The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1890-06-26
MAssNs AFFIDAVIT.
STATE oE MINNESOTA, ISIS.

MAsSN's AFFIDAVIT.
STATE .QF~MINNEsoTA, Jso
County of Ramsey. 80
John H. Mason being first duly sworn, on
oath. says: am q detective, and have beenfor
several years last past. On the 3 LIST day OF
May, 1890, being employed for special work, l
went to Minneapolis for the purpose OF ascer-
tanning whether or not any violations OF law
were being made in reference to the taking of the
United States census in the city of Minneapolis.
On reaching said city of Minneapolis noticed
carefully the parties who were most frequently
approaching Ed D. Davenport, the supervisor OF
the census for Hennepin county.
observed person frequently calling
upon ME- Davenport, whom afterward
learned to be Il. A. stevens
As I saw him coming from said Daven-
ports office at halfpaSt on the 31st day
oI May, bringing with him large pack
age OF papers i approached him and made APP
pllcation for employment He directed me t9
appear at z O'Clock in the evening at Room 4S
ON the third floor of the government building,
where would there find himself or one ---
Dlckey He further directed me that he said Stev-
ems, was not present. inform said Dickey that he
had sent me there and to give me employment.
On the following day learned that said stevens
was supervising the operations of the citi-
zens' census committee of Minneapolis
and that said Dekey was acting as his assistant.
At the appointed time went to said Room 4S
and there met said Dickey. stated to him what
Mr.. Stevens had told me, and was by him put to
M0ff said he roe gave and m told ao me to so
! to work. He handed me set OF So
called enumerators' preliminary returns, OF
wrea FIX hereto t = om Hose in
regular order into blanks, OF which Elk. z, here
/ to attached, Is sample. afterwards learned
| that the information in Elk. 1 was transcribed
| into Elk 2 in order that it might be made more
/ concise and that the various blanks OF the form
OF Elk 2, when completed for any particular
/ enumerator's district would be fastened togeth-
er. thus making one long, continuous sheet of
that particular district. Besides myself there
were engaged upon this work in the same room
| six persons The number AZ was a temporary
number attached to the key to the door OF said
room. Adjacent to this room were three others,
4 in which there were several persons at work
upon what was unable to learn while we re-
manned in the government building. Entrance
| into said last three named rooms could only be
/ gained at one door, the rooms opening from one
to the other and only upon certain signal,
consisting OF four raps given in certain way,
/ there being person stationed on the inside who
acted as doorkeeper. Said Stevens and said
/ three last named rooms
AS soon as the information was Transcribed
from E tx ! on to Ex. Elk. was destroyed
rooms. ! continued on this work until the 4th
/ day OF Jnne
During that time large packages OF
documentary matter, consisting of emu
merators' preliminary reports, such rs
Exs i, together with official schedule
blanks and other documents. were being
continually brought from the rooms az
/ the Qfficial supervisor of the census on
/ the floor below and carried into these
three secret rooms. The pile of blanks
of the form of Elk. 1, from which we
worked, was at least two feet in height
and five feet In length and three feet in
width.
| The object Of transcribing the information on
/ to Elk. was to get, in u concise and condensed
/ form, the exact number of vacant blocks, houses
| and rooms IN each e1lumerator's district, to.
| gether with their number, location and total ca
| pacty,
which vacant blocks, houses and rooms
were filed with fictitious persons, rs
hereinafter stated.
/ on June was given by said Dickey a list oil
| $50 names and directed to trauscrfbe them upon
/ blanks OF the form OF Exhibit H. hereto attached
/ list was composed of the naTnes of per-
| sons whon the associated charities had
| assisted, but they did not know where
they were then living. was directed by
/ said stevens simply TO copy the names
| famd addresses when gfven) into said tx
/ hfbit B.. There were several of these
/ lists containing large number OF names
/ agencies, Iumbermen and lumbermen's
| camps and various other large employers
/ of 1aborers.
| The other persons employed III said room as
were engaged in copying names from these lists
| into blanks OF the form of exhibit 3 during the
| time that was SO employed.
1 On June saw ono Gus Plummk SLING sHid
| blanks OF the form Of exhibit 3, into Which hao
| already copied the names as above stated, with
blanks. He was not copying IL frotn amy
A