The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-07-25
The Conspiracy Case in Phila
deIDhia.

THE REBEL MAIL OFFERED TO PROVE
HIGH .TREAsoN.-The particulars OF the
arrest OF John ONeal, John Benedict and
John Moore, in Philadelphia, on charge
of high treason, and of the seizure OF two
vessels freighted with contraband goods,
money and a rebel mail, together Win the
testimony of an important witness, prov
ing a deep laid conspiracy against the Gov
eminent, have already appeared in our
columns A further examination before
the United States Commissioner, has led TO
remarkable developments. On Thursday
the United States authorities offered TO
prove the accused guilty of high treason.
During the discussion that ensued, in reply
to question of Mr.. Vandyke, counsel Tor
the defense, Mr.. Coffey, representing the
Government, said:
I have REASONABLE letters here, found in
the possession of O'Neal, and can show you
some if YOU desire.
Mr.. Vandyke.-With your PERMISSION,
would like to see some.
The District Attorney here very lelsurely
selected a few from the package and handed
them to Mr.. Vandyke.
Mr.. yandvke having carefully read them
over. said: Well, strive are not ready to go
to trial, becausewe cam go into the oelehse
now.
Mr.. Coffev-Well, sir, the letters, or some
of them, had better be read, and then we
can have better understanding of the al
fair. We can then have more light on the
subject.
Mr.. vandyke (sympathetically.) = Oh,
these letters are letters from school girls in
the State of Maine to their lovers, their re-
lations and their friends; now is it right to
publish to the world such epistles? Let us
save the feelings, ! am frank to say, OF in
discreet girls.
Mr.. Coffey-I am not going to read the
letters from indiscreet girls; | propose to
read letters from traitorous men.
Mr.. Vandyke with little WARMTH
show me one from a traitorous man.
Mr.. Coffey pleasantly, with a smlle)-
Certainly. sir; here is one, written by DR..
Dickson, Professor in the Jefferson Medi-
cal College Of Philadelphia; he is the man
who says that the cry that Vicksburg has
fallen is killing him by inches. Read this
letter careftllly-observe the information
it conveys to the rebel authorities.
Mr. Vandyke said it is not proved.
Mr. Coffey-I have the witnesses ready
to prove it. Just read it,
Mr. Vandyke now read the missive in
silence. When he finished he handed it
back to Mr. Coffey and said 81 must con-
fess. sir, my surprise that the District At
tornev has possession of a letter of this
kind, and has not arrested its author. 1t
is strange, to say the least, that the Pro-
fessor has not been arrested"
At this stage of the proceedings Mr.. Van
ents for a few minutes, after which he turn
ed toward the Commissioner and said:
II waive all hearing, and ask that the
partief be admitted to bail"
Mr., Cotfev-I have made the charge of
high treason, and am ready to go on with
the evidence, therefore oppose the objec-
ton that bail be taken.
Mr.. Commissioner cannot take bail
on the charge of high treason. l shall take
little time to weigh the matter over III
ymy mind and to look at the authorities.
The proceedings here closed.
The Philadelphia Press OF Friday makes
the following editorial comments on the
proceedings before the Court:
TREASON IN PHILADELPHIA.-On Satur-
day last. charges of conspiracy against the
United States, correspondence with the re-
bells, and high treason. were preferred
against three men, and tried this week, be-
fore United States Commissioner a. ii.
Smith, which have had singularly intereS-
. ting and very Important results. NeWSpa-
per interference with cases undetermined
by the law we hold to be generally impro-
per, but the evidence we have already pub
Gshed so conclusively establishes the eXlS-
tence of widely spread treason in the North
that we do not hesitate to fix the entire
attention of the public upon the testimony
of two United States detectives, who, with
remarkable skill and pertinacity, obtained
the confidence of the persons accused, and
were admitted to knowledge of the entire
conspiracy. They found these persons en-.
gagged in a contraband trade, sending infor'
nation to the rebel authorities, and plan
ming piratical expedition from the por
OF New York for the destruction of Amer
lean vessels. A Captain Benedict assured
the detectives that his chief object was moi
money, but to do all possible good for the
rebellion, all possible harm TO the Govern
ment. His confederates in treason appear
to have been governed chiefly by sordlc
motives though not without strong sym
pates with the rebellion.
Interesting as the case is within Itself
for it possesses the picturesqueness OF :
sensational modern drama, and might east
ly be wrought into a capital StorV-lt has
deeper interest rs it indicates that the con
ceaed disloyalty of the North is an ele
ment, larger and more dangerous than the
people are willing to admit. This is hu
one instance of revealed corruption. bu
how MANY more have been successfully
hidden? 1t is q fallaCy to suppose tina
murder viii OUT on the contrary. it is
probable chat, for every murder discover
ed, another remains .unsuspected The
detection of this conspiracy should con
vince us that other conspiracies. equally
dangerous. exist undetected, and every
loval citizen should aid the Government
with all his power in bringing the guilty
punishment.
Among the letters TO persons in The
rebel states, secured by the detectives
We're several which implicate prominen
peace men of Philadelphia. One of thes'
letters is from Professor Dickson, of tn
Jefferson Medical College, who writes T.
his Southern friend, 1.-The cry in the street
of The fall of yicksburg is killing me b,
inches.o We think that this exposure 0
his loyalty, and the additional, exposure
which is sure to follow, should Kill hin
yet more rapidly. Though the letter wa
not fully read in Court, we have the au
thsrity of the District Attorney for statin
that it contained important information
Intended for the rebel authorities. VIVA
can be thought of the man who, occupy
ing a responsible position in the college
city, degrades himself TO the low rank G
aspy9 What excuse can he offer for hl
treason? Granting the most that can b
claimed, that a diseased conscientiousnes
attached him to the rebellion, that mistor
tune cannot absolve him from the charg