West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-06-22
Examination or Florida Frauds.

Examination or Florida Frauds.
On June 6, in Jacksonville, before the
House Committee, A. A. Allen testified
In November, 1876, was Sheriff of Baker
| county; made canvass with the County
Judge aud Justice of the election; was in.
vlted to participate with Coke, the Clerk
] but declined.
On the 10th Driggers came TO me. and
said, We're beat if we don't do something
asked him what we could do. He said we
! could make a canvass. / said we had no
Justice of the Peace. He said he had one
| all right, named Bill Green, and told him I
would can VASE with him and Green. Met them
alter dark in the Clerks office, and looked
over the returns. We decided 10
throw away two precincts, Darby
vile and townsville, at the sug
gestion of Driggers, the reason given being
that intimidation had been practiced at one
and legal voting at the other The intimi-
daton consisted in refusing to let a man
! vote There was no evidence before us i'm
the johnson Precinct. 1t was charged that
| three or four men didn't live i'm the county
that had voted Their names had been
added to the registration list; we had no
witnesses before us. That is all the reason
know oil Tor throwing out the precincts,
and, OF course, the object was to have the
Republicans beat If possible. | suggested
that we should have some afiidavits. and
Driggers said we had authority to throw out
the returns. No irregularity was pointed
| but on the face of the returns. The pre-
cincts thrown out changed the result in the
whole county. In making the change il
gave the Republicans the majority. Coke
ana Justice had possession of the Clerks
once all day, and staid till dark. We got
In by Driggers having key. Coke was not
there.
In answer to Mr. Hiscock, the witness
SAID one j: w. Barnett, Democrat,
| IN gItF v.f,
L wouldn't He said if / would there was
some money for me. Asked him how much.
lie said 1925, and if / would come with
him he would show me the man that had
the money; took me to Paris's store and
saw John T.. Hartridge, a Democrat of
Jacksonville, and he said if / would sign
the return that Coke made out he would
! compensate me for my trouble | told him
couldn't; IL looked too much like bride.
lie said 1T wasn't for a bride, only to pay
me for my trouble"
Samuel ID. McLin, ex.Secretary of State
and late President of the Board of Can.
yassers, was before the Florida Committee
| on the Sth, and in answer to questions by
| the chairman of the subcommittee. he
stated that VIM. f.. Chandler, Hon. +. II.
Noyes and General Lew Wallace were the
most active in the management of the Re-
publican count, and that while he didn't
know that any one of them was particularly
| designated as the leader, Governor Moves
was rather looked upon as such
lie understood from these gentlemen that
II Hayes was counted in that the members of
| the Returning Board would be taken care
OF, and that Governor Noyes represented
MIR. Hayes and spoke for him. VIM. f..
Chandler said to McLin that he didn't like To
promise, but that he would promise, and at
the same time would speak for General
wallace, that if the State was can.
| vassed for Hayes, at least the majority of the
Canvassing Board should be taken care Of
Witness continued that he presented the
| return that appeared TO be the most formal
and most favorable to Hayes; did not pre-
sent the other two until called for by the
! Democrats; had seen them before knew
! they gave larger vote to Tilden than the
Drigger's returns; didn't recolect that he
ever saw the certificate by Coke giving
| reasons why his return was not signed by
three officers. Canvassed Drlggers return
from Baker County, instead of Coxe's re-
| TURN, which was canvassed the first time
TOOK Drlggers return because il was signed
by the County Judge, Sheriff and Justice of
| the Peace, and because the other was signed
only by the County Clerk and Justice
| DuYal County return, which was counted on
the second canvass, was also signed only by
| the Clerk and Justice, but 10 was i'm evidence
that the County Judge was present nj the
canvass; il Clay and Baker Counties had
| been canvassed second time as at first IL
would have given the State to Tilden.
witness stated that he gave Hayes eight
or nine hundred majority by throwing out
! several precincts. A great many alfidavits
made before the Board were er parfc on
/ both sides The second canvass showed
/ about two hundred and eleven majority for
| Hayes, arrived at by throwing out CLAW
County entirely. The return was neither
| regular nor proper upon its face and could
not be understood Irregulafity consisted
ia statement on a scrap Of paper attached
| 20 the returns, that seventy-four votes had
/ been cast at one precinct for Tlden and
Hendricks each, aud that the Board could
not deci1e whether those votes were in.
| uded in the regular return OF votes for
| electo ns In FIRST canvass the Board i'm.
/ cluded returns from Clay County.
/ The testimony Of McLin was continued
Tie said that from all he heard, and all that
took place, witness looked upon Moves as
/ special representative Of Hayes, expressing
/ his views with regard 10 everything. and
/ felt sati fed that il the state went for Haves
I leading Republicans Of the State would be
/ provided for. General Lew Wallace was
/ very active in getting up testimony before
l the Board getting in returns and evidence
| On contested precincts and counties He
/ said he bad been telegraphed TO by Uaves
| requesting him 10 come 10 Florida, and said
| before and after the canvass he was satisfied
/ that Hayes, n he became President, would
take pleasure in providing for the Repub-
licans Of Florida.
Witness said his party feeling had more 10
| do with his course in The board than any
! other cause, and did not know that he was
I directly influenced by the promise Of Office
/ though these we're not without weight lie
felt assured that, 40 far a. pccuniary profit
| went he could gain rs much by casting his
/ vote one way ~ the other. Witness said he
/ had come 10 the conclusion that IN the
| board had followed the instructions Of the
| supreme Court Of the State, had counted
precincts which we're thrown out by them
/ and had thrown out the counties Of
Alschus, Leon snd Jefferson, in which