The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1880-05-25
PUNIsMING ELECTION FRAUDS.
Mr. lsisbee's Last Letter 10 the San
and Press-SOme Republican True
HnWardmess Exposed.

Mr. IBlSbee'R Last Letter 30 the S0M
and Press-SOme Republican True
Hnwardmess Exposed.
LAKE JOANNA, Orange Co., May 8, 1880.
To the Editor Of the Florida Union:
To-day, Tor the first time, read Mr.. Bsbee's
letter to the Sun and Press, and feel it in some
sense my duty to reply to the paragraph wherein
he says:
ties do not enforce the State election laws, or
punish frauds committed in the interest of its
candidates, no one will deny. They have not
done so, even when they have admitted the fraud
and the crime. In this respect that party has
become, what the New York Herald declared it
after the election of 1878, a mob.
l am exceedingly obliged to Mr. Bisbee for
giving me an opportunity of making public some
facts from which the intelligent voters of his
party can arrive at some conclusion touching the
anxiety of Mr.. Bisbee and his party leaders to
punish election frauds.
A gross fraud was perpetrated in Brevard
county in 1873 The vote of the county was, by
a most unblushing piece of villainy, 50 raised as
to give Mr.. Hull majority far exceeding the
total vote of the county. This was the work Of
a man named j. Fl. Allen, who had beer prac-
tically outawed from the ranks of the Democ
in the work of infamy of his own vOlition, a.
he swears he did, hoping that success would en-
able him to black-mail Colonel Hull in the fu-
ture, or whether, as has been suggested, he was
hired by the Republican leaders to perperate
the fraud, with view to injuring the Democ-
racy, cannot affect the question Of his crime In
public, as a witness tor the United States this
man Allen testified to his being the originator
and executor of the crime. By piece Of legal
immortality, for which l cannot find any prece-
dent in the books, he, the principal in the first
degree, the man who planned the offence, Who
did the deed of fogery, the tempier Of Lee and
of Wright and of Johns-this arch-criminal of
all the criminals in the miserable drama Of crime
was allowed to 60 on the stand, and On his testi-
mony, to send to the penitentiary the unhappy
dupes and tools of his own infamy. / know of
nothing finer in the shape of a monstrous parody
on justice than this picture since Jefries sat on
the English bench, or Robespierie made France
hideous with the blood of Frenchmen.
This is one picture in the tableau. The State
Court in this circuit is of decided Democratic
proclivities. The Judge is Democrat the States
Attorney Democrat, all the sheriffs and other
Officers of the court, are Democrats. Per contra,
the United States Court is of decided Republican
proclivities, from Judge down to bailff being
pronounced Republicans.
When the Brevard frauds first became known
l never hesitated for one moment as 10 what
course as an officer of the State, should pursue
In Tallahassee, in Jacksonville, in this circuit
| alike, denounced the crime and declared INV
| purpose TO prosecute the criminals When Lee
| offered me fee to defend him, peremptorily de-
clned. My determination in the matter was no
secret; hence, when the United States moved In
the case, and took possession Of the documentary
| evidence t. {. the forged returnsl necessary 10
| make up q case for the grand jury, my only re-
| gret was that il delayed the State moving Still
| intended acting the moment the trials OF Lee
and his coniederates were over, and aceoriingly
after that legal aiuC,fIa vtw had haar, r~,.rs.S
| addressed polite note to Judge Themas Settle,
requesting him in my dual capacity Of State At
| torney for the Seventh Judicial Circuit and At
torney for the county of Brevard, to order the
| surrender Of the forged returns 20 me- sasine
that they were needed for official purposes, and
assuring bis Honor that they would be held ct
the disposal Of the United States authorities ct
| all times No reply was eyer receivod 20 this
letter. Soon after 1t was suggested TO ne thnt
| the truly moral Republican 0Z1ciAls would not
surrender the returns because they pretended TO
believe thai the demand for them was q trick 70
prevent their appearing againss Colonel Hull
ABSURD as this was. IL was sufficient 70 cause me
TO abstain from all efforts TO obtain them unsfl
after Hulps trial That over, AGAIN wrnae 10
Judge Settle In reference to the returne pTe-
sumo that persons who hold the position Of
United States Judge, and who aspire TO the SEC
ond once 10 the gin Of the people, are not amen-
able to the social rules governing gentlemen.
because ! never received any arsWer to either
letter. next saw District Attorney Gtickney
about the matter He told me that Judge Settle
had mentioned bearing from me, and stated shni
he (eackney1 had no idea what had heoone nf
the papefs, hut snpposed that lhey Nere q lie
| clerks once next instructed Mr Htewaft
clerk % The Circuit Court Of BFevasd couniy. IS
ynse Mr: Rhilip WslleE, d. elsrk q shs Usilsd
014sG1 CouKfx and deman6 ahe nAnasn NJ
Stewart did 10, and Mr. Wa1fm nesSr re1ilied
1ae - une W. b JaeksoavIls I - 31f.