The mountain Democrat., 1864-11-12
TIE MOUNTAIN DEMOCRAT.
(From the Lsuisvills Journal September III
The Acme OF Outrage,

TsaooSnf WoSsSR BaaishSd to LdnHdG .mTar
GwGrds Qf Negro SOtdtsrS--Lucien AadlersoN. a
R1pu6ttedn c0n0rsssH1Gn, a SAGrer IN Ns m
Some time ago Colonel Craddock, Of the
Kentucky service, was called by business
into the District Of Western Kentucky,
thea commanded by Brigadier General E.
A. Paine. The colonel fnund the people
completely cowed, not daring to utter q
word, when every day their most sacred
rights, by military force, we're f1agrantly
violated. By close observation he became
80 - 49, >~>-',- ---~NsA-is ~.,t>,
ordinates we're exercising the iron rule OF
despOts, were pereecuting and robbing the
people under various Hiinsy pretexts, and
that the worst corruption prevailed in his
Office and characterized oil Of his official
acts. Being convinced Of these facts, no
sought Major General Burbridse at his
headquarters in Lexington, and fully ex.
planned the case to him. The General was
10th to believe that crimes 30 enormous Ms
represented by Colonel Craddock could be
openly prAc'iSed by q man clothed with
the authority and honor Of an officer of
che United States government; but, on
the solemn assurance Of the truth of the
statement, he concluded to appoint coin
mission to investigate the case. On the
9Th Of September an order was made de-
.AAiliug General Sy.S. ] .9eN1di Sol. Brown
IS commission to proceed TO Paducah
and fully investigate the conduct of Gen.
eral Paine while in command Of the west.
ern district Of Kentucky. Colonel Grad.
dock vas appointed to accompany the
commission and assist them in their Ia.
bors. Just before the arrival OF General
Fry at Paducah, General Paine WAS re.
IieVed Of his command by General Mere
dith. Paine was ordered to remain at his
headquarters and meet all charges that
might be preferred against him before the
commission. This he refused to do. -
When Gen. Fry and his associates arrived
they found that General Paine ha A ID to
Illinois. where be il still absent without
authority. All Of his subordinate officers
also took "French leave" knowing that
their conduct would not bear investiga-
tiOn. General Fry fund it very difficult
to commence operations, as the main par
ties were absent, and the clerks and or.
derlieS With Whom they had surrounded
themselves. and possessing a knowledge
Of their transactions, had been previously
sent out Of the district. The citixrns
we're so completely cowed that they would
not open their lips with one word of COM
plant against the policy pursued by
General Paine. Acting on the authority
Of Generals Meredith and Fry, Colonel
6rGdiOck publicly proclaimed the com.
mission in visiting Paducah, and assured
the people that IL they would come for
ward and testify TO facts they should re-
ceive full protection from all the ia ties
who might he implicated by their state.
ments. This had the desired effect Gen.
Fry Was received with the greatest en-.
thuSiaSm. The people threw off their
restraint and eKtrnde'l the waIm hand Of
weicOme. They greeted him with cheers
and SnileS upon the street, and thr0nged
his headquarters during the day, showing
him every kind attention in their power.
General Meredith is also very popular
with the people. We published an ex
tract from the Cairo papers some time ago
Of the cheering demonstration that mark
ed bis advent into office. With the feel.
ings Of q true soldier, he afforded every
f,eility in his power to all the commission
in their labOrs. All Of the evidence taken
before the body is in the form ofattidavitS,
and the record is quite voluminouS II
was found that General Paine had cxer-
cise'l the most arbitrary vii, and that the
worst corruption prevailed in his Office. -
Citizens had been arreste aHd thrown
into prison without show Of trial, and
no record Of a single charge preferred
against thetR eouki be f,und among his
Official papers IT-the Office. Prisoners
were executed without 4 hearing, and
often without any definite charge being
preferred against them. Fortythrre
graves, said to be those Of executed priS,
oners, were cOunted at Paducah. Among
thiS number were two men named Noln
aud Taylor, Of well known loyalty, who
by some act. offended the general in pow.
er. aHd a.tragic death was their doom
To show the manner in which the exc
cuiiOns were mad, We have statement
from the evidence given by Hiram r. En-
och, QuartermaSter Of the One Hundred
and Thirty second regiment, llliuui> vol.
untrer infan'ry. IIe says that ne heard
Of four citizens hring executed without
shRd0w III q trial krStrTtnn, Taynr, Ma
they and HISS. Colonel McChesnry, CON.
inandin2 at Mayfrd. bv the appointment
and acting Under the Instructions Of Ga.
ber, 1864, that he had shot seven men at
Mayheld, and had ono more in the guard
house that he intended to execute the
next day. He >a:d that he gave them no
trial. and bOastrd that one Of the prison
ers was shot and covered up in his grave
in forty five minutes from the time that
he was tiSrt reported by scout at his
headquarters. The whole Of General
Paine's official career in the district of
Western Kentucky was marked by the
eoarSest brutality, calculated to exasper-
ate the people and send recruits to the
rebel army. He would order citizens to
his headquarters. and, without provoca-
tiOn, would abuse them, such a. id
rsOele, id scoundrels," &C.
The PEOPLE Of Paducah were driven
from their hon c-es without any just cause,
and their houses turned over to negro
families for occupation. General Prince.
commanding at Smithlanu, S'ates "at
fjrty.two Of the citizens of PadLt "a" pass,
el down the river IN hOAts under or. 'er VI
banishrDeOt beyond the federal lines b.
order Of General Paine. The property Of
these families was con6Scated by Paine's
officials. as it Was said. for the benefit of
the Government. Two old widow ladies,
their hair shvered by more than sixty
winters, for no just cause, were torn from
their comfortable homes and sent to Can
ada under guard Of negro soldiers The
people were swindled in the most outrage
Gus manner. General Paine's rule was
ahSOlute. A trade agent was appointed,