Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1862-02-27


y that lie was an agent for the Govern
+, ment, and had troops and munitions Of
. war to send to Washington by way Of
, the Chesapcak, and that he wished to
, charter vessels for that purpose.
e - Afterward Cummings called upon
/ me- and showed me the same authority
= that Weed had shown. 1t had been
transferred to him to perform the same
service 4 u / should think
= that Weed had chartered from six to ten
/ vessels.
5 This testimony was given on the 29th
of December, and up to that time the
, Committee had no evidence or intimation
, that Mr.. Weed had been an agent for
, the Government or acting as such. The
, Department was liberal in bestowing
, confidence and grants Of power, but that
confidence seems to have been abused by
the transfer of authority from one to an
, other. Mr.. Weeds absence from home
prevents an examination at present into
the nature and extent Of his agency.
MYSTERY ABOUT THE oATALINE's CARGO.
The Committee have not been able to
show for whom the steamer was loaded.
1t has been intimated she was loaded
by private parties, to he run, however, at
the risk and expense of the Government.
And when she could not obtain a clear
ance her cargo was, in whole or part,
sold to the Government. If this be so, it
will account for the Doctors purchcsc of
straw hats, linen pantaloon, London
porter, Scotch ale, Dutch herring, butter,
cheese and all"
Collector Barney swears that on the
9th day Of April Mr.. Stetson, in whose
name the title had been taken, called on
him demanding a clearance to Annapolis.
When asked how she was loaded, and t.
whom the cargo belonged he replied she
was loaded with flour and provisions,
r which belonged to several of his friends.
Mr.. Barney refused to clear her.
Stetson then said the provisions were for
the army. Barney replied that as the
property was not Government property,
but property of individuals, he could not
clear her except by a request from some
Government officer. 1t is but Just to say
here that Mr.. Develin was evidently in
duced to purchase the vessel at the sug-
gestion Of those who were acting for
Government, and that Mr.. Stetson, in ev-
cry thing he did, was frank, candid, and
made no concealment.
CLANDEsTINE ESCAPE OF THE CATAIINE.
When Mr.. Stetson again called on the
Collector che brought anote from Mr..
Weed, stating that the cargo consisted of
supplies for troops, and requesting
clearance" Mr.. Barney declined, butsaw
Mr.. Weed and explained why a clearance
could not be granted. Mr.. Weed said
"it was all right, and acouldJe arranged
IN some other gay." He concluded not
to give clearance unless requested to do
so by General Wool. lie saw the Gen
eral, and requested him to be careful be-
fore he gave orders for a clearance. a
pass, however, was obtained from the
General, which he regretted, for Monday
morning he sent an order to the Collector
revOking it; but the fugitive had escaped,
with the condemnation of the Collector
and General wool upon her. Her voyage
was an unfortunate one, after two
months service she was destroyed by fire.
The question recurs, who were the
friends referred to by Mr. Stetson, as the
owners of the cargo9 IL is necessary to
go back and sec who had any interest or
connection with the transaction. Mr..
Freeman, who had one tenth interest in
the profits, swears, after first declining to
do so, that he received, as part security
for the purchase money of the Cotaline,
four notes, of "a 800 each, as follows:
THE NOTORIOUS MATTEsoN ONE OF THE CAT
ALINE PARTY.
One note by John Il. Deyelin, indors-
ed G.. G. Davidson; one note by Thurlow
Weed, indorsed John E. Dcvein; one
note by G.. G. Davidson, indorsed O. B
Mattcson; one note by O. b. Matteson,
indorsed Thurlow Weed.
"NoBoDY Knows
These parties must have al. been in
New York City at this time. The only
other person besides the captain and
crew was James Larkin, who went on the
boat, he says, as purser, although he fin
ally concluded his duty was to act as
check upon the captain. This man was
appointed by Mr.. Devein, upon the re-
commentator of Mr. Davidson. No one
seemed to take any interest in loading
the vessel except Mr.. Develin. Colonel
Tompkins knew nothing of her cargo
| The Union Defense Committee knew
nothing of her cargo, ,.and when DIR. Cum
mings was asked if he knew anything of
her cargo, said, "Not particle" He
relied entirely upon and trusted to the
clerk, Mr. Humphrey, appointed upon
the recommendation Of Mr.. Weed. IT.
must be left to the surrounding facts who
were the friends referred to by Mr.. Stet-
son, and whether the boat was first load
cd for private speculaton and when no
clearance could be obtained, Mr.. Cum
mings, through his clerk, purchased the
cargo for Government, SO that a pass
could be procured. General WooPs
hcsitency in giving pass to the CdtaIine
probably induced representation to-
General Scott that the condition of his,
! (Woops) health required repose from
ardous duties.
DIR. CUMMINGS AS AN "AGENT."
The Doctor was certainly remarka-
bic agent. The Secretary wants an ener-
getic, intelligent and experienced man, of
course--one more so than the Union De-