Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1864-09-23
GREAT DOINGS AT sANDUsKY.

THE REBELLION BROKE OUT IN A
NEW PLACE. t-a
NORTHERN NCOPPERHEADS Il T WORK.
Vessels seized and destroyed Vessels Robbed-
Release Of Prisoners on JOhaSOn's Island in
teaded- Destruction Of SGnduSky aimed at
Schemes fail. -....... = i...,.i t...,l
The following telegraph despatch from San
dusky tells its own story: erat
Sandusky, Sept. 2O-A decp-Iaid and care
| fully planned rebel conspiracy, which had no
| less an object than the capture of the United
States steamer Michigan, the liberation of the
secesh prisoners on Johnson's Island and the
serious damage if not entire destruction of our
lake commerce, eliminated yesterday evening
owing TO the fortunate discovery of the plot and
the arrest of the leading consprators in this city
| last night. '-97t
1t was almost entirely frustrated, and the on
| ly damage done is the capture and partial des-
| truction of two small steamers, the Philo Par
sons and the Island Queen. a' 2, ..'
| The following is an outline of the facts: The
steamer Philo Parsons, a side-wheel steamer,
running between Sandusky and Detroit, com
manded by Captain Atwood, left Detroit yes
| terday morning at half after eight with about
| forty passengers. She took on four passengers
at Sandwich, three miles below, and about
| twenty at Malden twenty miles down the river,
both on the Canada side. The only baggage
they had was an old trunk, bound with cords
On reaching North Bass Island, where Captain
| Atwood resides, he went ashore, leaving Ashley,
the clerk, in command, and the boat continued
on her way. -ts, b.ss~ 171a 'i'ir
About six o'clock, as soon as the boat left
Kelley Island, on her way to Sandusky the
| clerk was seized by four men, who drew revolv-
| ers ON him. a .t....r. .,4l -
The trunk which they had brought on with
| them turned out to be filled with navy revolv-
| ers and hatchets. When it was opened some
| thirty-five men armed themselves therefroln,
each man having two revolvers.
The party were headed by an intelligent
Englishman, apparently well acquainted with
nautical matters. They then took possession of
the boat, threatening death to all who resisted.
The boat was then headed down the Lake un-
| til ten miles beyond Sandusky, then turned
and run past kelley's Island to Middle Bass
While lying at Middle Bass Island the steamer
Island Queen, Capt Orr, a small side-wheel
steamer, usually running between Sandusky
and the Islands, but now bound to Toledo with
| number of passengers, including thirty or for
ty 100 day men, came along side about o'clock
She was instantly seized, and as there was for
a moment some show of resistance made some
shots were fired, and the engineer of the Island
Queen was wounded in the check.
The passengers of both boats, together with
the clerk, Ashley, were then put ashore, the sol
diers being put on parole not to take up arms
against the Southern Confederacy until ex-
changed A portion of the baggage was also
sent ashore. No private property was taken
but the books, papers and money of both boats
were seized. The boats were then started out
into the lake nOrthward, the Parsons towing the
Queen which was empty. The crews of both
boats were retained on the Parsons. The
xyoc lad oJr a D.. A :.
Pelle, and struck reef about three miles from
land, where she lies in several feet of water
Parties who visited her to-day say she can be
recovered without serious damage. 80 f
The Parsons then returned to the mouth of
the Sandusky bay with the intention of enter
ing it and seizing the United States steamer
Michigan, but not receiving the expected signal
from their fellow -conspirators they returned
again, and passing the Island under full head
of steam, headed for Maiden, Canada West
At this time Capt Orr, of the Queen who
was on board the Parsons from whom we get this
information, was placed in the hold the vessel,
and about seven o'clock this morning he was
put ashore he afterwards made his way to De-
troit and arrived here this evening. s
The Parsons was subsequently run ashore at
Sandwich on the Canada side and robbed of
her furniture, scuttled. and her steam pipes cut.
We hear a rmor that she has since been got in
to the dry dock at Detroit. -a p. ,i'
In a conversation with the Captain the con-
spirators expressed themselves in favor of the
election of Mcclellan. Hul @
The plot SO far triumphantly carried out was
only prevented from its completion by succeed
ing in the discovery and arrest of the leading
conspirators in this city. -'i'
About six weeks ago stranger, who passed
by the name of Cole, made his appearance here
and stopped at the West House. He had large
amounts of gold with him, and claimed to be the
son of a wealthy Philadelphian, and to have
come to Sandusky for the purpose of buying
vessel. He became very intimate with the OF
ficers of the United States steamer Michigan,
and made arrangements with them for a grand
supper last evening, intending to drug their
wine and then with the help of leading Cop
perheads here, to capture the vessel But he
was recognized by a Southern refugee, few
days since, as a Captain in the Rebel army,
and was arrested the night before last and pla-
ced on board the Steamer Michigan. In his
trunk were found full details of the plan of the
conspirators, which was to culminate yesterday,
and included the seizure of the Michigan by
Rebels and Copperheads here a union with
the rebels on the Parsons, liberation of the
prisoners on Johnson's Island, and marauding
cruise among the lakes. He was frightened in
to turning States evidence, and ON his revela-
tions six leading copperheads here were arrest
ed last night and taken to johnson s Island
Their names are Captain Abraham Strain,
John H. Williams, ID. E. Stanley, l. B. Mer-
rick, +. Rosenthal, and John NJ. Brown.
A companion of Coles named Robinson was
also arrested this afternoon. l.t,rG.i si
The United States Marshal, Commissioner