The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1881-02-18

received IN this city by Hon. Horatio
Bisbee, Jr.;
MADISON, Fla, Feb. 8, 1881.
To the Hon. Fl. Bisbee, Jr.; So Eighth street. L.
W, Washington. D. c.:
Savage was attacked in cur presence in the
room taking testimony: The assailant was
killed. The Sheriff came, locked TIE room
and returned with a. posse of militia. Guns
were pointed at Eagan's head with threats to
kill him. The Sheriff protected bin, but he is
IN danger. Many of the witnesses are de-
moralized and have goM home. 1 think l
must return and take evidence in Jacksonville
Answer. II. JENKINS. Jr
JACKSONVILLE Fla, Feb. 8, 1881.
H. Bisbee, Jr., NJ. c.:
We think Patterson was killed by Savage at
Madison yesterday, upon the hearing in your
case. Eagan is hiding, and in danger Jen-
klns is safe. Two companies are with Gov.
Bloxham at Madison. Great excitement,
Trouble feared. VIII advise you further.
W. W. Hicks,
A. A. KNIGHT,
WILLIAM LEDIvITH,
Committee.
The explanation of the above dis
patches is as follows Col Bisbee was
candidate for reelection to Congress
last November. His Democratic COM
petitor was Jesse J. Finley. Finley was
declared elected by the Democratic Off
Gals by majority of about ], 900. Col.
Bisbee alleges that this apparent major
ity is fraudulent, and that he was fairly
and legally elected. Within the re-
quired period subsequent to the election
Col. Bisbee notified his opponent that
he would contest the seat of the latter
in the Forty-seventh Congress. Col.
Bisbee employed as his attorney
Gen. Fl. Jenkins, a prominent lawyer
residing at Jacksonville.
Gen. Jenkins served throughout the
war with distinction as an officer of
Massachusetts, regiment, and was mus
tered out of the service as a Brigadier
General by brevet. He has been a citi-
zen of Florida during the last sixteen
years, but, of course, is still carpet
Dagger" and, therefore, in the chaste
language of Mr.. Aiken, of South Caro-
lima, is "legalized political burglar. "
Mr.. Eagan, also, has been reputable
citizen of Florida during the last six
teen years, but he, too, labors under the
disability incurred by a. previous resi-
dence in New York, and is, therefore, in
the same words of the calm, non-p partisan
Col. Hooker, an "alien and stranger
to the soil and institutions of Florida.
Both Gen. Jenkins and Mr.. Eagan are
represented to be brave and discreet
men. Madison, at which place Gen.
Jenkins telegram is dated, is the
county seat of Madison county,
Fla. In a fair election the county
returns a Republican majority of
$50 to 500. The Democratic Elec-
tons Committee of the present House of
Representatives allowed Mr.. Bisbee a
majority in this county in 1878 Of 272,
beside 1872 votes which were not count
ed. After the election, last November,
the returns were doctored" so as to
show a Democratic majority of
about 80 in Madison county. Gen.
Jenkins, in his capacity of attorney, AZ
rived at Madison to take testimony in
support of Col. Bisbee's election con-
test. He was accompanied by Mr.. Eagan,
who is notary public. The reception
which awaited these gentlemen is out
lined in the dispatch first quoted. A
few further facts about the political con-
dition of Madison county have been OBJ
tanned from perfectly trustworthy
source. So open and fragrant were the
violations of the Election laws last No
vember that proceedings were begun
against number of offenders.
Twenty or thirty persons We're in
dicted. A colored citizen named Cros-
by, who answered a subpoena of the
United States District Court, and testi-
fed in some of the cases, returned to his
home, where he now lies suffering from
q gun-shot wound in the shoulder, in
ficted by Democratic would-be assassins,
who, in this case, only wounded when
they meant to kill.
A United States Marshal who recently
went with a posse of thirteen men to ar
rest some of the persons indicted, on his
return reported that his journey was
like military expedition through an
enemy's country. His men were COM
PEELED to carry and cook their own ra-
tions, and to camp in the woods every
night. Not a night passed that the
party was not fred upon by "bush-
whackers " from some safe place of con-
cealment. The Marshal succeeded in
arresting four of the indicted Demo
Gratis. The remainder of them loudly
swear that they will never submit to ar
rest.
Representative Bisbee called upon the
Attorney General to see what could
be done. Gen. Devens, upon hearing
the facts, Immediately sent dispatch
to United States District Judge Settle
requesting him to go to Madison and
take. the testimony desired by COL Bis
bee. Judge Settle was informed that
the United States Marshal will also be
sent to the same place and be empowered
to use such force as may be necessary to
protect the Judge in taking the testi-
mony and the witnesses in giving it.
Col: Bisbee fears that, unless immediate
measures are taken to reassure his wit
nesses and convince them that they will
be protected, they cannot be prevailed
upon to testify in his case. Col. Bisbee
is inclined to believe that in sew
eral other districts in the South
ern States, where Republicans have
served notices of contest, the same
tactics Of intimidation and violence
toward witnesses will be resorted to that
have been put in force with such effect
in his own district. He expresses the
fear that no promise of protection
offered, except it be by committee of
the House of Representatives, will so far
reassure Republican witnesses in many
localities that they will feel safe in Civ
ing their testimony, which it is abso-
lutely necessary Republican contestants
shall have in order to secure the ends of
justice. There have been symptoms of
difficulty in Louisiana, Alabama and
South Carolina similar to those which
now prevail in Florida, and there are
some reasons to fear that the Democrats
are determined to preserve, by the in
timidation of witnesses, the fruits of the
victories they won by fraud and the in
timidation of voters.