Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1864-11-02
Great Fraud upon the Soldiers
NEW YORK. STATE AGENTS FORGE VOTES
FOR MCCLELLAN.

BALTIMORE, Oct. 27-Extensive frauds
have been discovered in this city and
Washington on the part of some commits.
sionerS of New York State to receive and
forward votes Of the soldiers. The n. Y.
State agents, NJ. J. Ferry, of Canton. St
Lawrence county, and Edward Donahoe, of
Albany, have been arrested and were
brought to trial, this evening, before a
military commission, of which Major Gen
eral Abner Doubleday is president, and
Col. John A. Foster, of the 10th New
York, is judge advocate.
On the conclusion of the reading of the
charges, Ferry plead guilty to a portion,
and said he had signed the names of some.
In answer to question by the Judge
Advocate, Foster, who stated that his
pleadings to the charge should be either
general or special, he said he desired to
have counsel. He was informed that he
could send for any person he should choose
as his counsel, and Immediately sent for a
lawyer Of this city.
Donohue plead general denial of the
whole affair." and wanted to be represented
by counsel from Albany or New York He
said he thought the matter belonged to the
civil tribunals, instead Of military one
He requested to know if Reverdy johnson
was to be had, as be was confident he would
defend him, General Doubleday and
Judge Advocate General Foster said they
had no objection to postpone the case, as
the prisoners had no counsel, in order to
allow them to obtain it, aud accordingly
adjourned until Friday at ten o'clock.
1t is stated that seven dry goods boxes
of votes for the Democratic National and
State nominees have been forwarded from
here by express. Several packages of al
legged forged tickets are in the hands Of
the Military Commission, with letters, &C.,
involving parties in New York.
After the adjournment of the court,
Ferry made the following full confession
| do not recOllect the time when the first
papers were forged, but it was in the pres.
ence Of o. K, wood, of Clinton county,
New York; it was done in my office, No
85 Fayette street, Baltimore; | am, and
have been for the past two years, the agent
of the State of New York, appointed by
Gov. Seymour, to look after the sick and
wounded soldiers of New York; first saw
Wood on Wednesday of last week at my
office. He came and represented himself
as an agent Of the central committee Of his
county to look after its local ticket He
talked about the way in which the votes
could be taken; it was agreed that we should
sign the names of soldiers and officers and
send them home to have the local tickets
filled in; made out small papers; | signed
the names of soldiers on quite a number
of them; | cannot tell what names we signed;
the papers are in the bundle now on the
table; | did not sign the names of Offices,
but Donohue signed any quantity Of them;
there was large package of these papers
left with me, which | destroyed; that pack.
age contained over two hundred; Donohue
signed them all. The idea of forging
these papers was first suggested by man
named Stephen Maxon; he is from the
western part of the State of New York; [
do not known from what county he is not
in the service; he is State agent; cannot
say at what time it was first proposed to
forge these papers, but it was, at most, two
weeks ago; [ do net think there was any
body present but Donohue and myself when
Maxon first proposed to forge the papers;
there was man named S. NJ Brundy 10
my Office; he is now in New York; also,
man named FL. Newcomb; never saw him
until he came there; he is lawyer in AL
bany; part of the forged papers were made
in my Office, and part brought there; they
were usually brought in bundle, tied up;
| do not know who brought them; | had no
letters from Peter Cagger except what
where found in my desk; I never knew of
any correspondence on this subject with