New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-05-20
THE ORIGIN OF THE SCHEME.
It was Tried Last Year, and Failed.
ATTEMPT TO Infect THE WHITE HOUSE.
Rebel Agents in Canada Implicated
From The Dcirol, Advertiser.

|
mcnf was engaccd 1864. at Bermuda. IN injecting
clothing with ycliIwfever and smallpox, with the IN
tention OF introducing thoc contagious disorders lnt'
the Union army mud .nlo Tie cities oil the Nofh INC
data IA OH poss session shows that the late operations 81
d. Blackburn were intended 10 repeat on large
scale the attempt If similar nature which we shal
now expose and which only met with partial success
ORIGIN or THE PLOT.
Dr. Luke L. blackburn was Confederate agent OF the
State OF Mississippi lie seems 10 have origin tied the
fendsb plot which he wes hc principal agent In carry
inc ont, md TO have communicated IL to exGoy. Nc
Wiley OF Mississippi who. in lS6l gave DIR. Blackburn
an order for several hundred bales Of cotton winch nc
was sell and employ tho proceeds N consnmmating
his scheme The Doctor endeavOrpd uDsuocessnly IA
sell his cotton at Mobile and subsequent at other
points, and finally at Augusta. Ga. where we under'
stand Il now ia. lie went TO Richmond and laid , $
scheme before the Rebel Government but. We are IN
formed did not obtain official sanction, although he
was encouraged by leading Rebels to perseyers In his
| plans.
Among leading men who are mentioned rs cncourag.
Ing him. We have the names Of Duncan =. kenDs ana
| Lieut. Sparrow from his own state While at Rich
mond DR. blackburn enceayored Ia raise money on nus
cotton bat failed. He went ron there 70 naytna ID
tons principally from Louisiana Rebels Among those
who subscribed were Addison Camack. who subscribed
$50. and George Gregory We are to.a tnal blacS.
Wandercr" in lrie and that be was partner OF Dr
Grahar. who killed Lorng In New.fork Cry some
years ago. His brother, james Blackburn. was before
The war q lawyer az Hciera, ARK.
WHO WAS 10 EXECUTE TIE PIorl
How DR.. Blackburn got into Canada We know not.
but the Fall OF lets We fad him guest ut Queens
Ho'c. Toronto on the lookout Tor some one 10 heip
carry gu. is plot About this time one j. W. Harris
or a man Known by this Inme but whose true name we
have now before US. came 10 Toronto fTom Helena
Ark, whence he had been expelled ny tie occupation
OF that place by Union troops rather RON 81 Louis.
where ho resided Tor a time afer leaving Helena He
was desperate by losses Of property and violent treat
mcnt @. bis family by our army. and wrote 10 II. Z.
Slaughter Rebel enliJtng agent ut Montreal ex'
Pressing a dcs!r. o. 20 into the Rebel army. Slough
,er brought lis 10 tie attention OF The rev.
Dr. Stcart Robinson Of kcrtueky. then 80 Toronto.
and this Rebel p8rs0L introduced ha TO DR. blackburn;
Harris was then working as shoemaker IN Toronto;
Doctor Il. WIS then stopping at the QLeep'' Hotel,
Tjrunto and there Harris had his first interview with
him; at first H.. pretended 10 be recruiting agent, And
told Harris that be wOnd send him south in company
with some new recruits. bat hnally bro.ched bis
scheme and iitering lis victim for has courage and
,scaeiiy lie enlisted his services. Promising him
$40 go from the Rebel Government In case he sue
cooded. although Harris had succeeded indierenty IN
seosing tle naora,meAt OF TIE heDci r9serhmcn' =,
Realnond ho was more fortunate with tho agents OF
that ,ernment In Canada, who entered at once into
bis project supplied him with money. and gave him
their approval; Ilarrs gives the following account Of
latter told him in what capacity be wanted his services
after going into private room. DIR. b. said
you want 10 serve the Con.edcracyr i said did.
can tell you Row you can do more than 10 join Ices
erDy " ith 100 COO meB-can add more fame 10 your
name than Gen Lee said. what ia III He said: i
have tried 10 get some 10 90 expedition. but
emit gct The risht kind Of stuff place confidence
IN yoai said yes. lie asked me- are you Fyss
Mi,Oai l ssid NJ. lie said. seu am, here is The
right rand OF Friendship Of Free MasoD which viii
never degrade bctrny, will you accept 1t In friend
shpi want YOU 10 Kill and I, sroy as many Of the
Northern army the people Of tho place you 20 to as
you can u 70 CONSIST OF cases VI goods shits pants
etc; they will have yellow fever IN them. | said
will go; be said will guarantee to you, II you do
should be half q what yoa VII pase; 1 SAD
whatever tie result may bc he ssys. Now go TO your
work and be ready TO hear from about the 3oh oil
May next" this was done IN December lsoJ be said
{" shnll telegraph 10 you through Dr. Robinson was
living in Quecn.st, No. rs, moved to No 40 YORK.
~. April :. lsCi Nay iOlh DR.. j. wrote letter from
Havana 10 Dr. Robinson containing my instructions; he
brought the letter opened (he having read p to my
house. and laid 1t tie counter before my wife and sad
to her, There ia letter for your husband can have
nothing to do with this myself the letter directed me
TO 20 TO Halifax and there call on Alexander ii
Keith jr, n brewer; TO get the money 10 60 with
from DR.. H.. or If he could not advance II all
there Slaughter would give me money t. go 10
Halifax; came In afterwsrd and fonnd the letter with
nv wife; received IL; went To see DR. Robinson on
saturday night half an hour after he brought the letter.
he va, stopping With Mr. Preston where he has been
all he time; he said, "Wait till Monday morning."
asked him what was To DO about the letter; he said
" did not want 20 know anything about this. and
did not want Dr. b. 10 write TO no about III do not
want TO do any overt acts wait I'LL Monday. and We
will see what 10 do" he said What VIII you do with
your family T. II safe TO leave the man IN the shop
10 attend 10 the business or would leave my wife Ia
private house and be would look aiier her whiic
was gone; Monday morning again called on d.
h. lie said he could NOT ei'e the money nc haa
none, nj all vents he could do nothng he said Go into
Mr. prestons and borrow $40 and VIII see ii all right
borrowed the $40 from L. through the ihhuenee oil
w. L. Mcdonald (called Garry McDonnaIdl; he went
down 10 The office with mc this in the orepart Of
June think Saturday the eth; got the letter and
Jeff Monday the 10Th; Dr. H. is from Louisville. Ky
S. S Preston is tobacco Manufacturer IN Toronto
and & from Coyington; he Is now in the City Of New
Work there for his health; his business goes on IN
Toronto Lieut. Col Hall from Kentucky (Louisyiile) is
his partner; gave Preston receipt Tor the money
Ncinnald was present; this was IN the post-Ohce on
York. A. between King aud Wellington. west side,
opposite Rossn Houses the receipt SAID the money was
"on account Of DR.. blackburn" Blackburn letter
said get the money and VIII repay II "heh come
back
In ROUTE FOR HALIFAX.
I went down to Montreal / went to Donneganas
DIR. u. said 20 there Slaughter was thsrc WIN Us
fumily when DIR. Il. there. but had then gone %
i've In house An P.inee's Royal Terrace; inquired
for Slaughter and found him TIE same evening ABOUT
% clock sent IN my name; slaughter cuiho uowl a',
said lac was clad 10 Zee me; that he knew what had
como for; had received letter from Dr. H.. ana WAS
sorry had caught him In the TX ana thnt johnson
& Bro brokerS ut Montreal had just run away ana
they had 81 100 In gold Of his money ana ne was thoi
without funds, he asked me 90 call at hs ONCE next
morning, 81. Michaesst.. Mt lteeG5 tobacco
factory; don't know Reed; called therei he SAID now
you will 30 ty land. and " viii take considerable
money he then gave so Ia silver. which was all
lie had said would have 10 so to Mr. liolcomb. and
ask bin fos funds; Holcob had come 10 Canada to see
30 ths Chesapeake affair; went no-Io To Uolcomb;
sent up my name; lac tie Donnegana; sent Tor
To- como up; he said % heard about you in the Con
cdcracy before came away; he offered me s5Ci said
did not need muchi / had So and my exoenses
would be only siO; Iook els only went TO River dc
LnuI, ana from there by way Of Little Falls. GRAD
Talls Woodstock. Fredericton. 81. Johns. Bay
oil FHndy 10 Windsor. aud then by rail Ia Halifax
Young man from Cincinnati went with me from Mon
feai by the name OF W. ". Haynes, going South; he
nd h.,u
fonndery there. and Ia make shot and shell for
the Con.edeIacy. lived II COyineton.