Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1863-08-26
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A WHITE MAN FLOGGED
Outrage at the Provost
Marshal's Office

High-handed Outrage at the Provost
Marshal's Office.
; A Man Receives Fifty Lashes
on the Bare Back
[From tho tho Pittsburgh Chronicle n Republi-
can paper Of August 4th.1
| Considerable talk was created in the ci-
1 ~ Yesterday by a report of'a higii-handed
outrage committed on the person Of man
named Joseph Hagen, at the Provost
} Mmsha!s office, on Fourth street. From
all we can learn concerning the matter, it
woald appear that Hagen enlisted some
time ago in the Sixty-third regiment, and
deserted. A few days since, it is alleged,
he offered himself as substitute for a
citizen of the First Ward, who was draft
ed, and after receiving his unilorm was
sworn in and sent TO camp. He remained
but short time in camp, and nothing
more was heard of him until Yesterday,
when, as is alleged, he presented himself
at the Provost Marshal's Office as a sub,ti-
tute for a man who had just paid him $3.50.
This is the statement Of the clerks IN the
Office themselves, but whether it is correct
or not we cannot say. dagen had passed
examination and was about being sworn
! in the second time, when he was recocniz-
ed, whereupon orders were given to take
him up stairs and give him ffty hshes as
punishment for his attempt to impose up-
on the Board Our informant does not
state precisely from whom this order en-
anated, but as Capt. Foster was present,
and either gave it himself or heard it Civ
en-, he, of course, must be held response
Bile.
Hagen was now seized by the guard end
taken to the rendezvous in the third story.
where Preparations were at once made for
carrying the order into effect. The man,
as we are informed, was stripped naked
gagged and handcuffed. A raw cowhide
was produced, and a soldier named George
Palmer, corporal Of the guard, under di-
! rections of Deputy Provost Marshal Nc
! Henry, who was present, Immediately
proceeded to lay on the stripes. Hagen,
comparatively poweriess, though he was,
resisted, aud McHenry, as is alleged, cal
; led on the soldiers present to hold him
while the stripes were being laid on
This the latter refused to do, whcreupon,
as the report goes, McHenry himself sez-
ed the wretched man, and held him until
the entire fifty lasher were administered
Hagen struggled violently in his agony,
but before the sentence was halt carried
out he fell PROSTATE on the floor, and
while in this condition the balance of the
lashes were administered him. His con
dition when taken up was pitiable in the
extreme. His back was like piece of
raw beef, the ccw-hide having cut through
the skin, and he was so exhausted that he
could not support himself. A gentleman
who saw him to-day, while the doctor was
dressing his wounds, states that he must
have received a most shocking fog
ging, and that had he not been a man of
strong constitution he would have died
under the inhiction.
We do not, of course, justify, or pretend
to justify Hagen's conduct. lie is no
donbt a scoundrel, and it may be deserved
all he got but the Provost Marshal had
no right whatever to take the matter in
his own bands and order the man to be
hogged after the manner he was. The
matter is talked out of doors to-day, and
and some anxiety is expressed 10 learn
what steps, il any, the Secretary of War
will take when he hears Of the affair. OF
course great latitude will be allowed Gen.
Mo0rehead's appointee, but If an outrage
so wanton and tyrannical as this is over
looked, there is no telling where the
thing may stop, or what may come Of it,
ANSWER OF CAPT. FOSTER ...
On the morning Of August 9th Captain
Forster published the following iE the Post:
EDuoR OF THE Posr-Sr Allow me to
say, in relation to an article in Tuesdays
Chronicls under the above heading, that it
contains little truth with great amount
of fasehood. The facts ore as follows
At least a hundred men, many Of Them
Baltimore plugs" and New York rioters,
imported here for the purpose, have en-
listed and teen sworn in as substitutes,
and Immediately deserted, in violation Of
their oath before God and their duty to
their country.
On July 30th. a man who was subsequent
~ asCertainod TO have deserted from the
G3d Penna. Volunteersl enlisted as a
substitute, deserted the same night, and
on August Sd, came again in citizens
dress TO present himself as q substitute and
n third time ommitted perjury and de
feated the Government. | ordered him
to receive thirty-fye lashes as warming
to others. For this there is no law, am
therefore liable TO punishment for assault
and shall cheeriully submit to any award
ed me. All Of the CEronics's article be
yond this is untrue ard is doubtless based
on information derived from some subsd-
tute broker who has been before the
Quarter Sessions on charge of attempt
ing to commit felony, OF in the United
States Court, charged with being concern
cd in increasing the circulating medium
by counterfeit issues, II they have not en-
ticed substitutes from my quarters to sell
them over again in other districts.
Yours. respectfully,
j. HERREN FOSTER.
THe cnRoNIcLE's REJoNDEB.
In yesterdays Chronicle we gave a report
OF case OF flogging at tho Provost Mar
shals Office in which man named Hagen.
alleged to be deserter from the 63d regi.
ment received a number OF lashes as pun
g.f,r pt e. rtf o. a.