The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1890-06-26

Masons affidavit setting orth the reV9fa-
tions mentioned above. Mr.. Hay declined
to prosecute, and there is where the~Aatter
stands.
A peculiar and significant political aspect
is sought to be given this case Eugene HAY
enjoys the personal friendship and confidence
of President Harrison and Attorney General
Miller, in whose office at Indianapolis, Hay
studied law. The wife of Z. J. Davenport,
the Minneapolis census Supervisor is niece
of President HARRISON ~,>--- -
MAsSN's AFFIDAVIT.
STATE .QR MINNESOTA, Jss
County of Ramsey. ~
John H. Mason, being first duly sworn, on
oath, says: l am a detective, and have beenfor
several years last past. On the 3lst day OF
May, 1890, being employed for special work,
went to Minneapolis for the purpose of ascer-
tanning whether not any violations OF law
were being made in reference to the taking OF the
United States census i'll the city of Minneapolis:
On reaching said cty of Minneapolis l noticed
carefully the parties who were most frequently
approaching Ed J. Davenport, the supervisor OF
the census for Hennepin county.
I observed a person frequently calling
upon Mr.. Davenport, whom L afterward
learned to be l.. A. stevens.
AS I saw him coming from said Daven-
ports office at halfpast ; on the 31st day
oI May, bringing with him a large pack
age oil papers ] approached him and made APP
plicatiOn for employment. He directed me to
appear at O'Clock in the evening at Room 4S
on the third floor of the government building,
| where | would there find himself or one -
Dickey. He further directed me that he, said Stew
ems, was not present, to inform said Dckey that he
| nad 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 Dckey was actingas his assistant;
At the appointed time went to said Room 4S
and there met said Dckey. stated to him what
Mr.. Stevens had told me, and was by him put to
work He gave me table and chair
in said, room and told me to go
to work. He handed me a set OF so.
| called enumerators' preliminary returns, OF
which EX. 1, hereto attached, is q sample, ana
directed me to copy the contents rom those IN
regular order into blanks, OF which EX z, here
| to attached, is sample. afterwards learned
that the information in Elk. l was transcribed
INTO Ex in order that u mlght pc mage m t more more
| 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 i'll the same room
| six persons. The number 4S was temporary
number attached to the key to the door OF said
room Adjacent to this room were three Others
| 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 a 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
Dickey spent large portion of their time in the
three last named rooms
/ AS soon as the information was transcribed
from EX. on to Elk. 2, Ex. / was destroyed
and Ex. was carried into the three secret
| rooms. l 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 as
Eek. 1, together with official schedule
| blanks and other documents. were being
nnYrff Anf sNf
the ofiicial supervisor Of the census on
the floor below and carried into these
| three secret rooms. The pile of blanks
of the form of Ex. 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 Ex 2 was to get, in o. concise and condensed
form, the exact number of vacant blocks, houses
and rooms in each enumerators district, to-
gether with their number, location and total ca
pacity,
which vacant blocks, houses and rooms
were filed with fictitious persons, as
hereinafter stated,
On June A was given by said Dickey list OF
$50 names and directed to transcribe them upon
blanks of the form of exhibit 3, hereto attached.
Later said stevens informed me that said
list was composed of the names of per-
sons whom the associated charities had
/ assisted, but they did not know where
they were then living. 1 was directed by
said stevens simply to copy the names
land addresses when given) into said Ex-
hibit 3. There were several of these
lists containing large number of names
obtained from various employment
| agencies, lumbermen and lumberm en- Is
camps and various other large employers
| of laborers
The other persons employed in said room as
were engaged in copying names from these lists
into blanks OF the form of exhibit during the
time that was so employed.
II on June saw one Gus Plumm flling said
blanks of the form OF exhibit 3, into which had
already copied the names ais above stated with
such other Information as is called forby said
blanks He was not copying it FROM amy
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