Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-11-19
HE CHICAGO CONSPIRACY.
DiaboIicaI Plot Discovered.
ARREST OF CONSPIRATORS.
seisure Of Arms aud Ammunition.
Confessions of Charles Walsh

HTllSHNItGE
lease the rebel prisoners at Camp Douglas in
that city, to rob the banks, FIRE the public
buildings, seize possession of the polls on
election day, and thus carry out the. threats
of rebel vengeance upon Northern cities re-
Gently made in Richmond papers. We give
the material portion of its account of the af-
fair:
Happily for US, and for the country at large,
their schemes have so far failed, and those of
them who have thus far adventured into the
oity are now in that very cage whence they
Intended 20 release the rebel prisoners. The
rIot " discovered. Col Sweet had for sew
eral DAYS noticed the signs of preparation
among the rebels under his charge, and set
his detectives to work to find out the details.
In this he was so far successful as TO ind out
the ringleaders. kilograms were also re-
ceived by parties in Chicago-Hon: john
Wentworth and others-that the reuSis we're
coming here in train loads As they dld
come. thew were watched in. the city, their
hiding places discovered and their plans par
tialIv ferreted out 1t was at first believed
that il was only a magniied case of that i'm
nortatiOn of voters which the Democracy
have always been celebrated for just before
election day. But soon il became evident
thar the movement had a deeper meaning.
The fellows we're observed proving around
~ alIeys and looking behind doors and shut
tsrs. This set our detectives on the watch,
both military and civil, and the designs were
sre4diIy discovered which led to the arrest
early Yesterday morning of the ringleaders,
and subsequently, to a great number. of the
rank and tlle.
THE ARRESTS.
Calling to his aid the police force Of the
city. Colonel B. j. Sweet, c0mmandant of the
most. proceeded, little after midnight, TO
the important work of making the arrests.
Captain Nelson and force proceeded to the
residence of DIR. Edwards, "Peace Demo
erlt." No, 40 Adams street, where was found
the rebel Colonel Vincent Marmaduke,
brother of the rebel General of that name.
He was secured. A detachment of military
and police visited the Richmond House, cap
turir,.r there the rebel Colonel G.. st. Ledger
GrerfeH. Morgan's Adjutant General, and j.
T SBanks. an exchanged rebel prisoner who
for some time was employed il the Surgeons
Department, at Camp Douglas. Another de-
taehment proceeded to the residence Of-the
Notorious Buckaer s. Morris, formerly Judge
of the Circuit Court, and later Breckenridge
candidate for Governor of Illinois. He filed
the office of Treasurer to the Sons of Liberty.
Still another detachment called on Charles
Walsh. residing near Camp Douglas, recent
candidate for Sheriff of the county, and found
there Captain Cantrell, and private named
Charles Traverse, both belonging to the rebel
service: these were arrested as spies. Fur
Their search showed that Walsh was a Briga-
der General of the order of Sons of Lib
erty.n and in his house were secreted three
hundred double baTeled gtaaS, tOdded and capped,
eacL barrel containing from eighteen to trerity-
tso B,tckst0t, fire hundred nary recOtCerS, also
ioadei and capped and tsOO large boxes Of single
5ay-reled qla,S. These of course were cOnts-
Gated. and Walsh was numbered on the list
of prisoners. Another party also proceeded
10 Walkers building, on Dearborn street, adj
Joining the MattesOn House, where they cap
tured tco large bOIeS Of guns, there concealed.
Tao prominent Democrats, one of them a
candidate for high Office, who have suits of
room close at hand, though living, one of
them in the West, and the other in the North
Division, were not arrested
This was all done before the early grey of
the morning had heralded the approach of
day II was the result of simultaneous
movement.
This was but the beginning although good
one Five o'clock saw party of police I'M
der Superintendent Turtle, leave the Central
Police Station. They visited the fort DON
eIsOn House." where twenty-seven of the
cOnsDirators were found, sleeping six in bed
amid a stencil almost OverpOwering. They
all had arms IN their possession These were
captured Subsequently the police visited
den on North Water street, where another
lot. armed to the teeth, were found and taken
good care OF. Detached individuals or par
ties Of two or three we're picked up at inter-
walls throughout the day by the regular police
force of the city, and by the detective force
under Smith G. Storer, which rendered eff
eient service. Others we're picked up by the
Provost Guard. The old Trinity Church was
made a general rendezvous for these wretch
es, who were subsequently taken to Camp
Douglas, whose occupants have thus received
an accession of fully one hundred men, in
whose absence the citizens of Chicago cen
breathe more freely.
Later in the day, Mr.. Turner, of Turner IL
Mitchell, the well known packers, brought in
formation that a squad of suspicious individ-
uals-numbering some twenty-five or thirty
were hanging around the packing houses in
Bridgeport with no good intention. Detec-
tives Kenny and Sherman Immediately got
horse and buggy, and started for Bridgeport,
where they pulled up in front of Prout's sa-
OOn-the scene of diabOlieal murder a few
DAYS ago. Quickly alighting the officers
rushed up stairs into the room of one Nc
Inery. who was lately discharged from the
police force, not for being a Mcclellan man,
as the secession organ said, but for incompe-
tency and habitual intemperance. Here were
dozen of the butternuts," but they heard
the hurting footsteps on. the stairs and in
eontinentIy tumbled head over heels down
another stairway. The officers were not to
be baked. They hurried in pursuit, and in a
Verv few moments each officer had eollared
bis man. The rest of the gang Immediately
drew their revolvers, but the officers, nothing
Gaunted, held on to their men,. One of the
scOundreIs attempted to draw revolver, but
the officer grabbed il, and while doing so his
prisoner escaped. The other, not being arm
ca. was hustled into the buggy, and immedi-
.tely taken to the Central Station. The
alarm was at once given, and some fourteen
bsIice officers and squad of soldiers imme-
distelV posted after the balance of the gang.
On arriving at the rendezvous, they discover
ed that the birds had flown and we're making
iast tracks across the prairie.
The captured butternut was Afterwards ex-
ahmed, but very little could be ELECTED from
him He stated his name 10 be Patton, that
be was a resident of Coles county, which our
readers wiz remember was the scene of
bloody attack on a company OF unarmed sol
diers BY the O'Hair gang about the goth OF
March last. He also stated that he came
here to visit some relatives of the name of
Hamilton. but couldn't find them. The viii
lain was extremely reticent and would tell
nothing more,
Seeesh sympathizers here telegraphed their
friends in the southern portion OF the State,