y es,"gr r,sgr: hon County Before me- James
James Grooyer being the custodian Of the records and
S2g' ssp HSsfI'S He %nS Sns
by % & H ys S and TsS SS to @ 6ss s @
edge and belief. so help him him God ,,. A.. ,,, q,
nsrcR ISIS anu 'OO'''O'0 O''0re me % 20" McIis S 0'
lsKit JAWS W GRoovFR.
CLERK superior Court Thomas county, Ca
The following afidavts from the Sheriff A.
A. Allen. and the Justice OF the Peace. William
Green. and the Clerk. NJ. l. Coke. explain in de-
tail the fraud OF Baker county:
The Case OF baker County.
State Of florida, Baker county, ss. . A. A.
Allen, being duly sworn. says that he Is a citi.
zen OF The county aforesaid and Is 80 years OF
Se year Snd S cG%n So
tial election OF that year ms n Republican. That
after the election. and when II became the duty
cinct returns and make a county return to the
state 9ffccE,ss. deponcnt knew thnt NJ. 1. Coke
county. to Join him. the said Coke. and one John
Dorman. Justice OF the Peace. and mako legal
gers refused to do this. and that such being the
case. the law provided that this deponent was
tho only other officer of the county legally au;
thorized to take the place OF said Driggers and
The said Coke. Clerk desired this deponent
declined to do SO. and said Coke and Dorman
then proceeded TO make canvass and return.
and sent the same to the State officers. This can
ova. father OF George L. Canova who was n
candidate on the Republican ticket for the
said Coke and borman made their canvass. and
said II deponent would not Join thcm this do;
Canoyas open pocketbook and his influence for
the best office IN the state. te.,,,
Deponent further says that after said Coke and
Dorman had made their return as aforesaid
this deponenTt, was approached by said Brig,
gers @ VINO said; tAlI9n unless we 90 30 something %
peponen Dep replied. %ei. let Il rip Th He He then
said. We can make a canvass Deponcnt
when we had no Justice of the Peace. as Dor
man had acted with Coke. Driggers replied.
then consented. and said Driescrs and this
s9oH as Ne coSld go possessiiOn o. ,he ,hc
Clerks Office after dark that night. and
IN company with Green, Looked oyer the pre-,
the returns from townsville and Darbyvilc pre-
cincts. which both gave Democratic maiorites.
| Il would give tho county to the Republican
Presidential electors by forty-one majority. and
this would change the county from ninety-ilve
lawful vcte. After determinng to throw out out
| these two precincts we obtained II blank from
| the Clerk office and then proceeded 70 the resi-
| dencc OF Geo. L. CanONa. and there nlled out the
| return according to our determination signed
it. and handed I! t0 said Driggerss; After the
| formed this depouent that our return was
recognized all right by the state Board of Can
These two Democratic precincts were thrown
| out arbitrarily. without law or evidence or
shadow Of right: and was done % te throw ihe
| Hayes electors. This action changed the vote
Of the state about the same in relative MAORI
the true return. which would include the two
Democrailc precinrts. the democratic MAJORITY
in the state would be about ninety i've. By ex-
cluding these precincts and 10y taking the false
return signed by Driggers. Green and this de-
pon.nt the Republican majority in the State
would be about forty three on the face Of the re-
turns.
Depo1ent cannot stat state the fact from personal
understood to be at the time that this fictitious
count and return and the illegal rejection Of The
precincts. was concocted and carried out through
,9e instigatiopy " and managemSe3t nS Of one John
| A. A. ALLEN.
Se'' q roi' nnI,, oo@ty Before The sgs'crihsr,
aforesaid. appeared Allen, who depose. and On
sworn 10 and subscribed before me t9i' ioih Of April
seal clerk Circuit Court Baker county
state OF Florida Baker county. ss: William
Green. being duly sworn. depOses ana says that
he Is resident OF ne county aioresaii. That
yassed and sent in return from the county OF
Baker aforesaid on the 18th day OF November
return Of the election held in said county in No.
yember. 1876. for electors of President and
That he became one OF the members OF said
| Board Of Canvassers in the following manner,
one 4. W. Drigeers, then County Judge Of said
county. came 10 the house OF this derOnent
who lived some three miles from sqnderson
and nsked this deponent II he this deponent
would accept the appointment OF Justice Of the
Peace. This was the first intimation that de-
ponont had of any such appointment. De-
pouent replied to said Driggers. after some
hesitation, thathc this deponeni would accept
commi-sion out Of his pocket and handed ii to
this drponent who accepted H. hut paid nc
fees for the issuing OF the same. said Driggers
then told tins deponent that h. wanted depO-
nent - ~ - Sandcrsun on the noAt day Mon
day. the l3h day Of November, is7Gl and as
THIS deponent consented and went TO san
derson on Monday and arrived there about
noon. That on his arrival there deponcnt met
said Driggers at which meeting said Drggers
informed deponent that the Clerk, one VI. l.
Coke. and John Dorman had made one can.
voss. and that we were benten. and that We
"Hows' He replied. II you vii hclpus max,
then consenisd. We waited until We could gr
possession of tho Clerks Office. which was
about dark. said Driggors, \. A. Allen. Hnc
this deponent then met At the Clerks oiiiee ano
gers did the talking and looking at the re-
turns. and depOnent merely glanced AT them
but took Drggerss word for what was contained
in the precinct returns ,Spld DrlSgers said e
1t would give the county to the Republicans. i
was then consented that these Two pre- inc,'
shOul be thrown out and we procured blaul
return from the Clerks Olicr. and then pro
cecded 10 the house of Geo. j. CuuOva. whcr,
the return was filled ont by said Allen accord
| ing 10 our determination, and signed by al
three and handed TO SAID Drlggcrs.
These two precincts Were thrown ont nrht
trnrily. without law or evidence, and dun'
simply to give the county TO the Repnhlicans
Dcponcnt further says that he ia still Justice %
tho Peace. but has performed no official ac
since said time. except to marry one couple.
WILLIAM GREEN,
| Ami. 1873 JOns MClyrn,
iSeal Justice OF the Peace.
state Ot Fiorido county Of Iurai sS: Martll
J. Coke, being duly sworn, dcpQscs ana say
that he now resides in the city Of Jacksonville
| in said county Of Dsval. and II iorty-ihfcry year
Of ngc That he was the County Clerk OF Bake
county Fla. in 1876. and cA-uilicio clerk Of TN
Circuit Court That he was at said time an'
has always boen. Democrat IN politics. an
voted the Democratic ticket in 1876. That la
well remembers the events Of the Presldentih
campaign Of that year and tho events that trans
pirrd after the election on the 9th OF November
| 1876 and until the close OF the canvass by IN
State CanVasaing Board at TalAhhssec in DE
camhrr following tho election. That he ls wei
acquainted with T.. W. Drlggers. County Judg
| Of Baker county In November, 1876 A. A. Allen
Shrrin; and william Green and John Dorman
| Itt-f ft.s- 4 In