Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-09-20
From the Quincy Jll.) Herald, September lO'l
Arrest Of an Ex-PrOvost Marshal-Th
Crimes with which He Is Charged.

Crimes with which He is Charged.
W. R. Straehan, formerly Provost Marshal
at Palmyra, Mo-, was arrested In this CITY on
Tuesday, by Deputy Sheriff James Short, in
pursuance Of the order of General Schofeld
aud the Provost Marshal General Of Missouri.
The order for the arrest of this man Strachan
was brought here some three weeks since by
the Captain of the United States police at
st. Louis. Tho city was thoroughly searched
and Il was found that he had been here
within few days, but had made his escape
The u. s. police officer left on his return to
St. Leu he same evening, but leftwith Sheriff
Stelnagel written authority to arTest Strachan
as soon as he could be found. Straohan arrived
In town on Tuesday by the ten o'clock train
from Chicago, and at twelve O'Clock, OF before,
was arrested. He was found at house on
Fifth street, where, II was said, he had been In
the habit, when In the city, of visit % some
lady aoquaintsnceB He was taken at once to
jail, where, pursuant to order, he was locked up
In close confinement No person was allowed
10 visit or communicate with him. Yesterday
noon the Captain Of the u. s. police having
been telegraphed TO, arrived from st. Louis,
and OF once took charge OF the prisoner.-
Straehan was escorted to the steamer Die Yer
non, and was soon after carried of In the direc'
tlon Of st. Louis, where, We suppose, he Will
pc duly tried and convicted of the charge upon
which he was arrested. ',.ti
He stands changed with having, while acting
as Provost Marshal at Palmyra, embezzed
from the Government some $40, 600 or more.
The proof, we are tola by those who pretend TO
know oil about II, is ample and conclusive,
rendering all hope of honorable escape abso.
lu.ely impossible. He served In the capacity
OF Provost Marshal at Palmyra for o year or
mole from and after the beginning OF the war.
In that capacity We are assured by many wit
nesses, be was guilty of many other oulrsges
and Infamous ofenses beside that OF stealing
from the Government. He Was In the daily
habit, We are told, Of arresting men without
any sort of provooation, AID then demanding
Of their friends large Gums Of money to procure
their release from imprisonment.
II was this fellow, Strachan, who, while act
ing as Provost Msrshal at Palmyra, induced
one Colonel McNsill, who Is said to be no bet
ter than Strachap himself, to issue an order
suppressjng the circulation Of the Herald In
Missouri. This order, as our readers will re.
member, was revoked by General Schofeld,
after which, II 10 said, this fellow Strschsa, be-
took himself to stealing and other crimes as q
sort Of revenge for the rebuke that he get from
| General Schofeld He had an uuaccountable
influence over Colonel McNeill. He got drunk
with MoNelll, and got McN ell drunk whenever
he saw proper, or wherever he had en- object to
accomplish.
l. was this fellow Ssrachan that induced Mr.
Neill 10 issue the o.der by which ten men against
whom no crime was chsrged we're sentenced to
be shot 10 cold blood. In this transaction
Strachan got himself into serious scrape, for
which he was few days since indicted by the
Grand Jury OF Marion county. We give thG
facts as briefly and plainly as possible, just IS
they have been stated to us by some of the best
citizens Of Palmyra. On the morning ap, oint-
ed for the shooting of those ten men, the wife
Of one Of the men thus condemned to be shot
came to Palmyra with six little children; callet
demned to be shot that day, and that these Wer,
her children; that II her husband should b.
murdered she would be unable to support tht
I children, aud begged the inhumsn wretch
with big tears 10 her eyes, to release him from
the sentence.
:. Strachan at first refused, but the poor woman't
opportunities were 30 persistent that he finally
told her II she would raise him $500, and per-
NIT him to use her, he would release her hus-
band. The heart broken woman canvassed the
town of Palmyra, and found che could raist
the sum Of money required. Mr.. Beverly, o
Lagrange, Missouri, called at our Office somt
days ago, and told us that he furnished $500 o
7 the amount, and that he had Strschan's receipt
, for II In his pocket. The money was raised
, Strachan pocketed it-compelled the poor
J broken-hearted, afflicted woman to submit to bill
D hellish lust, aud released her husband.
For this crime against God, against Law
against all the nobler impulses and instincts Of
| human nature, he has been indicted by the
Grand Jury of Marion county. As soon as hii
, loathsome CARCASS can be had from the court
martial at ST. Louis, he will be taken to Ma
rIon county and tried, convicted and punished
for the Infamous crime of rape-and rape
under the most heartrending, humilisting ant
aggravated circumstances.
Such is the late Provost Marshal Of Palmyrs
II the testimony of the first citizens of that place
Of all political parties, is to be relied upon. w
could wiah that none OF these things were tru'
Of him; but these are not one half of the crime
he stands charged with.