The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1863-11-06
Two Discharged Soldiers Refuse to
Wear the Handouts,

Some weeks since, Gays the 2iluoukec
Ness, two strangers arrived in this city
in search of employment. which they i'm
madia'cly obtained and took permanent
board at the Niagara House in thu 5ih
Ward. When going to ,be pest Office on
Monday ev1nins last, they we're arrested
police detective, who seems to be in the
employ, or a,s ia partnership with these
federal officials. The strangers asked to
be informed for what tksy were arrested
or TO VIA. place they @eTe required TO go
They were tod ,hs. that vas the business
of those making the arrest and 20. theirs,
ard that they would soon enough learn
that. Wbsreupon the young men re-
fused to 90. Handouts were then pro.
ducad which they refused TO wear, threat
ening 10 resist ~ violence. They were
then told that tbs arrest ~1s made upon
suspicion that they were das5rters from
the army, and upon their declaration that
hey had the proof that they had taan
hororsbIy discharged, they were accom-
panied to lhsi' hotel, the papers produced,
aad they we're taereupcn g, 1T liberty.
Another younS laaa who mas in their
company, was Glso charged in the same
way, ont be succeeded in bringing to
their remembrance tha fac. Ii Il they had
once before played the same game On him
with the same result.
Ia this case there va. 40 ground whats
ever for u suspicion tina. these nsn were
deserters, except tie bare fact that they
were Strangers here and the only motive
that We can perceive, was that the Off
cials hoped TO obtain SO scch for max
ing the arrest. Suppose that they had
never been in the army, or that they had
either lost. rnslaid Or left their discharge
papers at home, and had been hurried
off AS IS frequently done, TO some mill
,ary prson-under the existing reguIa-
tons what redress would have bleD With
in their roach? Numerous cases Ct this
kind arc Of daily occurrence. In some
instances they are made pub!ic-in many
they are not. Occasionally one who is
arrested and carried off is able to bring
proof Of innocence that lie is finally set at
liberty, perhaps Thousand miles from his
home, and yet be can get no remuneration
for his loss of time or money. The sim
pie plea that the outrage was committed
under color Of the authority Of the com
mapder~in chief is alleged to be suffi
| cient bar to all proceedings in his behalf
In those cases the ordinary course of jus
tee is exactly reversed. No proof of
guilt is required on the contrary, the
captive is presumed to he guilty until he
demonstrates his innocence, and in many
instances the prisoner is deprived of all
facilities for doing that.
The young men above alluded 10 en-
listed at the commencement Of the war
ia the 18Th New York Volunteers, and
were in the campaign on the peninsula
under Mcclellan. One Of them was se>
vereIy wounded and taken prisoner in the
battle of Gaines Mill, and the other, after
passing through he seven days fight,
was sun struck and removed to the hos
pital in Philadelphia, where he Law for a
long time refusing to take discharge,
hoping to get able to rejoin bis regiment
At last, hope Of ever becoming hardy
enough to endure the hardships of a mil
isry campaign became SO Slight that be
accepted his discharge He says he
would ike 10 ny it again whenever con-
WINGED as he was when lie enlisted, that
he war is carried on for the restoration
Of the Union; These are facts which we
happen to know.
A Big BUSINESS the New