Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1865-12-14
Large Cotton Thefts RPpOrted-WhOlesale
Robbery in the South.

According to the following statements of a cores
pondent of the Memphis Bulletin extensive thefts of
cotton have taken place along the line Of the Mobile
and Ohio Railroad:
"A large cotton operator was at Columbns. Mis-
Tenn and is reported as having large portion of
Government cotton in his possession. He Is said to
have 1000 to 1900 bales. part private and part dow
ut is ascertained that there has been taken from
Artesa Mississippi lS7 bales of government cotton,
from Mayhem $50 bales, and from Tlbbee 700 bales.
The Tbbee cotton is reported taken by a Breyet
Brigadier General and the soldiers under HIM. All
the above cotton was shipped north 10 Corntn
thence to Iuka and across the country TO Passport
Regular wagon trains are running from the Mobile
and Ohio Railroad across the country TO E2stport
North Mississippi to the Central Railroad, ana on TO
points near Memphis. c
There has been from 500 to 1000 bales of cotton
stolen from the government at Macon, Miss. cap
tain of Pckens county, Alabama, Is reported to be
largely engaged in these operations but he threatens
to kill any man that opposes him. 1t is said that
even good citizens 10th to give information of the
cotton operations through fear Of personal injury
On the 18th. man brought into BeTills cotton yard
cotton is supposed to have been stolen from Craw
fordsville. On the same day, man remarked that
the cotton burned at Memphis some two months ago,
did not exceed 100 bales although it reported at
5000 bales. The government may yet investigate
that matter. ,.-,c..
Charlottesville the Goth. On the 2lst gentleman
counted IS bales of Government cotton at that point
the day he found bales left-tle other
so bales having been spirited off during the night by
the cotton thieves. On the next night following the
last 25 bales were stolen The thieves stopped
to bale up some scattering cotton There were ,oU
bales of Government cotton at Charlottesville the
lst of November. Since then there have veen ship
ped III bales which leaves 539 bales stolen.
at is reported that there is regularly organized
band of citizen thieves, acting in concert with army
officers and soldiers in and around the places where
| the Government cotton is stolen.
| "It is reported that from Okalona to Crawfords-
vile, the government cotton has been delivered
large proportion OF 1t has has been Sar dscsd ,b
origina. hiarAs' ie''i'N ~ '-N
property, g., It would appear that there is &
strong organization all alone ~ adjacent to de-
fraud tbe GoyeTnment Nor is this ali. - Is re
ported that there are large amounts oI eotlon ta
have baSh shipped by the railroad that nav po.e e
their destinationx 1t is said to be yer.
Eommpf, occurrence to run load of cotton on from
satonto unload it. and then haul u py 1eaps y
Not less thanstsn thousand bales of goyernmen
cotton have been traudulently stolen from ans % Ia M
line OF the Mobile and Ohio railroad durins 'ne ia'
1t is estimated that there is not less than tTeN
Thousand bales Of government cotton now at ooluii
| bus, Macon and Brooksvlle. . .
| Ihe government officers are now lnvestlgatln
| many oil OF these Transactions
The masonic lodge of the s'Great Orient
Palermo has issued circular letter in reply to tn
papal allocution in which it is asserted that Pho Non
was member of the order in the early part of his life
| A large number Of the most infuentia
citizens of Arkansas have petitoned President John
son for the appointment of Provisional Governo
of the State. ..
The trial Of Dr., Hughes, the murderer c
Miss Parsons, commenced at Cleveland on Wedae
ld,y, p.