Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-06-17
BY mCLANAHAN& DILL.
9aiIg gppeal,
rae KxECUUION ar FRANKLTN.
DssaiIes Faeis ass Hisfory of iss spies.
From the Nashville Daiiy Pfsssl
sDnrsu.-rps posQ

UEAnQU UABTERs POST. Z
FRANKLIN TESSa jane g. 1868
Last evening about sundown two st-angers
rsde into camp and called at Colonel Baird's
heaiouartsrs who presen ted unusual appearances.
Thew had on citizens overcoats, Federal regU-
lstion pants and caps. The caps were covered
with white flannel hsvelocks. They wore side
arms snd showed high Intelligence. One claim
ad 10 be a colonel in the United States army
and called himself Colonel AusdH; the other
called himself Major Dunlap, and both repre-
seuting themselves az tnspector-generals CT tha
United States army. Iney represented that they
were now out on an expedition in this depart
rnent inspecting the outpOsts and detenses, and
that day before yesterday they had been over
baulsd BY the enemy aud lost their coats and
nurses They exhibited official papers from
General Roseerans, and also tTOm the War De-
rsrtment 81 Washington, confirming the rank
and business. These were all right TO Colanel
Baird and at FIRST satisfied him OF their honesty
They asked the colonel 20 loan them hIsy dol
lars as they bad nc coats aud no money to nuy
them Colonel Baird loaned them the money,
and took Colonel Austin's note for it just at
dark they started, saying they were going to
Nashville, and took that way. just so soon as
tHer horses heads were turned, the thought
struck Colonel Baird, be says, Ike a thunder
bolt. and he ordered Colonel Watkins, Of the
9Th Kentucky cavalry, who was standing by,
/ TO arrest Them Immediately. But they were go
l ing st lightning speed. Colonel Watkins had
no time 10 call g guard, and with his ordsriy he
I set out On the chase he ordered the orderly
/ to uusliug his caTbine, and il, when he tine
c5lcueI) halted them they showed any sus-
/ picious motions, 70 fire on them without wait
Z ing for an order They were Overtaken about
{ one-third of . mile from here Col Watkins
I told them that Col Baird wanted to make some
further inquiries Of them, and asked them 60 re-
/ turn. This they politely consented 70 DO, alter
/ some rsmongIances on account OF the latne5s
of the hour sud the distance they had TO travel
and Col Watkins led them t. bis ten, where
4 be placed strong guard over them Il was
/ not until one Of them attempted 70 pass t1e
guard az the d0sr that they even suspected they
vera prisoners. Col Watkins Immediately
/ brought them to Col Baird under strong guard.
I They 81 once manifested great uneGsiness, aad
uretsnded great indignation az being thus
| treated Col Baird frankly told them that be
had his suspicious of their true character, and
/ that they should. if loyal, object TO no neees-
/ sarv caution. They were very hsrd TO satisfy
and were in 8 great hurry to get of. Col.
I Baird told them that they were under arrest,
| and he should bold them prisoners until he
was fully satisfied that they were what they pur
ported 20 be- He Immediately telegraphed to
! Gen. R0seo7zBs, and received tee snswer that
/ be knew nothing Of any such meH, that there
( were no such men in his employ, or had bis
I pass.
Long before this dispatch was received, how
| ever, every one who had sn opportunity Of hear
] ing their conversation was well satisfied that
| they were spies Smart as they were, they gave
/ frequent and distinct evidence Of duDlicity
/ AEsr this dispatch came 20 hand, which It did
about y o'clock (nidnighs) 2 search Of their
persons was ordered. To this the Major cor
sentsd without opposition, bat the Coloue. pro-
/ tested sysinst It, and even put his hand to bis
[ arms But resistance was useless, and both
l submitted. When the Major sword was Drawn
/ frcm the scsbbard there were found etched upon
! it these words ''Lt w. G. Peter, G. S " At
/ this discovery Col Baird remarked, "Gsntle-
men, yoU have played this d-d well "
/ Eyes said Lieut. Peter, ''and Il cana near beiHg
[ a Bsrfsst success" They then confessed the
whole mzttsr, and upon farther search various
! papers showing their guils were discovered upon
| their persons. Lent Peter was found to have
OF q rebel cap, secgetej By the white flannel
/ havelock.
/ Col Baird Immediately e'egrapbed the facts
/ 10 Gen Resecrsns, and asked what he should
( do, and in s. short time received an order 20
Try them by q drum-besd court martial and Il
found guilty, hang them Immediately The
court was convened, aud before daylight the
case was decided, aud the prisoners informed
Z ali1l iaA1N AAA--aH F--t'aA- ava
Afdsylieht men were dessiied to make a scat
fold The prisoners were visited by the chap
lain of the 18Th Illinois who, upon their re-
quest administered the sacrem6ut to them
They also wrote some letters 20 their friends
and deposited their iswelry, silver caps and
al other vs.usbles for transmission % theiI
friends.
The gsIlows was Constructed by a wild cherry
I s.. -. rr, r.shl7
place Two ropes hung dangling from the
beam, reaching within eight feet Of the ground a
little after nine o'clock A. N the whole garri
son was marshaled around the place .Oi eXecu
ton ia solemn sadness, Two poplar cohui
were lying few feet away. Twenty minutes
Dzss zine the guards conducted the prisoners :,
The scafold-they walked firm and steady, g.
{ II uun u1ful Of the fearful pTecipice which thsl
we're approaching. The guards did them th
honor 10 march with arms reversed
Arived ct the plsceof execution, they steppet
upon the platform Of the cart and took their re
4Dsctive places. The provost marshal, Captaii
Sexspdsr. then tied a liuen handkerchief owe
tbe face Of zach snd adjusted the ropes. The.
then asked the privilege of bidding q last fare
well which being granted, they tenderly en-
braeed each other. This over, the cart move
rom uuder thea, and they hung in the All
Vbat a fearful penalty. They swung of q
/. Q.90--in two minutes the lieutenant ceaset
struggle. The colonel caught hold Of the Top
3. With bstb hands and raised himself up At tnre
D. minutes, and ceased to struggle at i've minutes
6 At SIX minutes Dr. Forester, surgeon 5ih keE
Z tucIyv cavalry, and -. Moss, 7s.h lliuoi
infantry, and myself, who had been detailed
examine the bodies, approached them and toun
the pulse of both full and strong Al sey5
7 rninutes the colonel shrugged his shoulders. I'd
rulse Of each continued 70 beat ~ minutes, az
IL tweutv minutes Ell signs Of life had eesset
The bodies were cu5 down at thirty minuts
and eucofiued 10 fuI dress. Tho colonel wa
buried with gold lcckei and chain on his neci
The lockst contained TIE portrait and ofaio
hair Of BIS intended Hite--her portrait vas ala
II, bis vest pocksl-these were buried with hil
al bis request. Both men were buried in Il
sspe egsve-c0mpani0n in life, misioTtuus 81
crime companions Ia iufamy and now eompsl
B. ions in The grave.
ia should have stated in another place that q
) rrisoners did not want their punishment delaye
but well knowing the consequences Of the
+, acts. sven before theiT sTial, asked to have Z
ssnisnce, be It by hanging OF shooting, qaiek
decided and executed But they depreeat'
The idea It desth by banging, and asked tor
eomiautshan Of the sentence TO shooting
vbs slse, and lsaasr OF these unfortuns
r. r,en was Lawrence Williams, OF GeorgetoW
IL n q He wss IS fine locking man as ha
r. ever ss,n. about six feet high, and perhs
u tbirfv wears old BE wss q son OF Capt. ="
EsmT. Who wss killed at the battle Of honiere
H. Va, sns Of the most intellectual aud
eompl.sheE msn that have ever known;
have .svsr known any one who exceileo d.
asa talker. He was member OF t5e fege'
~ srnav with The rank Of captain OF cavalry "h
The rebellion broke out, and At that ZINE !"
- Aid-6e-camp and private secretary 70 U997
Tin6sid scott From this confidence aud
sDeet shown him By Sc distinguished ml
NAV be Judged his education and sccomplu
nents. He was first cousin Of General j
- commanding the Confederate army On
4 Rappahann0ck. Soon after the war began
L. was frank enough to inform Gen. Scot. that