Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1865-04-13

order - and / answered that | could
not give, him any information upon the sub.
Ject, as he was not member Of the order. -
lie was present only two or three days be.
fore | left. The subject was on the general
reconstruction of the Union Of these States,
and was the same matter that was after.
ward discussed by the order of the Presi-
dent, between Greely and the agent Of the
Confederate Government.
The testimony was objected to-
The Court was cleared for deliberation -
On being opened the Judge Advocate an
nounced that the objection was sus-
tancd.
The witness continued.
desire to explain; that it has been sta.
ted in evidence in this case, that Mr.. Barrett
was my chicfofstaf | never had any
such officer to act in any such capacity.
y. Did he not act for you in some ca
pacity, in forwarding your letters, or in
some other way2
a. No, sir. Ny letters were forwarded
to Inc from Detroit NJ Barret always rep
resented himself as opposed to these move
ments of the order, and if he had any
knowledge Of any trouble in connection with
Camp Douglas at the time, he never com
municated it to me. He was at Chicago
on the week preceding the election, and
not a word was ever said by him, to my
knowledge, "a to the release of the prison
ers at Camp Douglas The question was
certainly, ask ked by Mr.. Barrett, if this six
Thousand dollars should bc invested in arms,
and / distinctly and emphatically said no,
and what became Of the money l never
lean ned
e.. You say you were approached at
one time by some person in reference to this
scheme Of revolution
A. | had heard it was said by those who
were accused Of being concerned in this in
surreton, that if the scheme were inaugura-
ted they would probably drag me into it.
q. Were you ever informed by Jacob
Thompson that Fl H. Dodd had s75, 900
to be used for the purchase Of arms for the
release Of rebel prisoners
\. | never had any communication with
Thompson in reference to the matter.
q. Do you know Of any money being
furnished BY Barrett, or Thompson for any
purposes?
A. No. sir.
Q. When was the first time you had any
consultation with Barrett as member Of
Order Of the Sons of Diberty?
\. At the time he and DR.. Massey came
to Windsor, c. W, about the latter part Of
February, lsG4. 1t was solely in reference
to the ritual obligations and declaration of
principles. The next and only other time
saw Barrett till returned to Hamilton,
was in reference to letter | was to address
Democrats in relation to their duty at the
forthcoming Presidential election, and
which stated that the convention to be held
at Hmilton, was to nominate delegates to
the Chicago Convention, in which letter
asked him to be a speaker.
Q. | desire TO call your attention to
letter purporting to be written by you. con-
tanning this postscript y ours received,
names al right.
A. Those were the names Of the speak
ers at the Democratic Convention, in the
letter calling upon me for the expression of
my opinion as to the duty Of Democrats.
Q. You wrote some letters TO Ii. II.
Dodd, did you not
A, Yes, sir; wrote q few letters to him.
q. Is this correct copy of a portion of
one you wrote on the 18th Of May, 1864,
dated Windsor, c. W: Send for your
| friend here to return at once and work at
home. Nothing to be done here. So, also,
says our mutual friend. Be ready for Day
ton meeting.
Grant has been worsted by Lee, and no
mistake. 1t is Grant who has fallen back
six or eight miles, and not Lee, who has ad
vanced from West to East. Lee is not, and
never has been, facing Northward, but
Eastward.
Sherman, too has been brought to a
dead stand, first having been driven back "
\. | presume it is correct. l believed
then, and still believe, that what is there
said as to the military position of Grant and
Lee, is correct | think General Butler,
in his Lowell speech, has proven that my
opinion was correct.
Q. WHO'S the friend whom Dodd was
to bring back from Canada.
A. 1t was a man, understood, he had
sent from indianapolis to see me, to detail
to me something which l suspected was not
all right, and | wrote to Dodd to take him
away at once.
@, What purpose did yeu suspect he
had there
A. l suspected he was engaged in get
ting arms, contrary to the express instruc-
-tions and directions had given on this sub
ject.
Q, What made you suspect that this
was the case
A. had heard from other parties init
nations of that kind.
Q. If you suspected he was engaged in
such illegal work there, why did you say
"Work at home %
A. Not to work in that sort Of business
and not to go to Canada with any such oc-
cupation.
O. Why did you net say that he was
engaged in an illegitimate occupation?
4. That is the fact of the matter
That individual came afterward to my house
and | declined to see him.
Q. Why?
4. Because / did not consider him
character that | wanted to have anything
to do with. r. C. Booking as under
stood.
Q. Was he not a man that was engaged
in the manufacture of Greek Fire or shells
for the Order of the Sons of Liberty?
A. No, sir; | never heard anything of
the kind.
Q. Do you remember hearing that this
Order of the Sons of Liberty paid him
money for perfecting his invention of hand
grenades or Greek Fire, for the purpose of
destroying government property; or the
pertecting Of any kind of deadly missive
A. No, sir; never did. | unlerstood
he was there on some business of that sort,
but | refused to see him. or have any con.
sultatiou with him, and never did see him,
or have any communication with him direct
or indirect I supposed the whole thing
had broken upwhen saw no allusion made
to it.
| | have heard in reference to that matter
of Greek Fire, and it was Dodd's statement
! I Il