Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-11-20
Fhs AFreI, 81 M, CIdSIseI.

The Toronto Glebs Of the l7th inst, has
The following in reference to this singular
case. The Globe thinks Mr.. Giddings may
have been guilty Of an indisoretiOn. How
far this opinion may be justified, cannot
now be told, in the absence Of the letter
which Mr.. Giddings gave to the man Jones,
Of which, unfortunately, no copy was
kept The Globe says:
"The telegraph informs us that Hon.
J. R. Giddings, American Consul General
TO Canada, has been arrested and held to
bail on the complaint Of one W. ]. Louis
Redpsth. The case, so far as it has yet
been made public, is very much mixed up.
As nearly as we can get at it, it appears to
be something like this:
"a man named Jones, who, there is rea-
son to believe, is connected with some por-
tion Of the United Ststes police, met in
Montreal, at g boarding house, the said W.
]. Louis Redpalh. At the house he sp-
pears to have been commonly called
q Louis" his surname being discarded by
his intimates. Jones conceived the idea
Of kidnapping Redpsth and taking him to
New York. To aid him he secured the SER
vices Of an old, Incorporate man named
Hawkins. The two went to Redpsths
house. Jones pretended that he was
Montreal detectives Hawkins, that he held
a similar Office in the New York police
As it would appear from the account we
have, Redpsth allowed himselft to be placed
in cab, and conveyed to St. Lambert fer
~, and to be placed in the cars, without
making any resistance. The "detectives"
showed him, he alleges, letter, purport-
ing to be signed by Mr.. Giddings, "suthor-
izing them to apprehend two men named
Louis and Burke, and convey them to the
States, appointing Hawkins as assistant to
Jones, and promising that all reasonable
expenses should be paid on their arrival
in New York" As a reason for srresting
" Redpath instead Of "Louis,' Jones
told him he was sure he was the man, as
he had been called "Louis in the board
ing house where he first met him. He
lJones) also volunteered the information
that charge was pending against Louis
alias Redpsth for arson, and the murder of
q negro during the New York riots. He
was conveyed to New York, but succeeded
before he got there in writing to the Mayor
of Montreal The fact becoming known to
his captors, he was released from confne-
ment upon signing paper pledging him
self not to take any proceedings against
either Jones or Hawkins.
HUpon returning to Montreal Redpath
made his case known to the press Of that
city. Mr. Giddings Immediately contra
dicted the report that be had in any way
authorized the arrest. He says that Jones
waited upon him, represented that he
wished to start with prisoner for New
York, but that as he was dangerous Ian,
sn assistant would be necessary. He was
afraid, however, 10 employ any one for
that purpose, lest the police in New York
would refuse to reimburse him. Would
Mr.. Giddings, he asked, give him note
advising payment With this request,
believing the man was Montreal detect
i've, and deceived by his gentlemanly bear
ing, Mr.. Giddings complied. He has now
been arrested upon q charge Of completely
in the act Of kidnapping. That he was in
tentionally guilty we cannot believe, but
it does spperr that he had been guilty Of
an indiseretisn. 1t is quite possible, when
the contents of the note which he gave to
Jones are published Vsrbatim, if that can be
done, that the language Rsed on the spur
of the moment will be proved TO 60 further
and te mean more thsn was intended. Un-
til further evidence on this points offered
judgment must be suspended.
"And further what motive could Jones
kave for kidnapping Redpsth Is there
really q charge pending against Louis
whoever he may be-for arson and mur-
der If 90, there was no necessity for an
illegal arrest The identity OF the man
being proved, he might have been claimed
under the eKtrsdition treaty.
"This, it is said, is not the only case of
the kind in which Jones has been CON
oernBd. 0lhsr British subjects besides
Redpsth have been kidnapped and carried
across the hsrbor. For whom Jones has
been acting, by whom he was employed,
does not clesrly appear, or rather there is |
no proof, so fer as We are aware, to justify |
our Government in saying to the police Of |
New York, Thus didst thou. But the |
matter is q serious one, and ought to be |
probed, If possible, to the very bottom.