The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1865-11-15

rope, Stephenson reserying the privilege Of
recalling his exchange, if be failed in getting
this permit McKee's subagent gave Ste:
phenson all the cotton receipts, excepting.
246O bales, which were retained TO pay
Whitenbury and Doyle. The whole ex-
change amounting to l9,449 bales, which
would be worth, at 5000 the bale, $780,
OO0l Subsequently, the Confederates burn
ed this lower river cotton, excepting what
the GUIDO IS captured. Stephenson, failing
to get permits, fell back on bis first l20OO
bales on Upper Red River, 5000 Of which
he got to market, The Gonfederates also
burned 5000 bales Of this Upper Red River
cotton, and for this he claims this unburned
cot On, part Of which is the 935 bales on
Simmons and other plantations.
Stephenson made an agreement with Grief
& Zrnts, Of New Orleans, selling them al
this cotton. and when delivered by them in
New Orleans, if cotton was worth 20 cents
a pound, they should pay the Bank OF Lou
isiaDa 80 cents pound, and more OF less
according TO the market price. Under ia!s
contract Grief & cunts now come aud claim
for 935 bales, the bank being interested 80
cents pound. The point in this case is,
Gen. Buffers permit and Stephenson's right
to trade and exchange, the bank at the time
refusing to raify his contract with Grief &
Zupts.
Shortly alter General Buffers taking hold
Of things in New Orleans, he received from
our Minister in, Belgium information that
the Count Sillier, the contractor for French
army clothing, was intereated with the house
of Gautherine & Co., Of New Orleans, in
furnishing large quantities Of gray cloth for,
the use Of the rebel army. Jules lie More
and Alfred lie More belonged to this firm.
Having taken proper steps toascertain their
completely in this cloth transaction, he found
tbat they had, before the arrival of the Uni
ted St ties forces in New Orleans, landed in
Matamoros, and alterward Brownsville, gray
cloth Of the value Of ,S405 900, and that De
Bow, The Confederate financial agent, had
made arrangements With the Bank OF Lou.
isiaua to pay for the same in gold
The gold was sent to the house of the French
Consul, and alte1ward tsken on board a
Spanish man-ofwar. The French Consul's
wife, and the Consuls clerk, Kossuth, stand
charged on the books of Gautherine & Co.,
with payments for services and presents in
connection with this gold transaction. The
Consul was clearly implicated. Gauther-
ines books were falsifed to impose on Count
Sillier. Altogether this clotn transaction
was sucha one as might be anticipated
rom such parties. 1t is Jules LIE More's
connection with this cloth that raises the
question of theconnection Of lie More & Co.
Of Havrc, SO as to try and make them par
ties to violation Of their Yneutrality-al-
though the $50 bales in question were not
purchased until 1864, the firm Of Gauther.
Inc & Co., having been Dissolved in 1862. i.
The houye Of LIE More & Co., Of Havre,
! in 1863, by letter, instructed Jules lie, More,
Is their agent, to purchase cotton to be de.
lirered in Havre at a certain price. He was
furnished witha letter of credit on house
| in Matamorcs, which letter was honored, and
bills Of exchange draNh on the Havre house,
which were paid. At Matamoros LIE More
met an old friend of bis, "Querouze, !" who
had AIS bales of cotton seized by Kirby
Smith at Brownsville. Smith wanting to
use this cotton, agreed to give, on the Wash.
| ito River, two bales for one, or 800 bales.
Tine friends proceeded to Simmons planta.
tio., and lie More paid his friend SLIGO a
bale in greenbacks. "Querouze," who was
lie More's principal witness, admitting that
he sold lie More; that the cotton never had
been sold to the Confederate agent, but that
lit belonged to one "Garcia," q resident Of
Malamoros. When the gunboats found it.
lit having been hauled to the bank of the
river, and they finding it marked Q. S. a.
and being instructed to take it, captured it
It was proved by Judge Duncan, Of
shreveport, that Querouze and Ie More
presented a claim for gray cloth to "Br0ad'
WELL" Smiths Chief Of Cotton Bureau,
that this claim was in favor of LIE More &
Co.; that they were awarded this $50 bales
Simmons cotton, and being dissatisfied, q
board Of arbiirators was called, be beng
one Of them, and that they considered 83G
bales sufficient payment for the gray CLOTH
but on his continuing to claim 300 bales
more, the whole case was REFER ! to Eich.
mond, where the award of the arbitrators
was sustained. The cotton was delivered to
Querouzs by verbal order to Simmons
from Major Buckner, Confederate" agent
under "Broadwell."
| The counsel for claimants devoted three
days 10 the arguments on the evidence, and
liz producing law and decisions having any
bearing on Retrospective cases. All have
been active in producing dispositions in f.,
vor of themselves or adverse to the other
parties.
The theory that the title in the cotton, as
derived f.om Simmons sale for rebel bonds
] is very weak one, our Government never
having yet admitted that such government,
ever existed as that of the Coniederacy, aud
consequently, that no sale could be made to
4 them, and that their bonds can have no le
gal existence. aa
i The. evidence just printed is very volu.
minous, when carefully read and examined
as to its relevancy, by the Court, will be tht
:. basis Of the decision as to who IS entitled tt
this cotton or the proceeds Of it. And ia
, king into consideration that it is worth sew