Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1878-04-25
Are Those Which ASSail the Con.
science Of Judge McIin.
He Alleges that He Helped FaIsify Elec.
tion Returns from the Pre-.
cincts Of Florida.
Which, u He Hadn't Done, Hayes Would Have
Been Out and TiIden In.
Az lie Got No Once for All This, lie In
Sorry aud Makes Full Confession.
THE FLORIDA RETURNS.
M'LIN's STATEMENT.

M'LIN's sTATEMEST.
Washington. April 25.-'rhc statement of
Judge McLn is published The first por.
tion is devoted to furnishing an excuse for
his seeming inconsistency, In first covering
and then revealing The Florida election
frauds. He says that he believed that a
democratic triumph would be a national
disaster in 1871 aud that he should give
the benefit of the doub, t, the republicans,
even to the extent Of s,rsintng point. He
did not consider himself judge, but par
tisan. He now sees that powerful influences
swayed his Judgment and perverted his
moral sense. He was surrounded by north
crn partisans who urged on him the ncccs
SHY Of the republicans carrying Florica
who pictured the danger to the negroes it
Tillen ,riumphed, and received daily telc-
grams insisting on his saving the country.
The chlirman of the national committee
and the mar who was the warmcst personal
friend Of Hayes. urged him TO do his repub'
licsn duty and promises OF troops were
freely given Gov Noycs was present and
was uuder.t ,od to speak with authority
from Hayes The Influence of these men,
and the circumstances and the ex-
ci,emeut throughout the country,
NAV have led him to error, and especially
Noyes' promise tina, Hayes would reward
him. His ardor was now cooled by time
and reflection. That the president had be-
trayed and destroyed the republican party,
aud crushed those who did 20 much for his
election, he was now convinced. Political
expediency and not calm judgment ruled the
hour. There we're many contested cases ana
much legal discussion. The attorney gen.
eral Of the state and q number Of the board
had decided that the board had quasi judi
cisl power, and had the right to exclude
precincts from the count, il the returns were
40 irregular, false or fraudulent, as to pre-
vent the board from asccrtaining from them
the true vote. This had powerful int'u'
ence, and the republicans. having majority
of the board, the canvass was largely IN
their favor. Had the board acted leg slly,
the state supreme court decision shows
that they would have declared Tilden
elected, excluding the returns from Baker
county. which was counted, and which l
have since learned from parties who made
II. were falsely manufactured returns, and ex-
cluding the true returns which corresponded
with the precinct The return Of that conn-
" would certainly have given the state 70
Mr., Tilden. Archer precinct No. 2, Alachua
county, was included in the count. Inc
fraud committed in this precinct was not
shown TO the board by the democratic lawyers
although a contest was made and much
attention was given this precinct. But
have recently learned from the republican
leader Of that county, that after the returns
had been brought to Gainesville, the county
seat. 2l9 votes were added to the return oy
the inspectors and the clerk Of said precinct
In Leon county, seventy-four small rep"o
lican ballots we're stuffed into the ballot boz
at precinct No. 0, yet it was not made 10 ap
pear to the satisfaction OF the dehocra!''
members Of the board that these were 'a'sf
ballots. Subsequent confession shows tha
these we're stuffed into the box. had seer
joseph Bower, one Of the Inspectors nave
tickets similar to them few days before 'h'
election. and cautioned him against their ns
unless they were generally adopted, an'
afterwards, learned that he had given then
M to . Jefferson county precinct, at wh'c'
J. Bell was inspector. and 100 vote' wer
surrep,itiously added to the ballots AM
counted. No charge was made As 10 'h'
fact before the board. The confession OF .
Bell. since made to me, discloses the lac
that il the 2l9 votes frau'ulent'y ande
TO the Archer returns, ana '"e
votes stuffed in the box in Leo
county and the 100 votes surrepttio"S'
added in Jefferson county. ageregating ~
votes. had been rejected, and the democfa''
precincts, which were excluded Tor ifres'
lari,y and ilegaity contrary to the dee''
ION Of the supreme court had been re'a'"e
and counted, Tillcn would have carried IN
,,a,e. The conclusion, therefore, - r.'
ai.,ible that Mr.. lildcn wac entitled 10 !"
electoral vote Of Florida. aud not Mr.. ha!e
In mskins ihi. statement my mo,Vs W
doub,ls.. ~ questioned hy many, but u
facss vii. ssAsA ajsss ~ the truth, v''ho'
-, motives ao s.ssasx ,hesD. An ~
.l-fs >.-i sAt.> NOE 10 aud z