The New York herald., 1864-10-28
ALLEGED FRAUDS m SOLDIERS VOTES.

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Arrest or the New York state Agents In
Baltimore anal WashtngtOn-Confes
sion OF Moses =. Ferry-soId1ers' Bali
lots Forged by she Dry Goods Box
BAtrmoxE, Oct 81, 1854.
is alleged that extensive fraAds haye been discov-
cred In this city Washington on thS part Of some OF
the OF New York State receive and for
ward tho votes Of the soldiers. Two State agents
NJ J. Ferry, OF Canton, 81. Lawrence county,
and Edward Donohus, OF Albany, have been arrested
and were brought for trial this morning before the mill
tary commission Of which Major General Abnsr Double
day is President and Col. John A. Foster Of the One
Huadred and Seventy nfth New York, Judge Advocate
The following charges and specifications read
Charges aud specifications preferred against Edmund
Donohue, Jr., and N. J. Ferry, as Follows
CHARGE-Conduct prejudical to the welfare Of the
service by falsely psrsonatng and representing officers
and soldiers 10 the service Of the United States ana in
such assumed capacity falsely and trauduisnty signing
and forging names and for the names OF officers and
soldiers In such service.
spcifcaiom-In this, that the said Edmund Donohue
agents for the State Of New York. for tho purpose
ceivns tho Of the soldiers Of The United States for
held day OF November, 1854 did falsely
and fraudulenty persouate officers and soldiers who
military service Of the states falsely and
faudulenty sign and forge and also TO be signed
% Inc Ssnks aaosI o Nan sno
April 2l, 1854, entitled An act TO enable qualified
electors OF the State absent therefrom and inI
the military service OF the United States
In the army and navy thereof, 70 vote,"
purportDg to be the names Of officers and soldiers
in the military service Of the United States and qualified
electors the State New York absent thererom,
said blanks being issued under said law and intended to
be used the purross OF transmitting the vote OF the
soldiers signing to his proper attorney to be
used at tho general election to be held In said state
the sih day OF November 1864 all this being done by
said Donohue and Ferry with the intent and for the pur
pose having such blanks signed used as and tor tho
ct and deed OF the officers solders pretended Of
cers and soldiers whose names purported TO be signed
Thereto and in fraud Of their rights such electors all
tbs at tho cos OF Baltimore and Washington during the
month OF October, 1864.
conclusion OF the reading OF the above Ferry
pleaded guilty portion Of the charges, and said he
signed tho names OF some. Ip~asswss 10 Judge Advc
Foster who stated that the pleading 10 the charge
shQuld be either general special he desired to- hayc
counsel He informed that he could send for
any person be chose his counsel, and immedi.
ately sent for lawyer OF this city. Do1ohue plead q
general denial Of the whole affair." and wanted 10 be
resented by counsel from Albany New York. He said
he thought the matter belonged 70 civil tribunal in.
stead OF a military. He requested to know If Reverdy
johnson be had he confident he would do.
fend him. General Doubleday and Judge Advocate Gen.
era Foster said they had objection TO postpone the
case, the prisoners bad counsel in order to allow
them obtain II, and accordingly adjourned till Friday
at ten O'Clock.
Donohue then telegraphsd to Peter Cagger and Sand
ford E. Church, notifying them OF their arrest and de-
string them TO obtain counsel for them Immediately.
stated that several dry goods boxes OF votes for
the Democratic National State nominees have been
forwarded from here by express Several packages Of
the alleged forged tickets n the hsnds Of the Com
mesion, with letters, &C., involving parties In New
York.
After the adjournment Of the court Mr. Ferry made
tie following confession
do recolect the time when the nrst papers
cgs fSrssd 1us Was 10 the o. once n "SS q
Fayete street, Baltimore. am and have been for the
pact two years the agent OF the State Of Now York. ap
pointed by Governor Seymour to lock after the sick and
wounded soldiers Of New York FIRST Wood on
Wednesday Of last week, at my Office. He came and
represented himself agent OF the Central Committee
Of his county to look afcr Its local ticket He talked
about the way in which votes could be taken. II
and oficers and then send them home 10 have the
local tickets q led 10. ! made out small papers.
cannot tell what names VIC signed. The papers
the bundle the table. did not sign names Of ON
was large package or these papers lei, with which
destroyed That package contained over two hundxed.
was arst suggested by man named stephen Maxson le
s from the part OF the State OF New York. do
Ha PT xn o o1s nas time was
first proposed 70 % forge these papers wa; almost Two
bu, Dononue and myself when Maxson arst proposed 10
forge the papers. There was man named s n. Bundy
IN my once. He is now in New York ALSO
until he came there. He is lawyer iuf
Albany. Part OF the forged papers we're made,
In my Office, and part brought there. They were
usually brought In bundls tied mp. do not know who
brought them had no letters from Peter CaGger except
what found my desk never knew OF any cor.
respondeucc this subject with General Farrell, the
Commissary OF Subsistence, except the package which
you have The packnges contained lot OF blsDk euve.
iopes aud power Of attorney with letter from General
Farrell marked "confdental," which contained list oq
the names OF the residents Columbia county did nof
let any know destroyed the forged pers left with
me- but told my associates that sent them dnor emf
parties the State TO be mailed and young Gang
from Washington on Friday or Saturday last saying
bad any spare blanks TO send them on TO Washington
there being twenty men there who could attend TO
these matters. do not know how many forged papers
sent or; bnt heard them say they sent them from
Washington by the dry goods box full do not recolect
hearing them talk dlsparagingly, but they talked cutie
jubanty and confidently. l sent package OF forged
papers to General Rarre with The following letter.
BALTIMORE. Oct. -, 1864.
II yog are energetic yop yl be able TO get the within
done more to them but had not time They are all on
As S.af & ss ray =. E e. s's send @ on
10 you, aud nave done Y Yours, truly. DaMoGkAT.
k the resi- have nothing TO say. II you
for them send them back.
N>l-ElR s. West Fayetio street. Baltimore.
Important additional disctosssss sxpeossd 70
row. Some letters and documents will be adduccd OF
great importance II Is understood that the fraud
discovered by o Clinton county agent OF the Union
Committee, who called upon Ferry to make certain
INQUIRIES. Ferry mistook bis poica3 character and
discovered tho matter to him, when, after obtaining
full knowledge OF the facts he communicated the matter
TO General Wallace, when the parties arrested.
In behalf Of Ferry the Judge Advocate entered plea