The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-10-16
A Leaf from the Record of "col.'
M. Lane. Z. &C.

A Leaf from the Record OF COL"
Lane, Z. g. g.
A Political lecturer, during the pres
ent Campaign in West Virginia, In
the interest Of the Conservative Par
~. showing how, when and where
his actions during the Rebellion
have entitled him TO become n
MouthpIcce for the Rebels and An.
drew JohnSOn'S Policy.
lFrom The Ns,o Creek uniOn Bonner, Of ocL ul
HRADQuARrERs NH. CON-, |
WHEELING, W. VA, Sept. g, 1854.
Col. Jas. II. Hardie, Inspector General,
War Dept, Washington, D. c.:
COLONEL: In obedience to your en-
dorsement on papers in the case OF j. @.
Lane, II citizen, L have the honor 10 make
the following report; ~,
Sometime near. the las: day OF May,
1854, Lane was introduced to me, In my
office. as "Col," Lane. He requested
me to furnish him transportation TO
Baltimore, Nd, representing that he
WINS Chief OF River Police, OH Western
waters; that he was then on tho track
or a boat burner; that he had tracked
him to Wheeling and had obtained
what he deemed reliable Information,
that he had started for Baltimore.
He produced number OF pAsses from
Generals in the West, but no papers
which were satisfactory to my mind
that he was what he pretended to be. |
refused To give him m order for TRIMS
nortation unless hO could identify him
saIC. He claimed to be well acquainted
nt tho War Department, but would not
nllow me to telegraph to any one In the
Department In order 10 provo that he
was really Secret Police officer. He
LEFT my Office, and, / have since heard,
went 10 washington, D. G., on his own
private business, instead OF going to
baltimore, ms he intended. My suspi-
cIous were aroused. Mr.. Tracy, q
special agent In the Provost Mnrsh0Ps
Department, In this city, who accom-
pnnIed him on his first visit tony Office,
also believed him to be an Impostor, or
some rebel emissnry. Ills movements
were watched from that time Ou. a
Lanes movements and actions were,
since his first appearance, 80 curious
and liable to excite suspicion, that on
the 10Th dny Of Muy, sent tho follow
ing lcIekTHH .I..
WHEELING, May 10Th, 1904.
Brig, Gen. l.. Thomas, ACyt. Gen. U. s.
A., Washington d. G.: i..
Has Col, John Lane ever been or Is he
yet employed by the War Department
Hs secret police officer on tho Western
waterS2 Is here now under suspicious
circumstances, and claims to await a
new appointment from Wnr Depart
ment. IL. OVER
Olpt. Oh W. Va. Infantry, ma. COm.
No answer was ever received 10 this
and Lane continued to b0 In and about
the city rs heretofore; he would be alb
sent FOR weeks nnd then suddenly come
to town, and disappear Rgain suddenly.
HO pretended 10 bo Mt work ut his
home some - miles down the Ohio
river, When absent, his Union neigh
borH however auy that he was hnrdly
ever at work nj home, but that he WINS
In secret COnGlRvS with the rebels OF the
county, WOtEoL, nOIr tho limo Of Mar
shall, In which he lived. On the 18th
tiny Of July, wrote TO the War Do
parlment mn follows:
HEADQUARTERS MIL. CON-,
WHEELING, July, 1854. J
BRIO. GBN. l.. THOMAS, Adjt, Gen. u.
$. H., Washington, DO
GENERAL: have tho honor 10 make
tho following report:
Sometime near tho first of May, 1891,
II mnn passing himself As "Col. John
I.RnG camC Into my Office md request
ud that mn order Of transportation be
given him 10 20 to Baltimore. H0 rOp'
rVHnnl0tl that he WIS employed In tue
secret service OF tho government on tic
Western rivOrs, ind that h0 wins on the
track OF some boat burners, Nnd Ind
traCkOd LhOn IN Wheeling. AeHhowod
4 mO II number OF pNssOs from Generals
In tho Army Of tho Cumberland, but
could show me nothing sufficient Ia
satisfy mo thUt hc waA wh2t hO pro-