The independent. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Kan.) 1860-1874, 1864-11-05
Read and Reflect.

We reproduce the following extracts
from the report of the Judge who tried
The cause wherein the cotton specula-
lions OF Cloud and Crawford are con-
oerned, aud ask our readers 10 reflect,
with core, candor and patriotic fesin.
before casting a vote Cor one who is
prored 10 be deirauder Of The govern
snenI. BY men holding Off &c under Mr.
Lincoln:
In the month OF August. l5os, Cal,i. S. J. CraE-
ford. ln0w Colonel or IL Csi.) commanding de-
isehiehi Of tar - hasls c-Fsif! e. ltsrci r-b-
ca pay tissicr ~ Iac JhsestaS icfutpTH- ard took
from han. Iofs! Thousand 4U.UeI) p4fs OF social.
/ ed ConieduTatr iressurl uot-s Or aieEsy. H-s4b'
seqGeuil. tuned over the same - his sapenor oli
Ger at forI smith, Afk. IA >elie.E Ter. isL3-) Col
~ +. Cloud oosnn..- dii- s-ia regiment. aud also
4 brigade IA the~Afnlt 81 ihs Fronucr sand Col.
CIouu retained talTt. uaas.It1 .3UCuJl dollars ci
the amount. AID rcia!ei H. >4i. CrliO.,i ten tHOg-
sand liU,Ooo dollars thereoi- watch Sib,o0J wvrO
distributed by said CraAiOos sBg .e Uuiht4f, OF
lcers, Gen. Blunt aId Others, it iiliiiiars con-
mand.
AT this juBct4re of tAe affair. Gsn. cNeii took
eolGnaiid, and the report gie regulations
OF Trade III .de by hsai. hi,h had been psrsogsl.
neglected., aud tnen proceeds
J .5cDou4id * 80. had previously IL the resais
lions ~ tr4'le b! MeAel hired a Bamyer % teams
TO haul for Jiem lroa haisA. IL FORT sHiih a large
lot OF goods, Under IN agreement with the teams
ters thattAet Noia MOI be required 10 la al any back
loads Ola their return 10 Kansas. ~ hcn said team;
reached Fori Smith, SIC Do.aid requested said team
.ters 70 proceed 10 Charleston, Arkansas, about
- 30 miles southeast from TT saith, and load
with cotton. and haal The same for him, VIA Fort
Smith AND IT. Scott, 10 LcaYenWeIih. Kansas. \.
most OF said teansiefs objected he ihr-aene' them
Il they did not acceae - As request. thai he 40
Withhold i portion Of what aas due 10 them, and
cause them 10 De sent back b. Kansas with iIasai-
ncieni miiar, escort. by route nadeq Halciy sep
Piled with forage" lie promised Them. on the ois-
er hand, II they complied, TO procure Tor IA IN 4
good escor and 10 pay them 81 Tor every oJ pound.
weight they should haul. They were thus prevail
ed on to accept his oger bout The 18th or 18th o
Nov, leG3 said private teams, numbering asoat 20
were started by said Mcdonald To Charleston, ARK.
with instructions 10 the isaBsters 10 pretend they
were going out 10 procure forage.
Al the same time about 80 Government wagon:
left For Smith for Charleston, under mi itar!
cor. Each of the wagon trains had military guard,
AID was controlled by the military officers accom-
paDyiDg them.
Col. Cloud assumed general control and direction
of the expedition. He saE accompanied by DieicD-
dorf, OF the petitioners, and by Ny. }. b. Dick
eB.on, tive private citizens. The wagons were load
ed with cotton by command OF Cloud-some OF the
cotton was purchased Of Mrs. Susan Richardson, al
Charleston, and some Of Mrs. Carroll, three miles
further and the identical rebel none. captured by
tfahiOfu Was useu 10 pay INC same
paper OF which the following is copy was pro-
due ed ii the Office of Prov. Marshal at Fl Smith
FoRT SMITH, ARK, Nov. 20, 1868.
MCDONALD & DikFENDORP
Bousli of J. X. DIoEEssos,
81 bales Of cotton, average 400 D. gross weight,
$3.50 b., at soc $4,000
Received payment for the same.
This bill Of sale at Fort smith bears the same date
as the one from Mrs. Richardson 10 Dickenson, 80
miles distant aud one from Mrs Aidrdgc, 3 miles
furteer OF, is dated the day. TIE report goes
on to state how the cotton WAS taken Oh towards
LeaseBworih and was seized by order OF Ewing,
and subsequently turned Over 10 the civil authorities.
Ihe Judge up the by showing thai the cot
ton MI barganed 70, when the teams were sent
for It-lhat all the parties named were Implicated
that the connection Of Dickinson, "a Of little
meals aud no credii) a ruse TO get around tina
regulations OF trade adopted by the IaeasGry, and
put in operation by Gen. McNeil-that DeiieBdorf
with the trains after the co.ton-ihat aboa 20
bales were brought on without consent OF the own
ers, who follow and get pay for part OF the same.
and conclut l-'.that al the time the bill of sale
and receipt by Dickinson 10 the petitioners beass
date at Fort smith, said Dickinson not at Fori
Smith. and was lot the bona nde holde. OF The IS
bales for which Il cails-ihat both said Mcdonald d
Diefcudorf, the petitioners, knew how the cotton
wa, procured, and from whom, and were parties 10
the Whole transaction from the beginning. and that
the paper purporBg to be bill OF sale and receipt
from said Dickcnson was coD.rived to cover up the
real character of the transaction
The report went TO Washington. wss examined al
the Treasury Department. and this answer made :
TRKAsoRy DEs'r, July IL, isG4
Sgr: The Judge OF the u. s. D-tric, coait for the
Eastern District OF !Io., has Transmitted to me the
d, iltiun of Alexander Mcdonald and Fox pieicn
orf for remission OF forfeiture IN case o. ~ bales OF
cotton with his slmGiar. inquir. lhercin.
The report of the Judge being adverse, see 10
reason to interfere with The Legal proceedings You
will therefore instruct the District attorney tor the
med. Respy q o. HAaa, SoroS.
Acting Secretary of The Treasury.