The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-06-29
THE. FRAUD INQUIRY.
DOINGS OF rHE POTTER COMMIT
The Frauds In FIOrida-HON 2t9
Fraudulent Votes We're Counted
for Hayes NOyes EcIiS
tiIs Little Story.

McMshsn, Springer, Butler snd hiscock,
subcommittee to remain IN Wash
ington and take testimony. Messrs.
Potter, Morrison ard Cox, will act as
relief Tor it and the sub committee in
New Orleans. At the session to-day, L..
f. Dennis resumed his story. lie said
box No. > of Archer precinct, IN Achris
county, Florida, WAS objected to by the
Democrats on account of alleged
fraud. The inspector Of the polls had,
in confidential conversation with the
witness. admitted that there had been
2l9 fraudulent names sdded 10 the list
Of voters, and his knowledge of this fact
wRs partially the cause of his declining
to testify Ms requested by Governor
Moves. The addition of these 2l9
names was a matter OF public notoriety.
The witness WAS appointed by the Sec
retsry of the Treasury AS AL employe in
the secret service. His instructions were
TO examine the records Of the United
States Courts in North and South Caro-
liza, Georgia and Florida. After resign
ing This position, was appointed agent OF
the internal reveu ue, but his commission
WAS cancelled before he entered upon the
duties OF that office. The letter OF recon-
mendstion written By Governor NOyes
was shown. 1t is formal letter OF rec
OmMendstion TO the secretary, men
tioning the witness ss one
OF the many Republicans ostrscised
10 Florida, and commencing his sppli-
cation 10 the consideration OF the Secre-
tary. Witness never knew OF Governor
Noyes having put in evidence before the
Returning Board anything excepting
the facts as furnished him. 1t was the
idea OF the Southern Republicans to i'm
press dpou the minds of Northern Re-
publicsns that everything was tslr and
honest IT, Florida. Witness believed the
returns in Archer precinct should bs
shown as 2l9 votes IN excess Of what
they did Tor the Republican party. The
Republican officers made up the ce-
tciency from the registration book so as
10 make the returns show their prop
or number of votes. de believed
there had been fraud on both sides.
When the votes we're turned out of the
box the missing number OF Republican
votes appeared rs having been legally
cast.
MT. Dennis Was instructed TO hold him
self in readiness 10 appear before the Com
miltee, 1t having besn decided that the
mater OF manipulating the votes IN Ala
chus county was not yet closed.
Edward H. Noyes, United States MIN
isLsr TO France, said that he was 10 at
tendance upon the csnvsssing board In
Florida during the last Presidential cleo
ton: didn't go st the request of Govern
or HAYES, and while there didn't receive
either telegrams, letters or COmmunica-
tions of any sort from Governor Hayes;
he took legal part IN the proceedings OF
the canvass, arguing the cases before the
Board OF Canvassers; he undertook TO
lnd ont the facts relating TO the alleged
frauds in Alachua county, Archer precinct
No. >, and owing TO parties swearing one
WAY and Immediately thereriter directly
opposite ne lost sIl confidence IN them,
but finally, t-Um dligent inquiry aud
the consistent testimony Of some forty or
ftty Republicans hat they had voted the
Republican ticket, he reached the honest
conclusion that the count as returned Was
correct. He had asked Dennis TO bo
witness, and Le Dennis mad proved the
correctness ~ the vote IN question to the
satisfaction Il the witness. de did not
doubt Dennis word that he intended
to impress upon MS lNoyes,)
mind that IL would not be safe for bin 10
20 on tue stand Tor the Republicans, o"-
ing u h:s knowledge OF the fraud, but
that he witness could now sOlemnly
swear that 40 sucn impression WAS con-
veyed by the remarks Of Dennis, and
General Wallace who WAS present NJ the
sine. and who was now in the commit
tee room, would cOrrOborste hi Npyr
statement. The witness proEvuusra tao
sls,emer; OF General Cooke G.l5re tho
Florida subcommittee, 10 the effect That
he Cthe wtnessl Cowgirl, Gov. N;earns
anu McLin were locked together IN
the room Of the Secretary Of State before
the meeting OF the tosrt, sn uaqus ihed
faIsehood. He hsd no p-lvA.o coulter
ence with any of these gentlemen that
reguired 2 locked door, and with McLIn
he had no private conference ~ al.
will state how | cam" 90 90 to
Florida. There was y meetlr g %. rr"ml-
npnt Republicans held tt 'Hr oEce @.
Mr.. BotersIOn, United S.a-"~ Attorney
for the Southern distrlc. Ol q 40, and a.
that meeting Richard @uth, ui
the CIucirnstl Gazette, was presen.
and told US that he nsd rs
celved telegrams that the Democratic
politicians from the North were assem-
bled at New Orleans, and he, with other
Republicans present, thought 1t
was for the purpose ot taking
from Hayes State which they hrmIy
believed belonged 20 him, and II
was right that some Republicans ot prom
iusnce from the NCr-h should 20 there TO
look stter the matter. Various names
were suggested, my own smong the
rest, and finally job f. Stevenson,
former member OF Congress from that
State, said be would 90 II did, and tua.
night without communicating villa Gov.
HAYES or any one else, Stevenson and
myselt started for New Orleans. 1 10 not
remember whether Senator Matthews
went with US or met US there, but ne met
us there at that time. We remained two
or three days during which tlme nothing
was done except to arrange preIimInsries
with the Democratic visitors. There
were various lkSpuOllNAilS AN"'' N'iNsN
who had come from the north. Finding
my presence not necessary. pre-
pared to 90 back to Cincinnati
but about that time Mr.. Eugene
Hale received dispatch from
the National Committee, stating there
was great danger that Florida would be
stolen away from US, and saying that
strong committees should be sent to Tai
lshassee. For some time nobody would
consent to 90, but at last Mr.. hasson and
General Wallace said they would 30 It l
would. WhereupoD, without having
been specially designated by sDybody, l
started with those two gentlemen for
Tallahassee. That Is the whole story OF
my going there. In speaking OF the
Archer precinct, the witness said l de-
sired, in preparing the case, TO know from
the electors themselves how many OF them
had sctusllv voted the Republican