The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1863-07-22
ne Investigatf0n In Relation e m =
Destruction OF the office If she
keokuk Constitnaien.
HEADQUARTERS Mil. DIsr. OF Iowa, !
DAVENPORT, Iowa,


HEADQUARTERS Mil. DIST. OF Iowa. !
DAVENPORT, Iowa, :
July 18th. 1868. J
EDITOR OF GAZETTE :-Considerabl.
interest having been expressed by tn,
citizens of this community AZ to the pro
ceedings and opinion of the Court of In.
quiry. convened to investigate the mat.
ter OF the destruction Of the printing Az
psratus of one Thomas w. ClagQe,t. ed
itor OF the Keokuk Constitution have
the honor to enclose you the opinion Of
the court with the order in the case from
my office, that you may, should YOU deem
proper give it publicity through the col
umns of your paper.
Very truly yours,
Jos. NcC. BKEL.
Capt. and A. A. G. U. S. A.
HEADo'R's DIsr OF IowA,)
Davenport, Iowa, July IA, 1868.
GESKRAL ORDER, No. 8.
l. A Commission of Officers copyen.
ed at Keokuk, Iowa, June Goth, 1858, of
which Brigadier General Fitx Henry
Warren, volunteers, was President. by
virtue of Special Order No. 9. Head uar-
tiers District of Iowa, have reported the
following in the case of the riot on, or
about the 9Th February, 1868, and other
disoders alleged by sMr. Thos. w. Clap-
geti, OF Keokuk, to have been committed
by convalescent soldiers in hospital, abet-
ted thereto by officers Of the United
Sta.es army, and volunteers:
The Commission of Officers a,ssmh,ed
under Special No. Order2, Headquarters
Davenport, June 2lst, 1868, have attend
ed the duty assigned to them, and have
the honor to report with accom- panying
evidence. The two specific branches Of
inquiry, were:
lst- The facts connected with the de-
'tructruction of the Printing Office of
the Constitution, on the 10th of February
last, and whether any Y. S. officers had
in any manner aided or stimulated the
attack or destruction. In the examiuins-
ton OF witnesses on this and other
branches, the largest range was given to
the scope of the investigation and testi-
mony not rigidly within the limit Of lepal
proof was admitted The Commission
were anxious that there should be no i'm
putatlon of technical rule of evidence.
~hieh should interfere with any disclos-
IRE material to the inquisision. The
don. Thos. A. Claggst, by the courtesy
u the Court. was allowed to question his
.itnesssss, acting rs prosecution, and
ths Hon. George A. McCrary appeared
- counsel for the officers, sought to be
implicated.
1t appears from the evidence, that a
body OF soldiers, in part armed with re-
volvsrs, and in number from 80 TO 100
marched down to the Office of the Consti.
tuition. about o'clock A. NJ, February
18th, IN military order, and with none OF
the incidents of mob. except in the ri.
'tous destruction Of property which fol-
owed. They placed detail to guard
The approaches of the premises, while
he remainder took possession Of tho Of
ice, laying hold Of the press, type and
md other material. throwing them out of
he window, and conveying the heavier
portions on drays to the river,
Lieut.. G. J Ball, military commander
81 the Post was present in the space of
about twenty minutes, and by command.
ng to desist from the work of demolition.
'ndeavored TO stay the destruction. but
Without avail. The Provost Guard. con.
listing Of FROM twelve to twenty men.
we're ordered out and reported on tho
ground within another twenty minutes
hey were thrown into line by Lieut.. Ball,
Who again ordered the soldiers to rstire
% quarters, and threatened to ere upon
hem unless the order was obeyed. The
Guard WAS brought to "ready," but
Lieut.. Ball was warned that he WA :
lead man if he gave the order to 6r,.
~ this time the work of destruction was
nearly complete, and the rioters then in
rood order and quiet marched back to |
heir quarters. No further outrapes were
'erpesrstsd and the excitement passed
II without any further breach of military
discipline. 1t is clearly shown that the ex.
separation of the soldiers engaged. wa
'reat. and thor spirit and bearing deter
mined. The Commission are uDamion.
n the belief that had Lieut.. Ball ordered |
lis guard to FIRE, the mere destruction ~
property would have been darkeped int
oApRulnkry street hrrvl nth -