The Ohio Democrat. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1840-1900, 1863-11-20

Horrors OF the conscriPt Law--
An Innocent Nan "a Days in
Mnnucles.
Some weeks since Charles Wippert,
a clerk in the store Of Comstock Il Co.;
N. Y, was arrested on the charge Of be.
ing deserter from an Ohio regiment =
Mr.. Wippert has been discharged, and
returned home on Tuesday, aud from his
lips we gather soma further facts, which
furnish food for thought at the present
crisis:
The arrest was made BY an attachee
OF Marshal Scroggs' off Oct. 8, and
the prisoner was thrust into Jail, where
be was kept four days without being al
lowed communication with his friends. =
On the Thursday following he was arous.
ed, handcufed, lroned, and with other
prisoners put on board kind Of cattle
car on the Erie Railroad. The.prison.
ers were instructed by Col. Austin, who
was in charge of the squad, that the first
man who made resistance should have a
ball through his head. Arrived at Ell.
mira, the prisoners were marched thro
the mud and rain to leaky shanty,
where they were kept until the Afternoon
train left for Baltimore. To That cit,
they were nezs taken, and, on reaching
there, were paraded in irons through
the streets. In the journey to this point
las well as to Washington, the prisoner
were kept on quarter rations, aud suffer
ed for lack of food.
AT Washington u kind of slave pei
was opened for their reception, wher
they spent a horrible night. The mel
were ironed by couples, so that it wa
dihcult for them even to lie down. Th
next stage was Alexandria, and frol
there they were taken to Camp Distrbu
tion, four miles off, where they were a
last nc hained, and turned over to th
| Qu rUaster of the post. Mr. Wip
pert 10 b time in seeing Lieutenan
Stuart, who commanded the camp, and
on hearing his story, that officer treate
him in the most humane and gentleman
y manner Through the Lieutenant
1hhuence, his case was, after some delay
brought to the notice OF the proper off
GERS, and the prisoner was, for the fir;
time, permitted to hear the charge
against him and to speak in his own de
fense. An examination of descriptiv
rolls, etc., quickly showed that his al
rest was utterly grouRlless, and, afte
working through Wilderness of re
tape, the alleged deserter was passed t
Washington and furnished with tran:
portation home.
At Elmira, Mr.. Wippert met Colont
Austin, and that official made free to az
sert that his discharge was not a suff
cient one, and to inSiiuate that he wa
not yet out of the clutches of militar
law. Notwithstanding these menace
however, Mr. Wippert was allowed t
reach home, as we have said. His lille
gal detention had lasted twenty>fou
days, and in that time he had seen a
much hard usage as would suffice for
lifetime. He was taken so abrupt
from his place of business here that h
had not time to supply himself wit
money, or even proper clothing. A SUI
of money which was placed in the hand
of Colonel Austin by his brother, to b
conveyed to him at Elmira, he never re
ceived
And now as to the cause of this out
rageous piece of business. Last sun
mer Mr.. Wippert was in Toledo, an
while there chanced to incur the di'
pleasure of a Federal officer named Il
Henry Brown. This Brown manage
to vamp up a charge against him as
rebel spy, and had him arrested on tina
allegation. The Court at that time ha
not been shut up, and Mr.. Wipper
speedily obtained an examination an
discharge. But on his leaving Toledo
Brown took occasion to meet him, an
Swore that he would have revenge o.
him yet-that he would have him in Fl
Warren, if he died for it! 1t was a
order from Toledo, procured at the in
stigation of this Brown, upon which tn
arrest of Mr.. Wippert was made.
The case of Mr.. Wippert is only on
Of hundreds of Others. lie informs u
that he was thrown in contact every da
with prisoners who, he was satisfied, ha,
no more right to be there than himself
One had been q commissioned Office
who had returned home wounded an
resigned his commission. He was ar
rested four days after his arrival hom
and brought to Camp Distribution
where he probably still remains. An
other, school teacher, had been tryinI
for weeks to get hearing and chanc
to show that he had never been in tn
army, and consequently could not hav
been a deserter. For a poor and i'll
dress Oman, who may have thus bee
abducted, the case is hopeless one. =
He may appeal and protest, and protes
and appeal, but the chances are agains
him.
--tS0St---------
The Rise in Prices.