The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1865-07-21

~ now quote from his report to the
Provost Marshal General of Mis-.
souri) "and trying to decide what
course to pursue-whethc to follow
this rffan 70 New York, or to return
% st. Louis--I met an old acquain.
tance, member of the order oi
American Knights, who informed
me that Marmaduke was in Chicago
After conversing with him awhile, ]
started up the street, and about one
block further on met DR.. f.. W. Ed.
wards, practising physician in Chi
cago; (another old acquaintance,
who asked me If knew of Southern
soldiers in town. / told him / did;
that Marmsduke was there. lie
seemed very much astonished, and
asked how | knew. i told him. lie
laughed, and then said that Marina
duke was at his house, under the as
sumed name of Buling, and mention
ed, MS n good joke, that he had a
British passport, uised by the United
States consul under that name. ]
gave Edwards my card to hand &c
Marmaduke (who was another 'old
acquaintance and told him / was
stopping at the Briggs House.
"The same evening 1 again met DR..
Edwards on the street, going to my
hotel. lie said Marmaduke desired
to see me and l accompanied Linn to
his house, There, in the course OF
long conversation. "Marmadukc
told me that he and several rebel Of
ficers were in Chicago to operate
with other parties in releasing the
prisoners of Camp Douglas and other
prisons, and inaugurating rebellion
ut the North. lie said the movement
was under the auspices of the Order
OF American Knights (to which or
der the Society Of the Illini belong.
ed, snd was TO begin operations by
an attack on Camp Douglas on clec.
tion day.
The detective did not know the
Commandant, but he soon made his
acquaintance and told him the story.
"The young man." he says, crested
his head upon his hpnd, and looked
as if he had lost his mother" And
well he might! A mine had opened
at his feet; with but 500 men in the
garrison it was to be sprung upon
him. Only seventy hours were left
him! What would he not give for
twice as manyp Then he might Sc
cure reinforcements. lie walked the
room for time in silence, then, turn
ing to the detective, said, "Do you
know where the other leaders aref"
~ do not" "Can't you find out
from Marmaduke?" ~ think not.
He said what he did say voluntarily.
II were TO question him he would
suspect me-" That was true, and
Marmaduke was not of the stuff that
betrays comrade on compulsion.--
His arrest, therefore, would profit
nothing, and might hasten the attack
for which the Commandant was so
poorly prepared. lie sat down and
wrote hurried dispatch to his Gen
eral. Troops. troops! for Gods sake,
troops. was its burden. Sending it
off by couricr--the telegraph told
talcs--he rose, and again walked the
room in silence. After while, with
n heavy heart, the detective said
"Good night" and left him.
What passed with the Commandant
during the next two hours ! did not
know. He may have prayed-hc
is a apraying man-and there was need
or prayer, for the torch was ready toI
burn millions Of property, the knife
whctted to take thousands of hvcs.-I
At the end of the two hours, stran.
ger was ushcrcd into the apartment
where the Commandant was still pa
cling the floor. From the lips and pen
OF this stranger have what followed,
and ! think it may be relied on.
He was slim, light. haired young
man, with fine, regular features and
that indelinable AR which denote good
breeding. Recognizing the Comman
liant by the eagle on his shoulder, he
said, Scan see you alone, sir?"
Certainly" answered the Union of.
ficer, motioning to his secretary to
leave the room. "I am Colonel in
HE rebel army" said the stranger,
'and have put my life into your
hands, to warn you OF the most holl- !
Ish plot in history" "Your life is
safe, sir" replied the other, ''if your
visit is an honest one. / shall be
glad to hear what you have to say
Be seated"
The rebel officer took the proGcred
chair, and sat there till far into the
morning. In the limits of maga.
.ine article l cannot attempt to re-
;ount all that passed between them
The written statement the rebel Col.
las sent to me covers fourteen pages
,f closely written foolscap; and my
interview with hlm on the subject
asted five hours, by n slow watch
He disclosed all that Judge Holt has
made public, and great deal more.
sixty days previously he had left
with verbal dispatches
rom the rebel Secretary of War to
Iacob Thompson, the rebel agent in
Janada. These dispatches had re-
alton to vast plot, designed to wrap
he West in flames, sever it from the
EAST, and secure the independence of
he Sonth. Months before, the plot
Isd been cohcocted by JEFF. Davis at
Richmond: and in Nav nreyIous I