The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-03-04

CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN THE SUPER
INTENDENT OF THE NEW YORK POLICE
AND THE MARSHAL OF POLICE OF BALTI
MORE.
| POLICE DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE MARSHAL, J
Baltimore, February &c, 1861. {
John A: Kennedy, Esq, Superintendent Of Police,
! Neo York {:
| DEAR SIR have recently noticed manv news.
paper paragraphs referring to the Baltimore Police
or myself as Marshal, which have deemed utterly
unworthy of notice, because they either mention ed
no names as authority, or the names given were
not such as would be likely to give weight to the
various rumors in circulation An article is, how.
ever,now going the rounds of the press of differ
| ent character.
1t is stated that upon information received in
New York, from this city, some of your detectives
were sent on here, that by their efforts and those
| of Police Commissioner Acton and yourself an or
ganized plot for the assassination of the President
elect, was dscovered that you were satisfied of
the existence of such plot, and had in conse
| quence recommended change in the programme
of Mr.. Lincoln's journey to Washington.
Looking to your official position, and my own,
deem it due to both of us that should ask whether
there is any foundation whatever for the above
to you or any part of the New York Police force
acting under your orders.
Yours respectfully,
GEO. p KANE, Marshal.
CENTRAL DEPARTMENT OF THE METROPOLITAN Police,
OFFICE OF SUPERINTENDENT OF Police,
New York, Feb. Is, 1861.
Col. GEO. P. KANE, Marshal of Police, baltimore:
Dear Sir-ln reply to your note of the Goth inst.
this day received have to inform you First, That
| have neither published nor ordered to be pub.
Iished: any of the newspaper articles to which
you aude, and very possibly have not vet seen
them all, nor have thought it worth while in
this case, any more than in others that have oc-
Cured, to publish explanations or corrections to
the numerous articles disappearing the actions
OF myselt and the members of my force. do not
desire to commence operating a work which we
both know to be an endless I can, therefore,
assure you that none of the newspaper articles to
which you allude, either emanated from me or by
my sanction.
One article has appeared in the Tribune since L. c.
9th, which in the main, was taken from my lips,
which herewith enclose. There is spirit in the
article which disclaim; and quotation ''nobodv
is going to turn out" &C., which is credited to
you, that was not so given by me, nor was the
response stated by me, in the manner here printed
In other respects, the statement is a wonderfully
accurate sketch of what | said. | may also add
that l am of the opinion that either you or Mr..
Howard said something OF the kind quoted. On
the evening of Tuesday, 26th several friends came
into my office 10 learn the facts, whether any at
tempt was to have been made to assassinate Mr.
Lincoln. l assured them there was no foundation
in the story, and went on to relate to them my
participation in the movements of Mr.. Lincoln after
he had left New York on the 2lst inst. In doing So
spoke as freely as one friend should speak to
another, and it was not until | had nearly closed
the conversation, that | discovered a newspaper "
reporter present, whom had refused to communi-
cate with, previous to the arrival of my friends.
regret, while he was taking the advantage of re-
porting conversation, entirely private, that he
omitted the remarks of commentator | used in re-
gard to the appearance and material of your force
as we'll as those on the orderly and good-natured
character of the very large crowd assembled
around the depot to receive Mr.. Lincoln. However,
these are the kind of omissions the press delightin
making.
Second. l have had officers occasionally in your
city, as have had in others farther South, even
Charleston, since these secession troubles be-
gan to show form. | presume in this, am not
much ahead of our Southern friends. Not few of
the journeys have been undertaken, while attend
ing the movements of persons who were in this
city and excited our suspicious while here. But
no officer of mine has reported to me the actual
existence of any band "organiZed for the purpose
of assassinating the President elect"
Although in the prosecution of their duty they
may have deemed it advisable to associate them
selves with the bodies denominated "Southern
Volunteers" wherever they found them, they have
not reported to me that even these bodies had re-
soUe6 on assassination. OF course regard them as
dangerous OIL CARNATIONS, Fand have not failed in
obtaining every information in my power as to
their locality, number means of support, members
officers and movements.
On some proximate day, these points of intelli-
gence may become valuable.
Since Wednesday of last week, up to Tuesday of
men have left your city, in squads for service at the
South, and am advised that about 200 more will
leave during the present week.
1t has not appeared to necessary to stop this |
movement else should have notified you of it be-
fore. The parties are represented to me as being
desperadoes of the worst kind, and whose departure
from any community, is the only good act they can
perform.
| will merely add, that when | read my letters |
On Friday morning, advising that your Depart
nent felt so secure from riot and disturbance on |
the arrival of the President elect, that only t,ceny
men were to be on duty as an escort at once de- |
termned to call on you and endeavor to induce you
to increase the number. But on my arrival [ was
very happy to find my advice was not needed, and |
therefore l did not obtrude it on you.
So far from having advised the change of Mr..
.incoln's route from Harrisburg, before leaving
New York for Baltimore on the 22d, | sent tell
graph to Mr.. Wood, of Mr.. Lncolns party, advis,
ng him to 60 down on the Susquehanna road as
perfectly safe.
You are at liberty to make such use of this let
er as you may deem proper.
am, very respectfully, Yours, &C.,
JOHN A.