Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-03-28
swINDLTNG EXPOSED.

eraud upcE SoldieF1---InterestiRs Devel
OPments in the substirute BusIness---HiT
ing Men to go for Substitutes and the
Advising them to Desert.
The United States authorities in this cit
have recently come into the possession o
such facts as justified, in their opinion, tn
arrest of G. F. Lewis, sometimes known a
Colonel G. F. Lewis, a banker in this city, Of
a charge of enticing a soldier to desert. H
was arrested on that charge yesterday after
noon, and on being brought before United
States Commissioner White gave bail for hi
appearance for examination at ten O'CLOCK
A. n. on Monday next.
In November last a man named Thomas
R. King came to this city from Erie county,
Pennsylvania, to visit q brother who belong
ed to some regiment here. King had previ-
Ously enlisted in a battery in Erie. While
here he saw G. F. Lewis, who offered to give
him(as he afirms) 800 to join the 10th Ohio
cavalry as a substitute for a drafted man.
Lewis told him, he says, that he could enlist
and then run away whenever he wished to
do SO. King remained in camp about thirty
days, and when they began to talk about
mastering in the regiment, he saw Lewis and
told him he didn't want to stay any longer.
Lewis sent him up to his CLewis') house, and
in the garnet of the house King exchanged
his uniform for a citizens suit and ske-
daddled."
Previous to Kings leaving, q soldier nam
ed Ross, enlisted probably by Lewis as King
had been, gave King an order on Lewis for
500, which he said Lewis was keeping for
him. Lewis says he gave the money to King
and that he ran of with it. King says he
gave the money to Ross. Lewis protested to
be greatly indignant at King for carrying of
the money, alleging that he Lewis was
keeping it for Ross wife. Ross had gone
in the meantime.
1t appears hat a number of afidavits were
made out last fall at Camp Cleveland; by sub
stitutes who had been swindled by G.. f.
Lewis together with a man from Wayne,
Erie county, Pennsylvania, named N. Barns
Greeley, said to be a brother Of Horace Greedy
Of the New York Tribune. These afidavits
were taken by Major L. c. Thayer, of the
10th cavalry, and Colonel senter, command
ant Of the camp, and forwarded to Judge
Advocate Turner at Washington. One of
these afidavits was signed by J.. L. King, a
brother of Thomas R. King, the deserter
from the 10th cavalry. Thomas says he lives
in Wayne, Erie county, Pennsylvania. Last
fall he heard that he was drafted, but reeeiv-
ed no official intimation of it. Greeley, who
also resides in Wayne, came to him and ad-
vised him to go to Cleveland. He said he
was second lieutenant in the 10th cavalry and
G.. F. Lewis, cashier Of the Bank Of Cleve-
land and a wealthy and influential man, was
Colonel. Greeley told King to 60 to Cleye-
land and if Lewis would not pay him SIOO
to enlist, he Greeley would pay his ezpsns-
es up and back. He said there was q fund
in the Bank Of Cleveland with which to pur-
chase substitutes for drafted men. He repre-
sented to King that he could secure a lieu
tenancy very easily, alss bounty money, and
then resign. He also told him that it would
make no difference about his being drafted at
home if he enlisted in Cleveland. King
came to Cleveland, enlisted in the 10th cav
airy and claims that he was outrsgeously
swindled by Lewis and Greeley. There are
three or four of these afidavits, all telling
about the same story.
Lewis expressed a great desire to have the
d%eserter, Thomas King, arrested. On We'd
nesday of this week United States District
Attorney Payne received tho affdavits above
alluded to, from the Judge Advocate at
Washington, attended by a note saying Lew
is and Greeley were out Of the reach of Uni
ted States law, but suggesting that they
might perhaps be held by State law. Short
ly after the arrival of these documents and
while Attorney Payne and Commissioner
White were talking about them, Lewis came
in and said he had heard from the deserter
Thomas King. The Deputy United States
Marshal at Coldwater, Michigan, had just
telegraphed to him that King was arrested
there. Mr.. Payne cOntrived to have Lewis
send for him on his own account. King ar
rived on Thursday night in charge of an uni
ted States Deputy Marshal, and was lodged
in jail. Yesterday the Deputy reported to
Lewis that he had brought his man, where
upon Lewis paid the expenses of the opera
ton, $55. His anxiety to get King, as he
alleged, was to have him punished for car
rying of the 500 belonging to the soldier
Ross. Yesterday afternoon Lewis was ar
rested as related. His confederate, Greeley,
may perhaps be arrested also. W. W. Wright
went bail for Lewis, in the sum of 81 900.
The examination of Lewis comes of on
Monday alto An.