National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-03-19
THE ELORIDI FRIUDS.


Mr.. Hull's Apparent Completely Therein.
The following testimony of l.. S. Gaulden is
distracted from q report In the Jacksonville
| (Fla.) stui aud Press in reference to the part
taken by Mr. Hull, Democratic member
elect" from Florida, in tue fraudulent returns
from Brevard County. The testimony was
taken in the Bisbee VS.. Hull contest. L. S.
Gauldcn sworn, and testified:
Have been deputy clerk of Breyard County,
| deputy collector, and assessor OF taxes; acted
| some time as deputy sheriff in 1873; had acted
| as special registration clerk in Brevard County
| have no knowledge tina. any notices, stating
| that offices or vacancies were to be filled ut tho
| election in 1878, were posted in Brevard
County; had charge of the clerks Office and
| the books and papers therein on the llth and
| 10Th of November, 1873, but never found any
| registration books there. / gave Mr. Lee, the
clerk to understand that the election in Bre-
ward County might have to he manipulated,
| and requested him not to furnish any registra-
ton list TO the inspector of election. lie prom
| ised that he would not furnish any, and after
| ward told me at tho canvass that he had not
| furnished any Was present at the canvass and
| saw the returns. The number of votes shown
| by those returns at the canvass was not the
| same as shown by the returns when they first
came iuto my possession. Tho difference, 1
| think, was 19i votes. All the certificates ex-
| cept three were changed after they came into
| my possession. The vote for Hull was largely
increased. The changed certificates were the
ones canvassed. The certificates were after
ward given me- and | delivered them to J.
A. Allen, ut Orlando, on the 10Th. Had re-
ceived them from John NJ. Lee. l resided at
the time ut "The Point" in Orange County.
| Arrived in Lake View from "The Point" on
Sunday preceding election day. started for
| Lake View to go there, provided some
ono was sent from Orlando to Lake
| fn aft hn nj
Stopped at Mr.. Dawdry's and found that no
one had passed going TO Lake View therefore
| l waited until the party who was to be sent
from Orlando to Lake View came. Didn't
know who was to be sent but some reliable
party, bringing the latest news, SC. That
party, who was TO hel manipulate the canvass
of the votes cast for Congressman in Brevard
County was to be sent, y supposed, by Mr..
Hull
Question-Why did you suppose such mes
senger was to be sent by Mr. Hull, aud who do
you mean by Mr.. Hull. Answer-Because
had received II letter. on November ., which
had every reason to believe to have been writ
ten by Mr. Hull, asking me to wait on the
road from Orlandoby Cross Prairie, for party
who would be sent from Orlando to Lake View.
| meant n, A. Hull, one of the candidates for
election to Congress, from the second district
of Florida. The letter had private mark,
which Mr. Hull told ne I'd find in his letters
ter bearing no date, address or signature, with
a flourish TO the last letter of the last word
written in the letter, l might know 1t was
from him. He told mo this at Orlando, at an
interview we had there during the last of Sep
| tember or first of October, 1878. Governor
Hull said the Republicans We're going to per-
pertrate fraud in some of the Republican cOun-
, ties, in order to have majority upon
the face of the returns in the district,
to avail themselves OF the advantage
of decision of the Supreme Court
that the State canvassing board should declare
the result from the face OF the returns. he
said the Democrats must fight fraud with
fraud, and asked me if | thought Brevard
{ County could be managed so as to give sutli-
ccnt majority to meet and offset any majority
the Republicans might get in the balance OF
the district He told me that money would be
furnished if such majority was needed, and
for me to feel of the canvassing board and SEQ
what could be done, and keep myself in readi-
ness to act when | did receive n letter from
r him. He told me that in his letters to me, in
4 order that the letters might not be traced to
him, he would write what he wanted me Ia
know and do that lie would not date it, nor
address it to me- nor sign his name, but he
would make flourish to the last letter of the
| last word written in the letter. lie took Il
pencil aud wrote his own name, and showed
= Inc how he would make the flourish. He told
= me he must win as he was financially and po
if lie was elected ! should be well rcmuner
ated for what might do. The letters received
4 | contained the flourish agreed upon. The let
e ter was, in substance, as follows:
y "Go Oh the road leading from Orlando t.
/, Lake View, by Cross Prairie, and wait fo
I party, who will be sent if necessary. lie vii
II have the latest news, &c. Go with him, fnt
$ out what is necessary from him, and you will
), know how to act. You must not let any on,
- know of my letter TO you, aud 81 900 and
o good appointment shnll be yours"
8 ] met Major Allen when he came to Mr.
q Dawdry's and asked him about the election
lie showed me letter addressed to MI. Ma
II Poyntz, signed by n. A, Hull, After seeing
l. by the letter that Governor Hull wanted 90.
=, votes, said it could be done, aud proposed L
!, Major Allen that he go and help, and ho did.
% had a conversation with Governor Hull as abov
t, stated at Orlando; also one on ST. Johns Rlyerol
n steamer Carrie, | said to Governor Hull
:, was sorry he had selected mo member Of th
u Democratic executive committee for the sec
IS ond district. He said | was intel
% lgent, aud there might be som
heavy work in Brevard to do ant
he wanted me to be member of the com
ie mittee to counteIact such frauds as might b
N perpetrated by the Republicans, and that h
N would have another talk with me.
- / have received two letters from Mr.. Hull wit
- the flourish since tho election, which hay
IS burned. The substance of tho first was: "Yo
I'd are going 10 De suHlhOneu ny tHe ulleu otdtt
10 Court as a witness against the Brovard canvass
ie ing board. You must keep out of the way
rs They will not be able TO prove anything.
T. will remember my promises
-, The word must in the letter was undel
~ scored. The second letter was as follows
TO 81 want you, by all means, TO keep out
xt the way. II you have the money don't call 0
lie me- but il not will honor your draft fc
$3.50.
ed "P. s.--Dmft in name of some reliable frien
ge of yours Notify me of same, and the dra
no. will be accepted, and | will remember ou
20 agreement, Please destroy all correspondent
at between u.s.
N " l was promised by Mr., Nat, Poynt
We and J. H. Allen at least $500, / was promise
- this at Orlando for my services rendered
WI the Breyard election business | asked Ma
of Poyntz about the promise several times. II
I L md llntl Inll IIn linunI HIIll sNnll La y