Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-11-12

!, Donohue, Che prisoner, now cross examined
witness, who. IN answer TO his question. re-
Piled substantially as follows; IS i
Bonohue signed six names atrequess Of
Wood to be sent 10 ID. H Parsons, Clinton
county, New FORK Had seen ponohue sign
several powers of attorney, in some of which
the blanks we're all filed, and in others only
partially so. He supposed that when Captain
McDermott told him, at Fort McHenry, that
there had been checker playing with the SOL
-dieF's vote that foul play WIS going on some.
where, aud he determined to ferret it out.
y The Judge Advocate here exhibited to the
court eighteen completed proxies, signed c.
s. Arthur, captain and assistant adjutant gen
.eral, and thirty.fye signed c. S. Arthur, first
lieutenant, Co. i, stR NewYork cavalry.
Donohue admitted that he had written the
name, but discfaimed having ahythingsto do
with affixing the rank and title of thirty Eve
which had oeen done by, Ferry. Other pack
ages were finished with other forged sigma
tnres. HG.@ 80. 60 tUg hfE 71nG19
The records of, the War Department were
searched to fnd the names of signers, but
without success
WAR DEPARTMENT., .uau
-pS % of1 ADsurANr GESERAL's OFFICE,
to,e sfter .-. WAsHINGrOS, Oct, 20, 1864
TO Major General L. Wallace, Baltimore: go
U. .. N. Il
cavalry neither does his name appear as captain
aud assistant adjutant general.
zs gLTelegraphed to GEN. Wallace. Oct. 26,]7a
a5.f NEwCoNBs TESTIMONY. .rs +.
Edward Newcomb, of Albany, also an agent
of New York, and party to the fraud, was
sworn, and his evidence was substantially as
follows: Is a resident of Albany, and an at
torney-at-law by profession; about three
since received commission from Governor
Seymour, empowering him to go to Baltimore
and Washington to assist in taking the votes
of the soldiers of New York. q -
On arriving in Baltimore, he reported at
the Office of the State Agent. Ferry ac-
quainted him of his business. and proceeded
to Fort McHenry and Fort Marshall, and pro-
cured some of the votes of soldiers at those
places; took altogether about three hundred;
only about fifty of the votes were sealed up,
the balance all being open for the purpose of
the county ticket being inserted by the COM
mittee in New York met Donohue on the
day he reached Fort MeHenry, and daily
thereafter for three days; next saw him on
the following Thursday in Washington, where
they both remained until Saturday, and then
came to Baltimore together. On arriving
there on Saturday evening, they went imme-
diately to the State agents Office, and there
found Ferry and Wood. After conversing a
short time they went to his hotel. On Sun
day morning went again to the State agency,
and Donohue, Wood, and Ferry were all bust
ly engaged in writing out powers of attorney
and soldiers proxies. Donohue had a
large pile on a table in front of him,
being placed in alternate layers of BLANKS
and envelopes; he first filled blanks in pow
er of attorney and then filed in the blanks
in the envelope to correspond. In some cases
they would write a soldiers name, and add
the words his mark" Also saw him put in
officers names The whole of the vote was
prepared, except the ticket with the names OF
the candidates. AT Donohue's request he
filled in the dates, &C., of the powers of at
torney and affdavits, to which DonOhue had
singed the names; had seen a list of the
12Sth New York regiment, from which the
names were heing prepared; they were prin-
cipally for Columbia county.
In answer toquestions from DonOhue, New
comb replied that he was sent to Baltimore
to assist him (Donohue) in taking the votes at
Fort Marshall and Fort McHenry. Envelopes
containing powers of attorney were kept open
to allow the local county tickets to be in
serted. He had no tickets but those con-
tanning names of the Mcclellan electors at
Fort MARSHALL He told the soldiers there
that he took nothing but Mcclellan votes.
All the soldiers were given to understand
that he (Donohue) took none but Mcclellan
votes @
!. The case being closed, the prisoner adj
dressed the Court, argued that as the offence
was against the laws of New York, he should
be tried there--asked the Court to view his
case with leniency-said what he had done
was done foolishly, without an idea of the
consequenees-spoke of his family and his
wife-said he had been for FIVE years in the
employ of the New York Central Railroad
Co, and always borne good character, &c.
The public proceedings were; then closed
byJudge Advocate Foster, who summed UP
the evidence, aud showed the enormity of
the fraud sought to be perpetrated upon the
soldiers. -"., t4
- ; Il h.uasiteeIs9 NEw York, Nov. /.
The TSi5uae's Washington special says:
Gov. Seymour's commissioners called npon
the President this morning. They've cour-
teously received, but on the subject matter
of their mission ne referred them to Secre-
tary Stanton, who had all the evidence in the
case. They then proceeded to the War Office,
and held long interview with the Secretary,
and report that they were much more cour-
teously received and considered than they
had expected. 1t is understood they desired
the punishment of Ferry and Donahue should
be made as light as possible, but their prinei
pal pressure upon the Secretary is under
stood to have been in reference to Colonel
North, the agent at Washington, Ferrys and
Donahue's fate being seemingly of secondary
consideration. The Secretary submitted them
such evidence as was before him, and it il
said somewhat staggered their hopes of an
easy escape of their friends by its extent and
clearness.s He referred them to the Military
Court for further information, granted them
permits to visit the prisoners at the Old Cap
itol, and assured them of a desire to vindi
cate the most sacred rights of all the soldiers
n the field.
Tonight the commissioners had an inter
view with Asst. Secretary Dana. Col. Foster
Judge Advocate, Capt. Ellis, of the Court
and sundry other gentlemen were present al
the interview Judge Parkercwas the prin-
cipal spokesman, and urged as a matter OF
policy that the prisoners now in confinement
here should be released. He spoke of the
great popularity and high social position Of
Col. North in the State Of New York. He
was an Aid on Gov. Seymour's staff, and en-.
ioyeds the confidence of all parties, and who
would not believe him guilty, whatever evi-
dence may adduced, and only irritation and
stsife, and probably more serious disturbance,
would be the consequence of the trial. The
Judge pressed hard to know the evidence in
the hands Of the Judge Advocate, but to lit
tie purpose. He was shown several blanks
sworn to and witnessed, as having been sign
ed, without any signature, having been seiz-
ed in Col North's hands, and others similar
to the ones seized at Baltimore.
~ Judge Parker then made the point that the