Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1862-09-25
Astounding Revelations.
An Illinois x. O.. C. in Fart Lgfay.,,e--
The Northpea 10 be Mpnied--The RED.
d Coastitution TO be PhociImed--"Ric
ers Of BiooJ' TO be Poured Out


a Constitution TO be ProcLImed--"Kir
ers of Blood' 10 be Poured Out
lfron tho Chicago Trbumsl
a short time since NJ. Y. johnson and
David Shchan, two notorious traitors Of
tislena were arrested by order Of the Sec
retary Of War, and sent to Fort Lafayette.
AT the time they were taken to the Fort.
| there happened 10 he confined in the same
place gentleman from the city Of New
York, named Lewis Ballard, who had been
sent there for mere technical violation Of
the War Department, in proposing to oh.
tain substitutes for persons who should be
drafted. Mr.. Ballard was n thoroughly
loyal citizen, and man Of good character
aud unqaestioned verscify. A soon as it
was ascertained that his error was commit
ted in good faith, and without any inten-
tion 10 discourage enlistments, he was releas ,
ed. He was in the fort when johnson and
Shehan were sent there, and he happened
TO be confined in the same room with them
johnson supposed, as matter OF course,
that every prisoner in the fort was genu-
inc traitor He accordingly gave vent to
everything he knew. His conversation was
so extraordinary that Mr.. Ballard at once
addressed q note to the commandant of the
fort, advising him Of the dangerous chaiac.
ter Of the man. After Mr. B. was reea ,ed,
he informed Superintendent Kennedy OF
the facts, who deemed them of so much im
portance that he requested him to put the
matter in the form Of an affidavit, which we
print below. The commandment Of the fort
found a paper on johnson person showing
him 70 be Knight of the Golden Circle,
in full communion with the brotherhood in
Dixie. Both johnson and Shehan refused
to take the oath OF allegiance.
The following is Mr.. Ballard's affidavit:
CITY, County, AND STATE OF N. Y, s.
Lewis Ballard being duly sworn, doth de
pose and say that during temporary con
fneinent at Fort Lafayette, extending from
the first to the third day ofSeptember cur
rent, deponent was placed in a casemate OF
the fort with other prisoners; that he lodg
ed and associated necessarily with the othel
) persons confined there; that during his STAY
he participated in conversation with many
OF the said persons; and that he was a hear
er to much conversation between differen
persons there, in which he did not partici
r pate. That on the second Of September
: Madison Y. johnson Of Gaena, Illinois
e nd another person named Shehan, O
| something like that name. also from Gale
ma, arrived at the fort as prisoners. The
, at once avowed their sympathy with the Vi
olent Secession prisoners who were there be
fore. johnson was the most outspoken; b
t converscd freely on the subjects connecte
with present difficulties; avowed himself 1
Y taror of the Constitution ofthe ..Souther
y Contederdcy IN preference to the COnsiita
r ttoa Of the United Statssi That he ,oas or
ps,ssd to a Continuance Of tie U,tiun az,
0 soas! Thatthe war ought not to be contiu
ued In thus expressing himself, he as
E sumed to understand thoroughly the oh
e jects aud aims of the leaders of the rebe
0 lion; and of the designs Of their sympath
. zers in the loyal States. He said that tn
v NORrHWESTERN STATES WERE TT
r BE INVADED. THE SOUTHERN CON
+ STlTUTION TO BE PROCLAIMED
n and the free navigation of the Mississippi
/, proffered That on this being done tn
t people, icho ,cere organized and prepare
for Il, WOULD RISE, cut loose from tn
Y Yankees, and If necessary to put down oil
e position THE WHOLENORTH WOULl
r RUN WITH RIVERS OF BLOOD
u While he gave utterance to the foregoin
= words, he accompanied them by illusions I
z Organizations being in existence to carr
e out the plan. He also stated that when h
o was arrested, large numbers from the su
'. rounding country called on him and offerc
II a rescue; but that he advised them to lea,
s. The whole matter to him; that the time ha
1t not yet arrived for them to act but that
10 would surely come. '.......
Z And further this deponent saith not
10 LEWIS BALLARD.
1t Sworn to before me, this 10Th of Septen
ii br, 1869 ..,
r. JOHN A. KENNEDY, Special Provo
1t Marshal.