Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-02-14
FLORIDA ELECTION METHODS.
Report of the Attorney General
Charges Of Fraud and Intimidation.

Report Of the Attorney General
Charges Of Fraud and Intimidation.
On the 4th instant the United States Senate
adopted resolution offered by Senator Call
calling upon the Attorney General for . detailed
statement Of expenses in connection with the
operation Of the circuit court Of the northern
district Of Florida in the months of November
and December, 1889, and copies Of all COM
munications between the Department Of
Justice and officers Of the court in the same
time, so far as may be compatible with the IN
terests Of the administration Of justice.
Yesterday afternoon Vice President Morton
laid before the Senate Attorney General Mil
ler's response. First is Q letter from A. C. Mat
thews, first controller, giving the amount Of
expenses asked for as nearly as may be ascer-
tanned at present The accounts Of the attor-
ney, clerk and marshal for fees are not vet
settled, and besides, the marshars claims on
accounts of witnesses and jurors are for both cir
cult and district courts. The total amount
shown by the letter Of the first controller is
el9,558 The communications between the
officials OF the court and the department in
the months Of November and December relate
mostly to the condition of affairs In Madison
county.
IMPOSSIBLE TO INFoRCE UNITED STATES ELEc-
TION LAWS.
John r. Mizell, United States marshal, re-
ports that it is impossible to inforce any pro-
cess Of the United States court in connection
with election cases. A posse Of sixteen, under
instructions of the attorney, was sent into the
county, but it accomplished nothing. Later a
prisoner charged with political offense was
rescued by a mob in Gadsden, and in another
case an undisguised mob prevented arrest and
the deputies were forced from the county. In
answer to the Attorney Generals orders to in
force by posse the warrants and processes Of
Marshal Mizel telegraphs that it is impossible
to organize q sufficient posse to 20 to Madison
county for the following reasons:
l. The class of men that could be employed
for such work would be totally unreliable.
2. No reliable persons familiar with the
county wish to make themselves q target for
future assassinatiOns,
8. No supply, shelter, aid or comfort would
be given to men or animals.
THE POPULATION TERRoRIzED.
j. N. Stripping, district attorney, in letter
to the Attorney General, November 9, says that
the combination in Madison county is so
formidable that it has succeeded in terrorizing
and intimidating the whole population Of the
county, so that it is next to an impossibility to
obtain any information as to the identity or
whereabouts OF the parties for whom warrants
have been issued. Were sufficient force
located there to inspire people with a confidence
that the government really intended to arrest
these parties, information as to their identity
and whereabouts could be readily obtained
from residents, but the impression generally
prevails, and it is justified by past exper-
fence Il mean in former years., that the
government intends to do nothing fur
Their than to send a few deputies there,
whose departure from this place Jacksonville
is duly heralded, who go through the fOrmality
OF calling at the places OF residence of the
parties wanted, and, finding no one, retire from
the community, to leave infOrmers if any,
at the mercy OF the outlaws. The brutal
manner in which John Bird was murdered has
30 completely terrorized witnesses that they
are about as hard to find as the criminals, and
the delay in sending an adequate force to re-
main there until something can be accom-
plished is daily diminishing the oppor-
tunities to make arrests and emboldens the
outlaws in their policy of
MURDER AND INTIMIDATION.
The impression prevails generally through
out the state that it will require bloodshed to
accomplish anything in Madison and this rem
ders it difficult for the marshal to muster a
force of reliable men to 60 there. In addition
to this the failure Of the government to accom-
plish anything in Madison has induced the law
breakers in other counties to adopt the same
tactics. few days ago Judge Swayne and
were visited by delegation from Aachua
county, headed by J. V. Shipman, who was our
candidate for governor at the last election, and
to cease any further prosecutions in
that county. They were moved to this course
by the fact that a mob had the night before
called ID. 0. Barnes, prominent republican,
out OF his home and notified him that if the
prosecution Of individuals were continued he
would be murdered, and by the further fact
that they did not think the government
meant to do anything more than had been
done In former years. Under the circum-
stances would consider it advisable to sta
ton a military company in Madison, and in
addition thereto offer a large reward for the
arrest Of Eugene E. West, Rufus ID. McNair,
Chas. B. McNair, Angus ID. Stanton and VIM,
h. Woodbread These are the ringleaders. If
you do not think it advisable to station the
military there you should, in my opinion, fur
nish the marshal with means and instruct him
to stand a mounted force there, to stay until
they capture at least few of the criminals
VIOLATED ELECTION LAWS.
In another letter, dated November IS, Attor-
ney Stripping informs the Attorney General
that s. c. Saddler, supervisor Of registration of
electors in Alachua county, had pleaded guilty
to two indictments charging him with refusal
to register persons entitled to registration His
violations of the law, the district attorney saws
were very fragrant, but in view Of his confess
sion of guilt, the promises of himself and
friends that there shall be no repetition Of the
offense, some prominent republicans, Mr..
STRIPPING says, importuned him not to press
judgment against Saddler until December.
1880, he in the meantime to be released on
Of, 600 bail. The purpose of this, the district
attorney says, is ultimately to have the judg-
ment finally suspended. He recommends that
the arrangement be carried out
Under date Of November rs Philip Walker.
chief supervisor Of registration, reports the
fact OF Saddlers plea of guilty to the attorney
general and adds: II merely send you these
(the indictments) to show you the state of
affairs in this state, and can assure YOU nut
1t mild when inform you that over
TEN THOUSAND REPUBLICAN VOTES WERE THROWN
OUT
after they we're cast, and that in a little up-
ward of 700 precincts in this state at least ten
persons in every precinct were kept of the
list and thereby deprived Of their
right to vote" In answer to District Attorney
Stripling's letter Of November Is, recommend
ing that Saddler be not sentenced. ATTORNEY
General Miller on the 21st of the month wrote:
This program does not commend itself to
my judgment. If this man has deliberately
aud hagrantly violated the law think he ought
to be punished. He undoubtedly would not
have confessed and pleaded guilty except that
he saw himself inextricably in the tolls, and it
does not comport with my views OF the admin
istration OF the law that one 80 evidently
guilty OF grave crime should entirely escape
punishment have submitted your letter to
the President, who concurs in the views above