The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1865-01-26
TRIAL or REBEL SPY ST cINcIY-
MATT, BY COURT MARTIAL.

We cut from the Cin:inDati Gazette
report Of the proceedings upon the trial
Of the rebel Lieut. s. p. Davis recently
arrested at Newark, the following in
tercsting items Of testimony:
Frank Lcverstock, of Lexington.
Richland county. Ohio, on behalf Of the
Government, testified that while he
was at Union prison in Anderson.
vile, Ga, lie saw the prisoner, who
was in command Of the interior pris.
on; he wore two straps on his shOul-
der, which indicated that he was
Lieutenant in the rebel service. lie
afterwards saw him performing simi.
lar duties in the prison at Savannah.
On the 11th of:this' month witness saw
the prisoner on the train going from
Lexington TO Newark, Ohio. At first
he could not remember who lie was,
but another young soldier also recog.
nizod him, and called his name. lie
then approached the prisoner, and
asked if his name was not Davis lie
denied it; said IL was Cummings; that
he lived in Canada, and showed Il pass
port. Witness was satisfied ho was
not mistaken, and rot Mr.. Stewart,
Superintendent ofthc Sandusky, Mans.
field, and Newark Railroad, to telc-
graph for the Provost Marshal at New
ark, to be at the depot to arrest him.
and he and another soldier stood
guard at the doors Of the train. The
prisoner was much excited, was trying
to read n novel, but could not keep
his eyes upon his book. At Newark
he was arrested, and after being search
cd and called by name " several
other soldiers who knew him, acknowl-
edged his name, and said, "Yes. Bev-
erstock, you have got me this time
Witness accused the prisoner in Court
of having taking good citizens coat
from him in Savannah, which he would
like to have pay for. The prisoner
had told the witness, that he had run
the blockade round by Canada, and
was on his way to Baltimore to see his
sister, when he was going back to
Richmond. He was anxious to know
what witness thought would be done
with him; asked him if lie had ever
been in love; said he was, and when he
now thought Of his girl it made him
shed tears. On the cars coming to
this city, the prisoner wanted to 90 to
the closet; witness went with him, took
off his hand cuffs, after which he made
some demonstrations as if he would
get away, which were checked by the
presentation of Il pistol. 80
The prisoner acknowledged that he
had carried dispatched to Canada, but
did not say what they were. He said
he was also carrying dispatches back
to Richmond, where he expected to he
Saturday night; said he had burnt
those dispatches in Jail at Newark;
that he had kept them in his overcoat
sleeve, and his heart was in his mouth
while being searched until they laid
by his coat. When witness asked the
prisoner what was the nature of the
4 dispatches he ran his tongue out, and
said, Aha!' as much as to say, find
ont ifyou can" .i..
In brief cross. examination by the
accused, the witness stated, in answer
to the question why his coat had been
taken from him. ...
When we got to Savannah it was a
new thing to see Yankee prisoners
and the people Of the city came down
TO see us. had got a very good citi-
zen's coat on, snd in the crowd walked
out Of the gate. A rebel sergeant said
"Do you belong here?' "No, sir" said
|. lie said, you have no business to
be in here" | begged pardon, and
walked off into the Park. Very soon
II sergeant'of the guard called to me
and said the Captain wished to see me
| went back, and he asked who | was
where | lived and what | was doing
| answered Smith, that l lived in Ma
con, and WAS looking at theliprisoners
lie called Lieutenant Davis, who sur.
/, veyed me from foot 10 head, and said
"Conlound your picture; you have
commenced playing your tricks on mC
already, have your Said |, at i:
every mans privilege to get away i
: he can" TO which he replied, ~ dc
, not blame you for trying to get away
, but for being caught at it, lie ther
f told me to shed my coat, which l did
; and went off with the other prisoners
| suppose the coat was taken from m,
to keep me from attempting the sam,
thing again.
The prisoner made application 70
permission to send to Richmond TO
evidence that he was acting in tn
capacity of bearer Of dispatches from
Canada to the Confederate authorities
, and not as spy. After an afgumen
, by the Judge Advocate against grant
ing such permission, the accused wa
, permitted to make his statement
which he did as follows:
The accused replied that he ha,
8 little to say in regard to the lega
= point raised by the Judge Advocate
t bat said: That l WAS q bearer of dis
; patches L admit freely; whether
{ bearer of dispatches is spy Or not
t my acquaintance With internationa
! law does not enable me to say. Lean
! not see why it is that one bearing dis
/ notcbcs thrhurh the TTnitrl Stains n