Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-11-03
ELECTION FRAUDS OF A NEW YORK AGENT

gentlemen connected with the New York State Agency in
this city had been arrested and imprisoned in the Old
Capitol also that two persons belonging to the Agency
of the same State at Baltimore hso been arrested and that
the agencies in both cities had been closed
In Thursdays proceedings of the Military Commission
of which Gen Doubleday is President which adjourned
from this city TO Baltimore find explanation OF there
arrests the fact that NJ j. Ferry and Edward Donahue
it, the New York agents at Baltimore were arragned
before the Commission charge Of fraud ana forgery
in procuring soldiers votes Their trial has not yet been
concluded but from the proceedings already had Is evil
dent that Mr. Ferry at least has so lar abused tne trust
reposed In HIM to have been guilty OF the most repre-
hensible conduct This is made manifest from MS own
confession which insert below. as we md IN the
Baltimore American.
We suppose that the criminal proceedings which have
thus been brought to light at the Baltimore Agency led to
the arrest of the gentlemen connected with the New York
Agency in this city, but from the high esteem in which
they are held by those who know them we shall be greatly
surprised they shall be found to have had any knowledge
of participation in these any other frauds IN the dis
charge Of their respective duties.
CONFESSION OF NJ. J. FERRY
After the adjournment of the Commission, and the post
ponement of the trial. Mr.. NJ j. Ferry informed Judge
Advocate Foster that he desired to make full and free
confession of his completely with the forgery ana fraud
W
of the court The request was of course complied with
and the confession was made in the usual form On its
conclusion the court Immediately convened and Mr..
Ferry statement read, as follows:
al do not recoect the time when the first papers were
forged but ii was in the presence of Orve r. Wood OF
Clinton county New York it was done in my office, No
IS Fayette street. Baltimore; and have been for the
past two years the Agent of the State Of New York. ap
pointed Gov Seymour to look after the SICK and wound
cd soldiers of New York; first Wood on Wednesday
of last week my Office; he and represented him
self as an agent of the Central Committee Of his county to
look after its local ticket talked about the ways 10
which could be taken it agreed that we should
Sign the of soldiers and officers and then send them
home to have the local tickets filled in made out such
papers, signed the names of soldiers on quite number
Of them; cannot tell what we signed the papers
are in the bundle now on the table did not sign the
of officers but Donahue signed any quantity of them;
there large package Of these papers left with me-
which destroyed that package contained over two hun
dred Donahue signed them ALL the idea OF forging these
papers frat suggested by named stephen Max0n
he from the part of the State of New York,
do not know from what county he ia not in the services
he is State agent cannot say at what time was first
proposed forge these papers, but was about two weeks
ago do not think there any body present but Don
ahue and myself when Max0n first proposed to forge
papers; there man named G. A. Bundy in my office
he is now in Now York; also man named ii. Newcomb
never him until he there; he is lawyer in Al
bany part of the forged papers made in my Office
and part brought there; they usually brought in
bundle tied up; do not know who brought them; had
letters from Peter Cagger except what found in
my desk never knew Of any correspondence this SUBJ
ject with Gen. Farrell the commissary of subsistence
except the package which you have; the package con
tanned lot Of bsuk envelopes and forms attorney with
letter from Gen. Farrell marked confidential which
contained list of of residents of Columbia county
did not let any 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 Friday Saturday last saying
If had any spare blanks to send them to Washing
ton am not certain that he did did not say thing
about there being twenty there who would at
tend to these matters; do not know how many forged
papers sent off, but heard them say they sent them
from Washington by the dry goods box full do not re-
collect hearing them talk desparDgy, but they talked
quite brilliantly and confidently l sent q package Of
forged papers to Gen. Farrell with the following letter
"BAIrIMoRr, OCTOBER o. 1884
the within votes all arranged for the 9th Of November
should have done them but have not time They
Neither would bear close scrutiny Ed Donanus said send
them on to you, and have done it, Truly yours
"P s-Thsy are all soldiers-cOmpany and regiment all
r. The rest have nothing to say II you have no use
as W. Fayet.e street. Baltimore, Md"
Mr. Ferry then entered plea of guilty, which was
accepted and the Judge Advocate recommended him to
| the clemency Of the court.
This concludes the investigation far Ferry's
concerned and Donshue will be grated in his desire to
have his tried separately
Henry Newcomb, implicated by Ferry, has also made
| complete and full confession
1t impossible 10 find language too strong for the
demnaon of such infamous frauds on the elective raI-
chse They poison the stream Of political life at ts
very fountains. Whether committed by the adherents Of
the party the other they equally entitled to
ceve at our hands they shall receive the denun.
citation and equally invoke for them not only the
buke of all patriotic citizens but the condgn punishment
prescribed by the laws Of the land.
The impartial reader however, will not fail to mark
the unequal manner in which the Administration metes out
its military justice to the quality Of offences.
military sgent and subordinate of the President In Tennes
see has assumed to dsanchse large portion of the loyal
people Of that State in way utterly illegal the
frauds prscsed by the agent of the State Of New York in
BALTIMORE But when the fraud and wrong Of his subordi
nate were brought to the notice Of the President what
was his language As follows:
BIZ the Consntion and laDs the President is charged
pih duty the conduct of Presidential election IN
any State nor do l. in this perceive any military
reason for his interference in the matter"
When fraud upon the elective franchise is praclssd
by has military subordinate IN Tennessee the President
himself from interference for the protection Of the
outraged loyal citizens Of Tennessee by pleading that he
10 charged with duty in the conduct Of Presidential
election But when agent of the State Of New York
commits fraud against the people Of that State ana
agaia, the party Of The President it Is suddenly discovered
that however true it is that by the Constitution and the
laws the President charged with duty in the conduct
Of Presidential election he may the prerogsve
right of taking the whole question Of Furnishing such guilt
out Of the hands the State authorities to whom it properly
belongs and visit the guilty parties with Executive penal