Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1861-05-24
The Attempt TO Get Possession of
Fort Pickens by Bribery.

4
A correspondent of the Washington Sunday
Chronicle, gives the details of the recent nn-
successful attempt on the part of the Rebels to
get possession Of Fort pickeps By bribery
| Lieut. Slemmar, having had his suspicious
aroused BY tho frequeat passage of letters and
papers between the fort aud Warrington, gave
orders that all such communications must be
STOPPED Tie very next day roll of papers
was sent over from Warrington to a Sergeant,
which Lieut.. Slemmer opened, finding note
| enclosed, making vague offers to the man II he
would betFay bis trust. watch was set over
the Sergeant, aud the next day another pack
age came over, addressed to the same man, and
having this note ncosed
'sWhat jackass you are. / again renew
my offer of position, with lieuteuants COM
mission, and all your pay tao-fold that is due
you from the Federal Government. Also to
Flynn. If you viii help us along to save
| bloodshed, can offer any private in the com
pany $500. and any non-commissioned officer
$1,000, together With guarantee Of future
promotion as high, or higher, as he now stands.
| EUery man tcho UdL take upon MemsetUeS to
giUe as the fort utthout btoodshed, and saUe
the Rues Of your garrison, aoiH be pald all
back pay, $500 for tie priyates, $1,000 for
non-comuissioned officers, and commission
ia the GoDfederate army. This Offer by au-
| thority. | would not offer it otherwise. You,
as friend, believe will tfust me. We MUST
1 and WILL have the fort, ,but 'tls not worth one
/ drop of blood; but # it cost 5000 lives, ice
must and lOiH have a. Fill it full Of Feder-
al troops if you will, yet aoe must and ariH hare
it. Don't be id fool. When and where
eau / see you7 viii 60 over to night, aud
will take cocktail, if you say SO.
Answer first opportunity. Yours, &,, y. I"
1 Ga the morning of the 18Th of April pTi
yate Of Slemmer's company made the following
statement -
81 was on picket gunri last night. Daring
/ the uight | saw small boat approach the beach.
| stepped b .ck to see what it was about, when
mau came before me. broaght my mu ket
/ t. eh re, anI ordtrad him 10 halt Il said,
/ hoa't shoot, | am a friend He then began
/ to talk to me, and TO ask about the fort
While he was talking, three others came up
behind me. They asked me many questions
about the number of men, &C., about the hapk
defence, and whether the guns could not he
spiked, &c. They said they wouid gfUe dny
nan plenty Of money # ac 1coufd only spike
the flank defence guns, and asked when would
be on picket guard again. told them on
Monday night, They said, 'We sill be over
and ready AS they we're going away one of
them said to NE, 'How ale you eff for money
10 tue fort?. said, 'We have not been paid
for six months He then pul roll Of Hills
10 my hand :. and said, Give that to them.'--
He then gave roll of bills amounting to
sixty dollars, which now have 10 my poss es-
sion.
After making this statemen. he gave the 500
to Slemmer. The galent Lieutenant declared
that it was only when he saw these evidences
of intentions to bribe his men to spike his flank
defence guns, and thus obtain possession OF The
fort, be believed it necessary to call for rein
forcements.