Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1878-06-19
HOW FRAUD WAS CONSUM-
MATED IN FLORIDA.

On Wednesday of last week, A. A.
Allen, Sheriff OF Baker county, Florida,
was before the Potter investigating
committee and gave the following his
tory Of the manner in which that State
was given to Hayes, at the last Presi-
dental election.
'In November, 1876, | was Sheriff
OF Baker county. | made the canvass
with the county Judge and a Justice
Of the Peace. After the election | was
invited to participate with Coke, the
Clerk, but did not comply, as | didn't
want TO have anything 10 do with that
canvass. On the 10th the Clerk and
the Justice made q canvass. The
county Judge gave me a notice to de-
liver TO Coke, to canvass with him on
the 18th. On that day part Of the
time ! was in the county and part OF
the time in town. | saw Coke half a
dozen times that day. He asked me
to participate in the canvass, but I
didn't do so. | saw Driggers in the
afternoon and evening. He came TO
see me in the aftrnoon, at about !
o'clock, and said I'VE are beat it we
don't do something" | told him to
"let her rip" and asked him what we
could do. He said we could make n
canvass. I said we had no Justice Of
the Peace. He said be had one all
right and named Bill Green. Met
them after dark in the Clerks Office
and looked over the returns. We de-
cided TO throw away two precincts
Derbyville and Johnsonvillc--at the
suggestion of Driggers, the reasons
given being that intimidation had been
practiced at n and illegal voting at
the other. The intimidation consisted
in refusing to let a man vote. There
was no evidence before us in tho John
sonville precinct 1t was charged that
three or four men did not live in 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 OF for throw
ing out the precincts. OF course the
object was 10 have the Republicans
beat II possible. | suggested We
should have some afidavits, but Orig
gers said we had authority to throw
out the returns. No irregularity was
pointed out on the face Of tho returns.
The precincts thrown out changed the
result In the whole county. In max.
ing the changei il gave the Republicans
the majority. Coke and the Justice
had possession OF the Clerks office all
day and staid till dark. We got in by
Driggers having a key. Coke was not
there. We found the returns on the
table. Driggers got them, but we
made no return there. We just fgur-
cd what would be the result of throw
ing out the two precincts. w went
over TO Captain Ianova's house and
filed the blanks and then went to the
Clerks Office and Driggers put on the
seal. | filled out the blanks; made
only one return. Nothing further was
done. ! have never seen the return
since. Judge Driggers took possession
OF it. Canova was q candidate for Rep
resentative in the Legislature. He
said nothing One. His iather asked
mo not TO canvas with Coke, and il |
would not sign the returns | could
have the benefit of his p~ockct-book. |
said nothing 10 that. Coke asked me
TO canvas on the 18th, and | declined.
Don't think that any n said to me
that the object was TO give the Repnb.
licans a majority. A anvas oil all
the votes would have given the county
TO the Democrats. In Jacksonville all
the votes were Democratic, and there
was a Democratic majority at the
other precincfs