The Portland daily press., 1878-04-25
FlOrida's Electoral Vote.
The Alleged Confessions Worked
Up by the Democrats
Probably as a Part of Blair's
Scheme.

patch says that for several months capable
agent has been at work in Florida, securing
such evidence as would go to show that the
State went for Tilden and was fraudulently
counted for Hays. 1t is impossible to say in
whose interest or by whose orders the inyestl-
cation has been made. The agent has been
we'll supplied with funds. He has accomplished
things that usually require money, has worked
Systematically and has had heavy correspon-
denoe with Washington and New York, writ
ing to evidently fictitious Names He was in
Florida during the Returning Board campaign,
and has since been North He has succeeded
in getting from the managers Of the count the
most complete confessions of fraud. Enough
has been confessed to give the State to Tilden
by large majority. McLin the chairman of
the Returning Board, has written an affidavit in
which he says he is now convinced that he was
misled in the count, and that the State really
went for Tilden by 500 or 600 majority. he
says that Noyes of Ohio, offered him all sorts
of preferment and reward if he would only
stand up for Hayes, adding that he was author
lied to speak for Hayes. McLin says that, in
huenced by this pressure, by his strong political
bias and by the tremendous stake at issue, he
was mised and gave the State to Hayes, when
it should have been Tllden's. His affidavit is
general in its nature and is a mere promise of
what be will say when occasion offers. Two
copies of this affidavit are in existence one in
New York and one in Jacksonville.
The most important admission is made by
Dennis, the 'little giant of Alachua," who has
confessed in q written statement fraud in
Archer Number Two, where 219 votes were
added to the Alachua vote. Dennis says he
secured election returns signed in blank, before
the election. That night he had Vance and
Black at his house, and they destroyed the
real returns and filled out those that were
signed in blank writing 219 names. The whole
details of the work are given in the confession.
The correspondent says:
The mysterious agent failed to get the con-
fession, and it is denied that it is in existence
There is copy sealed and in the hands of q
prominent Democratic official, awaiting GER
tain contingency. have seen two men who
have seen the confession. l am told that
Dennis disclosed it to General Butler, who is
his friend in Washington, and that he probably
has q copy of it. [ am also reliably told that
Dennis read 1t to Senator Sargent, and de-
manded a good position at the hands of Mr..
Hayes, and threatened to publish it if he was
not satisfied. He received few days ago
commission as revenue agent in Ohio. In the
meantime there were seven indictments against
Dennis in the State courts, which his friends
claim were political prosecutions. Against
these cases anolte prosequs was entered April
10 by the State attorney. About that time the
full confession OF Dennis went into the hands
of the prominent Democrat. 1t is said that
Vance, the negro member, who swore so stout
ly in the Aiachua case, has also confessed and
made statement. l cannot ,vouch for this,
however. Vance is now in a department in
Washington. Dennis lawyer claims that he
did not want the cases suspended. and that the
State withdraws because it could do nothing
with them.
1t is also proven by the confession of q
justice that the returns of Baker county were
made to give Hayes 43 majority, when they
really gave Tilden 45 majority. 1t was this
county which was held back to give the State
to Hayes.
Confession to frauds in the returns of Co.
lumbus and Leon counties have also been
secured.
The Jacksonville Press says that Dennis and
McLin have unbosomed the mselves, and their
written statements have gone to Washington.
The Archer fraud is fully developed, and the
little crOokedness 10 Baker is laid bare and
also the secrets of the State canvassing board
at Tallahassee
A Washington despatch says that while some
leading Democratic members of Congress have
no doubt OF the truth of the Jacksonville des-
patches respecting the COME ssi0ns of McLin
and Dennis, they bave no direct advices on the
subject. Montgomery Blair said this morning
that he had received information, though not
recently. that such confessions were coming as
had been made and he now had no doubt from
the tenor OF correspondence with a distin-
guished Democrat OF Florida, that tho state
ments are true. He and others are unable to
conjecture where the original papers contain
ing the confessions are to be found, if they
have been sent to Washington.
WASHINGTON, April M-General Finley who
contested the seat of Bisbee of the second dis
trct of Florida says the revelations made by
McLin and Dennis accord with proofs he has
gathered in support of his claim It is sup
posed that either the committee on elections or
Judiciary may soon have before them con-
LESSONS concerning the alleged frauds. They
have not yet reached there.
Much interest has been excited in the state
ment that McLin and Dennis confessed to
frauds in the Florida electoral vote, and today
correspondents Of the press and others have
han III (xu&l .s.fo IN
papers have not yet been received although sew
eral Democrats end Republicans say they are
acquainted with their contents.
A Republican of prominence authorizes the
statement that Alfred Morton, formerly post.
Office agent but dismissed BY President HAYES.
was employ ed by certain parties to go to Flor
ida to obtain information which could be used
10 aid of the proceedings of the House judiciary
committee on the Blair resolution; that the
statement of McLin it condemnatory of Presi-
dent Hayes for having, it is alleged, destroyed
the Republican party; that If certain facts of
which he is now informed by Dennis had been
known to the canvassing board at the time of
the count the electoral vote of Florida would
have been cast for Tilden instead of Hayes,
but that they honestly made up the record &C.
cording to the facts as they then appeared.
This Republican thinks that Dennis has
made no statement, but on the contrary Dem
ocratic member of Congress says he has. With
the view OF counteracting the effect of the
StdtomCuGc, III Is Sdiu mChlu record at the
White House is that he came to Washington
last summer in quest of place under the gov
ernment. The President nominated him at
the extra session for the judgeshp of New
Mexico. His nomination not being acted on at
that session was sent in again at the regular
session and was rejected. McLin came again
to the President who informed him he could do
nothing for him. To send his name for any
position under the government would only be
inviting defeat.
Both the Senators from Florida and Senator
Spencer fought McLin's nomination while 1t
was before the Senate. Dennis was made in
ternal revenue agent for Alachua Go. district
Notwithstanding that a number of indivict-
ments were pending against. him in connection
with frauds of Archer and elsewhere. The Of
nee OF revenue agent was not large enough to
salty Dennis and he turned against the ADMIN
isLrAtion. There is much speculation as the
partleS VINO procured TITO admission of fraud,
some persons positively asserting that they
were friends of Tilden while others name
prominent Republicans disaffected toward
President Hayes as thus concerned.
Especial to the Boston Journal
The alleged confession of Republican elect
ors in Florida is undoubtedly part of the gener-
al plan of Blair and Tlden to promote their
revolutionary scheme here. 1t is well under
stood that confidential agents were some time
since sent to florida in the interest of Tllden,
The evident purpose of their mission was to oo-
tain some pretended evidence which would aid
them in their scheme here. The alleged con-
LESSONS which have been sent from Jackson
vile undoubtedly either have been sent direct
~ to the House Judiciary Committee, to which
the quo warranto bill and the Blair memorial
have been referred, or have been sent to Mont
gomery Blair in person. who will take means
to have them come to the knowledge of the
committee. Some of the Democratic man
ayers claim that the Judiciary Committee, un-
der the general power to investigate conferred
by the Glover resolution, can Immediately pro-
coed to investigate the Presidential question
without any further authority from the House.
be passed, but it is evident that many Demo.
Gratis are determined to make it, if possible, a
campaign document out of this new Florida
adventure. McLin is a man of Incorporate
habits