The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1864-11-03

mission ana the postponement of the
trial, Mr.. NJ. ]. Ferry informed Judge
Advocate Foster that he desired to
make a full and free confession of bis
completely with the forgery and fraud
with which he was charged, and to an.
peal to the rl"m"ncv Of tho Court
The request was, Lf course. complied
with, and the confession was made in
tho usual form. On its conclusion tho
court was Immediately convened, and
Mr.. Ferrys statement was read, as
follows:
CONFESSION OF NJ. j. FERRY, THE STATE
AGENT OF GOVERNOR SEYMOUR.
do not recollect the time when
the first papers were forged, but it was
in the presence of Orvilo r. Wood,
OF Clinton county, New York; it was
done in my Office, No. So Fayette street
Baltimore; am, and have been for
the past two years, the Agent of the
State of New York, appointed by Gov.
Seymour 10 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 COM
mittee of his county to look after it's
local ticket; we talked about the ways
in which votes could be taken; 1t was
agreed that we should sign the names
OF soldiers and officers, and then send
them homo to have the local tickets
filled in; made out such papers;
signed the names of soldiers on quito
a number of them; | cannot tell what
names we signed; the papers are i'm
the bundle nowon the table; did not
sign the names of officers, but Dona-
hue Signed any quantity of them; there
was large package containing over
two hundred; Donahue signed them
all the idea of forging these papers
was first suggested by a man named
Stephen MaXon; he is from the western
part Of the State of New York, | do
not know from what county; he is not
in the service; he is u State agent: I
cannot say at what time it was first
proposed to forge these papers, but it
was about two weeks ago; / do not
think there was any body present but
Donahue and myself when Maxon first
proposed to forge papers; there was
man named G. M. Bundy in my office;
he issnow in New York; also man
named IL. Newcomb; never saw him
until he came there; he is a lawyer IN
Albany; part oftbe forged papers were
made in my office, and part brought
there; they were usually brought in
a bundle tied up; do not know who
brought them; [ had no letters from
Peter Cagger, except what were found
in my desk; l never knew of any cor.
respondcnce on this subject with Gen.
Farrell, the Commissary of Subsis-.
tence, except the package which you
have; the package contained lot Of
blank envelopes and forms Of attorney,
with letter from Gen. Farrell marked
Confidential, which contained list
of names of residents of Columbia
county. | did not lot any one know
that | destroyed the forged papers left
with me, but told my associates that
| sent them to different parts of the
State to be mailed; young man came
from Washington on Friday or Satur-
day last, saying if | had any spare
blanks, to send them over TO Wash
ington / am not certain that he did
not say anything about there being
twenty men over there who would
attend to these matters; do not know
how many forged papers were sent
off, but | heard them say they sent,
them from Washington by the dry
goods box full; l do not recollect
hearing them talk dcsparingly, but
they talked quito jubilantly and con-
fidently. l sent package of foig,d
papers to General Farrell, with tie
following letter:
BALTIMORE, October % 1864.
My DEAR SIR: If you are energetic
you will be able to get the within
votes all arranged for tho Sth Of No.
vember. should have done moro to
them, but | have no time. They arc
all on the square, the samo as the
|blacks get theirs. Neither wOHld bear
CLOSE scratiny. Ed Domaine said
send them on to you, and l havo
done it,
Yours truly, DEMOCRAT.
P. S.-Thcy are all soldiors-com
pany and regiments all o. X. The
rest have nothing tossay. If you
have no use for them, send thom.
back. MI. FERRY.
S5 W. Fayette street,
Baltimore Md.
Mr.. Ferry then entered a plea Of
guilty, which was accepted, and the
Judge Advocate recommended him to,
the clemcncy of the Court.
This concludes the investigation so.
far as Fcrry's case is concerned, and
Donahuo will be gratifed in his desire
to have his case tried separately.
1t is duty that every Union man
owes to his country, to see that no vo-
ter stays away from the polls. 496