The Portland daily press., 1878-06-29
THE INVESTIGATION.
Testimony Of Minister Noyes and
Gen. Wallace.
McLin's Statements COn.radicted.
No Promises Made to the Florida
Returning Board.

httuTuluS DOhEU.
NEW YORK, June 2S.-A New Orlaans
special states that Major Burke is prepared to
make full statement to the Potter COMMITTEES
when it arrives tomorrow, which statement
he thinks will cause considerable surprise.
A Washington despatch says that Minister
Stoughton not being wanted by the Potter
committee, Mr.. Evarts has telegraphed him to
return from London to st. Petersburg.
WASHINGTON, June 2S.-In the general
session of the Potter committee yesterday.
Messrs. Hunton, Mcmahon. Springer Butler
and Hiscock were appointed subcommittee to
remain 10 Washington to take testimony,
Messrs. Potter, Morrison and Cox will act as
reliefs for the subcommittee in New Orleans,
as also the one in Washington. After the
testimony OF the witnesses now in Washing
ton has been completed, the committee will
probably take recess until the Louisiana sub
committee finish their investigation, when the
full com nittee will again convene in Washing
ton. 1t is believed that they will be able to
take recess the latter part of July.
Dennis ON the Stand.
L. G. Dennis testified to-day, that the in-
spectors of polls in Archer precinct. Alachua
county, Florida, in confidential conversation
admitted to him that there bad been 2l9
fraudulent names added to the list of voters,
and this knowledge partially led to Dennis
declining to testify as required by Governor
Noyes. In addition to these fraudulent votes
was the matter Of public noteriety.
The witness was appointed by the Secretary
of the Treasury, as an employe in the secret
service. The instructions received were to
examine the records of the United States
courts in North and South Carolina, Georgia
and El9EaA AtssE rsaianiRegf TIE rs stds. b ht
his commission was cancelled before he en-
tore ita dutiaa NIT =
it had been talked around considerable that
he did great deal of talking and but very
little swearing for one SO well posted regarding
the election.
The letter of recommendation written BY
Governor Noyes was at this point submitted in
evidence.
The following is the Noyes letter:
CINCINNATI, o., April 10, 1877.
To Jno. Sherman, Secretary o the Treasury.
Dear Sir,-I am informed that Hon. L. G.. Dennis
of Florida at present state SENATOR is applicant
for position as auditor in the Treasury depart
ment. can only say of Mr.. Dennis that found his
acquaintance while the Florida investigation was
going on aud found him an active intelligent and in
fiuen,ial Republican. He has been ostraciZed with
other Republicans of the state and is deserving OF
consideration. 1 respectfully recommend him to
your favor.
Signed) EDWARD F. MOVES
The witness was cross-examined by Mr..
Hiscock. He never knew of Noyes having
put in evidence before the Returning Board
anything excepting the facts as furnished him.
He never led Noyes to believe or disbelieve
there was fraud in the Alachua count 1t was
the lea of Southern Republicans to impress
upon the minds of the Norther IN Republicans
that everyt thing was fair and honest in Florida.
Noyes never stated to the witness that he
doubted the Justice of his course.
General Butler then Intercepted the witness
with view of ascertaining exactly his belief
in regard to the Archer precinct fraud.
The witness believed that the returns should
have shown 219 votes in excess of what they
did for the Republican party, and that the
Republican officers had made up the
deficiency SO as to make the returns show the
proper number of votes. He believed also
that there had been fraud procticed on both
sides.
Q.-Did you see election officers using the
directory after they told you it was their inten
ton to fill in the required number of Republi
can votes?
Al saw them using registration books.
Q.-These officers told you that 2l9 Republic
can votes which should show in returns did moi
appear owing to some fraudulent manipula-
tion and also told you they were going to cor.
rect the error. Now did you not actually see
them at work making corrections?
Al saw them using the registration book
and writing after they had told me it was theil
intention to correct errors.
After further examination it was developed
that when the votes were returned the missing
number of Republican votes appeared as
having been legally cast. Dennis finally was
excused with orders to hold himself in readi-
ness to appear at the call of the committee.
Testimony of Minister Noyes.
Edward f. Noyes was then sworn and after
giving detailed statement of various public
offices held by him testified that he was in at
tendance upon the canvassing board in Elorid q
after the cast Presidential election. He did
not go at the request or as far as he knows
knowledge of Hayes and while there received
nathan TO 1nttprq of
munications from Hayes. He took the legal
part in the proceedings of the canvass arguing
cases before the board of canvassers, etc. He
undertook to find out the facts relating to the
precinct, and owing to parties swearing at one
time one way and Immediately thereafter
swearing directly opposite he lost all conf.
dence in them, but finally from diligent in.
quiry and consistent testimony of 40 or 30
Republicans that they had voted the Republi.
can ticket he reached the honest conclusion
that the count as returned was correct. He
had asked Dennis to be a witness and Dennis
had proven the correctness to the satisfaction
of the witness. He did not doubt Dennis
word that he intended to impress upon his
(NOyes) mind that it would not be safe for
him to go on the stand for the Republicans
owing to his knowledge of fraud, but he could
now solemnly swear that no such impression
was conveyed by the remarks OF Dennis, and
that Wallace who was present at the time and
WAS uOW III tu6 COmulttcO IOOui, WOulu COITC-
borate his (Noyes) statement. Witness pro-
nounced the statement made by Gen. Cooke
before the Florida subcommittee to the effect
that he (witness,) Cowgirl, Gov. Stearns and
McLin were locked up in room of the secretary
of state before the meeting of the board and an
conference with any of these gentlemen that
required locked doors, and with McLin he had
no private conferences.
Mr.. Noyes then submitted in evidence two
l. 1.~M nIs ,s frsA
spirit in which he pictured very deliberately the
frauds practiced by the Democrats and the de.
light he experienced upon learning the success
of the Republicans, and embracing in the last
letter request that witness should aid him in
securing the position of district judge Eof Flor
ida.
Mr. Moves continued. I had already learned
that Dennis life had been threated and that
he considered himself in very great danger. He
had related to me on one occasion that when
his life was threatened he had called together
in a church somewhere all the colored people
in the vicinity and he had made them kneel
down and swear that if he was killed they
would lay waste and avenge his death. Re-
memberi1g what he said received the impress
ion on this occasion that the reason that he did
not want to testify was that he did not want to
bring himself into conflict with those people
any more, especially as he was himself a candi-
date for the Senate and his own election was at
stake. That is the only impression got from
him.
Did you while there have any converse
ton with any members of the canvassing board
with reference to their duties or what they were
going to do.
Al said to Cowgirl and McLin that what I
wanted of them was to do their duty honestly
and fairly. said to them that if the state had
honestly cast its vote for Tilden it was their
duty to SO declare, but if it had gone for Hayes
we wanted it, but we expected nothing of them
except what honest men could do.
Odd you ever say anything else about
that to them.
Al never made one of them promise
nor instigated promise, nor held out any in
ducement to have them declared that the state
bad gone for Gov. Hayes rather than for Gov.
Tilden before the final decision had been
rendered.
Odd you after?
Ayes sir. After the vote for Florida had
been cast McLn came to me greatly depress ed
and said he did not know what would become
of him, that he had so excited the hostility of
the Democrats that he could not any longer
live in Florida in peace, that he was poor and
sick and almost in despair.
+. / said to him Mr. MCIiin Won have done vour