Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-07-14
Astonishing DevetepMeuts-aiieg
secret History ct Provost aarsh0tsl

A series OF suits are now being Instituted by
EI Recorder Smith. for aever,l parties agAlnst
Col |. G Baker Tor damages for alleged false
Imprisonment and assault aud battery. Comics
OF The alliavils have been sent CT TO the War
Department. aud an investigation demanded by
the parties who claim 10 have been unjuslly
treated
The first affidavit Is thai OF James Lee who
states that ia the early PAT, Of February, 1865.
10 was a recruiting broker. aud Was sent for by
Col. baker al the Aston House On his arrival,
all his yauables were taken from him by Col
Baker. aud ne was sent TO the Oil Capitol Prison.
While In prison. we'll known Republican law.
yer waited on him. aud told bin be could be got
out for s. 600. After some demur. he gave a
check Tor 50 900. aud after some delay was re-
leased. without knowing why he Was arrested.
or the charge against him.
John Deylin also s~ears 10 being arrested and
paying 81 100 before he could be released, that
he never knew the charges against him; all his
money aud vsluables were seized by Colonel
Baker. who, IL ia alleged. delivered them to the
same LAWYER
Simon Burns testified TO having been arrested
and imprisoned without cause. and only TO
CRAFTY tire malice of friend OF Colonel Baker.
aud that no charges were ever preferred against
him.
Michael Manahsn testified to being arrested by
order OF Colonel Baker. taken before Marcus q
Stanley. who was in charge Of the Office and
after his money and valuabes were taken from
him he was sent to the Old Capitol Prison. "a few
days after, by the same process in Lees case,
ne was released on paying $780, in consulta-
ton with Stanley. il is alleged he informed de-
ponent that unless Lee pain up he would be sent
TO the Dry Tortugas.
Francis Devlin testified he went on TO Wash
ngton to see his brother John. who was under
arrest; that Colonel Baker locked hipl Up, ard !,
cost him $500 TO get released.
William G. Landau. late bookkeeper OF the
firm CT Peter Riley L. Co, recruiting agents ges-
tilted that at the request OF one of the firm be
went TO see tho Mayor of jersey City in u .rch
last, to see about getting the firm to raise the
quota OF Jersey CITY; the Mayor agreed to pay
Tor $50 men. Col Baker spying that hat he did
with kile, x Go. would be all right; he paid the
firm $l26 900 for the men; on the l0th OF March,
los men were enlisted IN Hoboken TO the credit
of Jersev CITY, but afteFward were arrested and
sent to Fort Lafayette by order Of Col. Baker.
Not one of these men were paid any bounty. A
few da,s after, the affidavit charges. the sum Of
Sl20. 600 divided in Marcus Cicero Stanleys
Oihce in tour equal parcels, one 10 Peter Riley,
one 20 James Hughes. one 20 Theodore Allen,
and one to Mr.. Stanley Mr.. Ltndan saws:
STANLEY was a confidential man between Baker
and Allen. obtainine and imparting infor nation
one from the other" he further saws, S54 OOU
OF tho money paid By Mayor Cleveland was re-
served by Col Inglis to pay to legitimate re
cruits. Allen < Co. offered him $40 900 10 pay
il over to them. which he declined TO DO unless
ordered by the War Department Allen and
Stanley then wrote TO Gen. Fry. and.in response
q telegram was received directing the mouey 10
be PAID to them, Upon advice. Col Inglis paid
over the money to Allen Co , who. depo-
nent believes. gave part TO Stsnley.
To bis affidavit Mr LiDdan snnexes a sehed
ule which he claims shows that the amount Of
2242 O53 80 had been received in fes months
by Riley Co. by recruiting frauds
Then follow tbs afidsyts Of John Esgen and
some forty others Who testified that they went TO
Hoboken to enlist in good faith. having never
been in the army before; they were arrested. all
vauables taken from them, and sent TO Fors La
fayeue by Colonel Baker In few weeks they
were released. though they never knew the
charges against them-NeH York EIpress