The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1865-08-10

u | feuUeT tCn, ABOUT Ino nOuF Tie COmmdu
: dant had the singular impression L hav
D spoken of, arrived in the latter city. III
soon learned that the bird had agai
, flown.
, "While passing along the street," {
now quote from his report to the Provost
, Marshal General, of Missouri "and try
ing to decide what course to pursue
whether to follow this man to New York
or return to st. Lois-I met an old &C
quaintance, a member of the, order o.
"American Knights" who informed me
that Marmaduke was In Chicago. After
conversing with him while, | started up
the street, and about one block further
on met Dr. Z. w. Edwards, practicing
physician in Chicago, (another old &C.
quaintance,) who asked me if | knew of
Southern soldiers being in town. | told
him did that Marmaduke was there.
He seemed very much astonished, and
asked me how / knew. / told him. He
laughed, and then said that Marmaduke
was at his house, under the assumed name
of Burling, and mentioned as a good joke,
that he had British passport, vised by
the United States consul under that name
L gave Edwards my card to hand to Mar
madude (who was another cold acquain-
tance,') and told him that I was stopping
at the Briggs House.
"That same evening again met Dr.
Edwards on the street, going to my hotel.
lie said Marmaduke desired to see me,
and | accompanied him to his house. -
There, In the course Of long conversa-
tion, Marmaduke told me that he and sew
eral Rebel officers were in Chicago to CO.
operate with other parties in releasing the
prisoners of Camp Douglas and other pris-
oners, and inaugurating rebellion at the
North. He said the movement was un-
der the auspices of the ''Order of Ameri-
can Knights" (to which order the society
of the Illini belonged and was to begin
operations by an attack On Camp Douglas
on election day."
The detective did not know the Com
mandant, but he soon made his acguain-
tance and told him the story. ''The
young man" he says, crested his head
upon his hand, and looked as if he had
lost his mother" And we'll he might
A mine has opened at his feet with but
800 men in the garrison it was to be
sprung upon him. Only seventy hours
were left -! What would he give for twice
as many? Then he might secure rein
forcemcnts. He walked the room for a
time in silence, then, turning to the de-
tective, SAID, "Do you know where the
other leaders are 2" II do not" "Can t
you find out from Marmaduke 2" "I
think not He said what he did say vol
UNFAIRLY. If | were to question him he
would suspect me-" That was true and
Marmaduke was not of the stuff that be-
| trays a comrade on compulsion. His ar
rest, therefore, would profit nothing, and
might hasten the attack for which the
Commandant was so poorly prepared
He sat down and wrote hurried dispatch
to his General. Troops troops for Gods
sake, troops Twas its burden. Sending it
off by courier-the telegraph told tales
he rose, and again walked the room in
silence. After awhile, with heavy heart,
the detective said "Good night and left
him.
What passed with the Commandant
during the next two hours | do not know.
He may have prayed-he is a praying
man-and there was need of prayer, for
the torch was ready to burn millions of
property, the knife whettcd to take thou
sands of lives At the end of the two
hours, a stranger was ushered into the n
partment where the Commandant was still
pacing the floor. From the lips and
pen of this stranger l have what followed
and l think it may be relied on.
He was a slim, light haired young man
with fine, regular features and that inde-
Unable air which denotes good breeding.
Recognizing the Commandant by the ca
gle on his shoulder, he said, "Can |
see YOU alone sir p Certainly" an
answered the Union officer, motioning to
his secretary to leave the room. 81 am
Colonel in the Rebet army" said the
stranger, "and have put my life in your
hands to warn you of the most hellish
plot in history" "Your life is safe, sir, "
replied the other, "if your visit is an hon
est one. shall be glad to hear what you
have to say. Be seated
The Rebel officer took the proffered
chair and sat there till far into the morn
ing. In the limits of magazine article
I cannot attempt to recount all that passed
between them The written statement
the Colonel has sent to me covers four
teen pages of closely written fOolscap ;
and nv interview with him on the SUB
iect lasted FIVE hours, by slow watch
He disclosed all that Judge Holt has
made public, and great deal more
Sixty days previously he had left Rich
mond with verbal dispatches from the
Rebel Secretary of War to Jacob Thomp
son, the Rebel agent in Canada. These
dispatches had relation to vast plot
designed to wrap the West in flames, sew
er it from the East, and secure the indie
pendence of the South. Months before
the plot had been cOncOcted by jeff Da
Wis at Richmond, and in May previous
Thompson, supplied with $25O,OOO IL
sterling exchange, had been sent to Can
od. to snnerjntend its execution, Thi