The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1865-06-01
THE YELLOW FEVER PLOT.
Additional and startling DetaiIs---
Statement of H1Rckburn's Aecomplice
Stuart Robinson and COvingtOn
Rebels knowing Of the Conspiraey.

The Detroit Tribune publishes o
long account, supplementary to the
details we have already given respect
ing Dir Bluckburn's atrocious attempt
to introdnce yellow fever into Eastern
ports. The Tribpne's narrative is
based on the confessions of man
whom it calls Harris, but which is not
his real name. Harris was from He
lena Arkansas, where, having endured
some hardships at the hands of Union
troops, he become very bitter in HE
feehugs and went TO Toronto. There
be fell in with Dr. Luke P Blackburn,
Confederate agcnt,of Mississippi. This
was in the fall Of 1863. Harris met
him at the Queens Hotel. He was
introduced to Blackburn, he says, by
no other than the rebellious Rev. DR..
Strart Robinson. Of Louisville. Black
burn broacbcd his infection scheme
aud promised Harris 100000 ifhe was
successful in carrying out his plans.
He seemed rather short Of money,
however, at the time. borrowing mo-
ney from Robinson and others. He
also received $40 from a Mr.. Preston,
manufacturer Of tobacco, formerly Of
Covington, Ky., and now in New York
for his health, He next went to Mon
treaI. and thence to Halifax, having
with him yonng. man from Cncin-
natl named W. W Haynes, on his way
South lie had been sent for TO 90
there from Cincinnati; he had found
ry there. and was to make shot and
shell for the Confederacy; lived at
Coyington. On the 22d of June last
Ha -ris reached Halifax, where he met
Black burn, who had been TO Bermuda
in the meanwhile BE brought five
infected trunks With him, one contain
ing smallpox clothes He told Har-
ris to smuggle them into Boston, and
take two thence to Washington, one
to Norfolk, and l to Newbern. Harris
succeeded in getting into Boston with
his pcstileniiaI baggage, and sold some
Of it iV Washington, but was revented
from going to Norfolk by Buffers
orders. At Newbern
he sold some of the trunks, and heard
soon after of the yellow fever ra-
ging there. and wondered it did not
take in the other places he visited.
lie returned to Montreal, and was
very short of money. but got very lit
tie aid, except in promises, Jacob
Thompson giving him, however, $50,
from his rebel acquaintances. He
then went to the Canada side Of the
Niagara river.
When at Niagara, McGregor, Clay,
Holcombe. Preston, and DR.. Black
burn said they would raise sl.000,O00,
bring an immense quantity of clothes,
infect them with small pox and dis
eases which would rage in cold eli
mates; yellow fever for Southern
towns; send the goods to Liverpool
and tranship them from there to the
various places in the North; they
would employ me to superintend it all;
some would be distributed by sending
81 900 worth of goods to the Sanitary
Commission at Philadelphia, New
York, Boston, and from Washington;
Blackburn said when he was going to
Bermuda last August, that he was 60
ing to import more goods with the
fever to operate more extensively;
other physicians at other points were
to manage the small pox, &c.
Harris at last began to think he had
been dupcd and turned against his
telling the story OF which
we have given the points. The Tri-
bune expresses its belief from corrobo
rating circumstances, in the general
truth of his statements.