The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-04-26
rHE FLORIDA CsrxE-nOw m CAME
fBOUT.

for President had received 1884, electoral votes.
and that with the electoral votes Of either Fiori-
da. Louisiana. or South Carolina he would be.
despite every effort Of the Republican party
managers. short OF armed resistance and open
usurpaton OF power by Gen. Grant. the next
President Of the United States. III order to
retain power tho Republicans determined
to obtain. by any means they could com
mand. the electoral votes OF the three
States above named. A number OF their
leaders forthwith went to Florida. Among the
rest was Edward T. Noyes. the personal repre-
sentative of Rutherford b. Hayes. the man who
had placed him in nomination before the Cincin-
natl Convention. and who was known through
out the canvass TO be his closest and most conf
Dental friend. The only hope Of these Rcpub-
lican emissaries was in the Secretary Of State
and the Comptroller OF Accounts-the two Re
publican members OF tho State Canvassing
Board. The result was known TO be close. and
although every effort had been made by
expert manufacturers OF false precinct re-
turns and balot-box suffers 10 secure
majority on the face OF the county
returns for the Hayes electors. still II
was doubtful II success had been achieved The
difficulty OF communication with remote coun-
ties, and the hardness with which the news
came from the almost inaccessible regions.
uuu' tHe utsk Oh tnc coHsDTutots III cA'Scu-
ingly difficult one. Hence the members OF the
Returning Board must bc secured by the prom
ise Of whatever they might demand to do the
work required OF them. Their partisan feelings
were appealed TO in every imaginable way. Tel
cgrams poured in on them from the Northern
Republicans Gov. Noyes. as the immediate rep
resenative OF Hayes. promised rewards. and
Zach Chandler assured them OF protection. and
the forthcoming OF money and troops. II ncces-
sary TO make the result sure.
That these promises OF reward were made (:
that these assurances Of money and troops to
make the conspiracy successful were given;
that frauds OF every description. perjury. bal
Iot-box stufflnR and forgery we're committed to
make 1t appear on the face Of the county re-
turns that the HAYES electors had n majority OF
i3 votes, is made plain now by the confessions
Of the President Of the Returning Board. \. b.
McLin. and other Republicans who were either
principals or accompliccs in these crimes.
The confession OF McIin. which IL herewith
given. was made six weeks since. It was not
made FOR price. II was made because he II
sick nigh unto death. and because the hand Of
affection has recently rested heavily upon him.
Two bright and promising children were sud
denly and without premonitory warning
snatchcd by death from the domestic circle
which they illumned by their presence and
eladdened bv their prattling. With the shadow
Of death upon his household and the certainty
that he must soon follow his beloved little ones
and stand before that higher Tribunal to
which he appeals in closing his confession. he
was constrained to lay bare n portion Of the
secret history Of the great crime he was led
into. How far he was led astray by the
Influences that surrounded him and the
promises OF reward made TO him by Gov.
Noyes. the personal emissary OF Hayes. he hest
tatcs to state. but that they warped his iudg-
ment and led him into the commission OF n
crime he does not conceal.
The great effort OF the conspirators in Florida
WIS directed to making It appear on tho face Of
the returns that Hayes had carried the State
Their object was twofold First, they appre-
hcnded that the Supreme Court might be
appealed to and issue its mandate di-
rccting them to canvass the vote NC
cording to tho face Of the county re-
turns. Second. they wanted to lay the
basis for rejecting tho votes 81 Democratic eoun-
ties. which they would be able to do il they were
allowed to go behind the returns. II the Demo
Gratis objected 10 any Of their frauds. they would
claim that their right TO 60 behind the returns
was conceded, and then they had plain sailing.
In order to get an apparent majority on the face
Of the returns. the Baker county fraud was com
mtted. Having reliable information from near
" every county in the Stnte. and knowing ex-
actly beforehand what vote their trusted men in
the worry remotest districts would bring MP. the
Florida Republicans and the visiting statesmen
discovered that II was necessary TO secure a false
return from Baker county. Tho County Judge
was an unscrupulous. daring roRne named
DriRgers. The County Clerk Martin l. Coke. was
an honest man. and was the only Justice OF
the Peace. John Dorman. It was necessary that
Drigg"rs. who was 10 manp ulate the county RE-
turn. should have a Justice Of the Peace. He
vas accordingly furnished Il commission for a
Justice Of the Peace by Gov. Stcarns. with the
name Of tn" nppontce left out. The vote OF the
county. rs shown by the precinct returns. WIS
23s for the Tiden electors and l43 for the Hayes
'lcctors-a Democratic majority OF 95. Tho law
says the county canvass shall be made within six
days after tie election. or sooner If all the pre-
cinN returns wern received by the Clerk. The
county Is small and the returns were all IN
within few days. but the County Judge. brig
gers tx ofriO tho head OF the Canvassing
Board. notified the Clerk that lac would maAe
the canvass on the 18Th. six dass after the cleo
ton. la the mean tine the Clerk To make sure
that there was no tmprring with the returns.
asked the judge and D1rman. the Justice OF
the Peace. to moot and canvass on the 10Th
of November. Dri,sers declined to attend. and
the return- and cump.lcd them. On the 18th
the Clerk dul the Justice OF the Peace were
present at the county scat all day. DrgGers
did not come into IN Clerks Office aud make
tho canvass. although he was repeatedly re-
qucsted SO 10 do hy the Clerk. The Clerk then
notified tho Sheriff that the Judge had refused
to attend and ass 1t in the 'anvlss. and there
fore 10y law he must serve rs one OF the board.
The Sheriff declined. Then the Clerk and tle
Justice of the parn made canvass wrote out
tho duplicate certificates, and signad the m, ami
! appended thereto a statement of facts In regarl
to the refusal OF ia" Judge ana the Sheriff 10
act. That a. mt after dark. tho Clerk having
! left the OIL 20, the in lsc and sheriff amt II
isash-male Justice of the Peace pro urcd
| "a key 10 the CLERKS office. entered
II. got Il blank. AMI then went TO the
house OF ono Canoya AMI filled II up,
/ oinlttn: his precincts DarhyvIlle and Johns
| VIII" and wrote out Their certificates. Darby
Vile Iro.lu gay" thu Tildcn electors G5 votes.
ana thr ilafas electors l3. The townsville pre-
! cint gave tuo Tildcn ciefors 81 votes, the
| Hayes elo.tur receiving none. The returns
made br tho ClcrN and Justice of the Praro
showed why ~" Judge or Shcrir did not assist