, 1865-03-04

@Gnicago. @ and hare lived there since the fall Of
1ss5. an ~ the lumber business, md hayc been
stpg9ged IN It for eight or tee years. belong to
served cs and T., To s 1bd
! eused, Charles Walsh, since 1856. He has olwoys
neen partisan " OF the Democratic party: Iw9a q
| reputation Of Nj. Walsh for oyslty and good cit,
! zensh1p. ID good ! know he has been zchve tn
f1ais1ng troops for the Irish Brigade; Mr. Walsh
character. as good citizen and loyal mar, cslIed
~ question before ht. arrest. Ills reputation fo,
k,1no-aeastedness s,o and humanity Is good; he b.
aiws5s been considered 4 liberal and charitable
| :. knew Of the existence OF arms belonging tc
Saotn e tHemoGtane party prior to the National Con
seRuo9s iaeJ we're IN the custody Of Mr. Walsh
| rs largc:tizcd rcyol7efs, but 1 only knew Of
| sample Of two or three guns or Rifles. These arms
| belonged to TIE Democratic party, and wero under
our righh and to obt7in free poll in the event o
dtstoTba1ee. This, | believe. wss generally
IN n ihs nm9e5S party they we're
inEnlts to members Of the Democratic party, on
me strees and It MAS believed that Union fessuera
aho 0thers ol that party we're about 10 override
their rights, especially Is /. waa believed that tbs
Loyal Lcagucrs wete armed; but these arms Were
10 Pc aaed purely in selfdefense.
Eas arrested was sent 70 see about he d1striba.
ton Of the arms to the Vigilance Committees, and
~ 70 oeifag expenses. There were fifty members oi
agreed to meet Walsh at his house on Tue 7th, to
get these arns, and this was the day on which be
TE6 arrested.
cRoss-kxAx1Sa71oN.
By Aojcr Esrnet9-The Vigilance Commlttec in
men. twenty Ave to each precinct They were to
49e care Of themselves, preserve the peace and
kkseP order: There we're police in the city, SO We
GU npt propose TO take Oh a drunken man or any,
Ting Of that kind, but we expected interference
with cur rights on the part Of the military. We
were, therefore, to nght tae United States troops
scription had becn raised for the purchase of
aIms for the Democratic party, but Of my own
knowledge do not know. was told that Marcus
that any ammunition was purchased, but saw somo
at Wa1sh's house shortly aftcr the suppression OF
the 1uaes by B1Fn-ide. do not know that dol.
Of Who loaded the arms, Or brought rebel soidicrs
to Waleh's house to make cartridges. / don't
know Daniels or Cantri]l.
e; Then y yoa haye eatd about these arms hay
4. Yee, sir. never paid anything for them,
G. Thesr arms were bought IN the summer OF
1865, and now Jour impression Is that they were
tor the psoteston Of your rights at the Preslden.
they we're putch ated.
Mr. Asay saked the witness how many elections
tn61S ual Qce1 OekWeeu INC suppression OF tho
Cficsgo Timer bJ Buxnsides order and the time
OF the Presidential election.
A.. There were two State aud other municipal
elections.
Quesfion by khe Gourt--wcre these Vigilance
Committees armed tot any other election than the
:, 4; !. :. So, q: Sas the, were always organized
Th,s IN, =, tas :sairo strength o: the two
4. There wHs about 500 Democratic 1palortty,
only eaW Arma IN the possession Of two men
whom thought to be members Of the Union
League. I am not sure that the men we're MEM
bere, or that the arms were theIrs. They were in
the h0utes Of the men, and In each case Consisted
Of one gun.
.,ad1S ddrocast-Then 1t was to oppose the two
guns 81 these two men, thzt aN the Democrats in
Chicago we've ar1Ding!
II1in<n-Hardly, Sir. $4,000. ...
Judge Adrecate-fou SAY the Democrats WeFa
arming because the Union League were armed.
Did You ever zee any other Union Leaguess with
arms. except those two meuf
Httness-No, s{r.
Q. And ron do not know that they ware Union
1eaguersf
j. No. sir. .. -.....
@. How many Of the citizens Of Chicago were
there WHO had arms In theif houses for hunting
purposes:
4. think ono-third OF the people had them.
Qxtsftoa by the LouTf-Where dld you sec the
arms In Wash's housef
4. The pistols were under the sofa, and the
guns were standing up In the corner OF the room.
Think there were only three guns.
The Court then adjourned until II O'Clock to-
morrow morning. UARn1r g. G.