, 1861-08-30
MORE STATE PRISONERS.
Highly Important arrest 1t Phfla-
4elRhEAs
PHILADELPHIA, August 96

kHIA1ELEltLA1 E0' I
The case Of Samuel EsIzen can1e up to-day,
before the Unite i gtates Commissioner &
great uumber OF Witnesses, chiefly mechanics
and ln7entorE, were sworn, and their testiHao-
MES agree IN stating that Eak=a Is most |
dangerous pefson, ot grsat ingenuity, expert
very De- rimental to the cause OF the Union, If
they have uot<a'r5ady go proved Themselves. |
Ma1shal MG1ward started for Fort Lafayette |
with this non On Saturday night, but nav and
Important evidence being at that time ad.
duced, be was held OVER for further hcasing |
to.Cay. In the meantime his dwelling, in /
Pa}mer street, Keneington, was Searched, and |
ecme curious bel1geren, contTlvsnc=s oro2ght |
to Ag5t; among them about . wv tses OF ez-
t1smt1y minute insulated Telegraph wire, of |
tie thickness Of thread, wrapped IN silk, and |
adSpted TO fo1miDt: connection With any ordi-
nsIy wire The color Of the thread vas greer,
and II come respects it Tas E1Dtkar to the !
fragments Of cable picked up rear Fortress
Monroe At q distance Of ten yards this wire
IVES invisible, and it coula be tSailed through
grass AID heritage, over any extent of country,
without detection. The object OF this wire
was doubtless 10 lead off messages from the
| Government lint6, aud put the rebels into pos
session Of every important movement Eaken
| insisted that it Was an improved wire for in
suIating magnets; but well informed witness
es disagreed with him
| 4 percussion cap Was likewise discovered,
that Fou!3 sgnits caanon cartridges through
| the thick metallic coverings, and thus avoid
| the necessity Of airing off the envelope. TIE
| model OF a cannon, likewise, came to light,
that the inventor supposes capabl7 OF sFll1Img
| eeTelty>iuur figase in halt at q distance OF
three miles. miniature torpedo for subma.
rine purposes, consisting essentially ofa gutta
| psrcha bag and tnbe Was discovered, and this,
| from the prisoners own admission, Was to be
employed in blowing up war vessels. Among
| the prisoners private papers We may enumer-
| atea railroad pxes, directing the various South.
err railways to pass the bearer to any point in
! the Corftde.acy and charge his expenses to
the Davis government; q letter from the Direc-
tor OF the Richmond aImory, containing grave
matters DOS yet made putiie; and one Irom
George B. sloat, the precise nature Of which is
| not yet explained, which the prisoner was de-
tectcd chewing to pieces. He succeeded in II
swallowing ha!f the 1ni=sive Mofs e. than & g. ,ooo
sna1t dne h,efopgs aeae whicR @ made much s5mpathy
for Esken, in spite Of the formidable aecusa-
He is native of Massachusetts, aud was
educated IN Philadelphia, mauifesting from
the beginning wonderful aptitude for ne
chanies. Among Ills early applications was
, th:t Of g sewing machine, and sEoat d. Co.
. employed hin to improve sewing machine
needles, for which they Ieceiesd the patent
ard emolurnents. He Afterwards went 10 the
f Crimea, IN the employ Of the Russian govern
, ment, and managed for some time the appli
catscn OF internal machines Of his own contsi-
= Wat VeEeels, and afterwards assisting to raise
= the submerged Ships from the decks at Sebas-
, topoL Thence he led 7agabond Life, endea
: yoIiDg without SUCCESS to press his Inventions
upon mcst Of the European governments, and,
o re.a1nipg home, engaged in the business OF
n electIotyring for Baiit J & Kitchen, jewellers.
= When the great tunnels on the Reading Rail
r road were about being extended, Esken ap
s Piled galvaniEm to blasting the solid rock, and
3 thus completed the work N unexampled time
he k1@7.t7 n
3 wards Per minute. He made improved can
i uon ard 81. Il efterward, lmpoverishing him
d self in framing models, and endeayoring with
Il out SUCCESS, TO make them available for gov
le ernment. When the war broke out he applied
d fer mechanical position to the Secretary o
~ War: but the Cabinet had not tie tins tt
= hesrken to his suggestions, and, having re
r. eei7t d tempting offers from the South, he VA
II compelled, fol bread and dwelling, to relin
~ qaish ing1atitude at home and serve the enc
mics Of Els country 1t Richmond The fund
u in his possession attest how well he Was re
le ua1ded. He remained in Richmond th1e,
aL weeks, Eystematized the business Of the Al
e mory At that place "a timetable Of which Wa
y Fhia few weeks ago to bny material aud &c
~ q force Of mechanics. His behavior in tow
ae considering the ci1cumstance6-Was child
~ like; for he made no secret OF his intentions
aae IL aEd eeemed Indifferent to the aims and e1d
'!e Of tie be1lIgerents, so bis OWL meehaaisI
vas Iut to use ard rewarded. Marshal job
". Starkey heard Of him in this manner IN
entraFped lin By decoy letter, At the heal
IL irg most Of the inventors In the city attend
ral ed, sId they bore unanimous testimony t
Lis fertility ard skill
In appearance Eaken is very remarkabl
ng Individual, having most capacious head wit
rs rs great forehead, full Of black hair, O 1itH
60 gray, and strongly marked features, half CT
p- Veloped in heard. He has the Eeenest Of med
ne tative eyes that look through epectaei7a, an
"a bis manners gre those Of q gentleman, app,
~ ne reltly unconscious Of having committed
ke fault He vas taken to Fort LaEay cite at tn
e = O'Clock, in company With q German name
n David Ryno, wEo came North to purchase ir1
+. for bridge-buildipg in North Carolina FAKE
a5 will soon be released and putiato gove.nmel
nd service. a more Important prisoner the s'ba
7: tile " will not hold during the war.