davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-03-09
From the Fremont Journ.l. March ?

NnAAA q sMhIG4 81
The following statement is furnished by
Meesrs. ". w. and z. Ross, of this place,
agent of the Ohio Farmers Insurance
Company for Sandusky County:
Messrs. Editors: We make the follow
ing statement Of some of the facts con-
nected with the robbery of the Ohio Far
mers' Insurance Company, and the efforts
made by the detective force to ferret out
the criminals engaged in that burglary.
This robbery was committed nearly a wear
since, in Medina county this State. IT,
amount stolen va. about So ann ;n.inJ.
A 100 OF Company funds and s., OGa
belonging to private parties. Ne clue was
obtained as to the burglars or the stolen
bonds, until some time last fall, The no
torious Jim Brown, pretending to know
something Of the affair, was bailed out ei
the Cleveland Jail partially upon eandi-
ton of lending his services in the detection
ofthe criminals but we believe little came
of his agency in the matter.
Sometime in Autumn last a stranger
offered some 100 bonds for sale to a bank
er named Price, of Milwaukee, Wiscon-
sin. His answers being e%vasive, Price:
suspicious were somewhat aroused; never
theless, he purchased the bonds amount
ing to several thousand dollars. A short
time after the same man presented a LOT
of $50 bonds to Price, and the circum-
stances a~ttendingthe transaction increased
the brokers' suspicion that all was not
right; but upon inquiry he was informed
that the stranger was a Chicago detective,
named Samuel Felker, and that he was
sound. An examination of the bonds
showed that the Numbers on some of them
had been changed. Felker was hunted
up, said he came by them honestly, but
objected to redeeming them; however he
did redeem a portion OF them. In the
meantime the real numbers of the bonds
had been found to correspond with the
stolen bonds of the "0hio Farmers In
surance Company"
Price Immediately telegraphed to the
"Ohio Farmers" delivered that amount
of bonds 10 the Company, and placed them
in possession of the foregoing facts.
Felker was arrested for being impli-
Gated in that burglary, brought to Medina
county, in this State, and lodged in Jail.
1t was soon found, however, that no evil
dence could be obtained against him for
being engaged in the burglary, though he
was clearly guilty of negotiating stolen
bonds.
Felker represented to the officers of the
Company that he was a detective from
Chicago that there was G large and regu-
larly organized band of burglars through
out the country, by members of which
their safe had been robbed; that Moray
Tor McCrea) of Springfield, Illinois, and
Wilkinson, of the same State, were lead
ing members of this organisation, and
were two of the persons engaged in the
@0hio Farmers robbery; that he him
self was . conadant Of the gang that he
Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-03-09

AT present it is highly proper to recur
to this The same class OF politicians who
indignated over the term 'mudsill," now
speak of President johnson as "a low tai
lor7-as 's drunken tsiler'-in terms Of
reproach. as though a mar who at n pc
| Rod of his life had followed q mechanical
calling could by no possibility be a gentle
MANS though a mechanical calling
is necessarily a vulgar calling-ohiO
Statesman.
The Statesman is slightly in error here.
The epithet drunken tailor was first ap-
piled to Andrew johnson by the New
York World, the leading organ of the lat
ter-day Democracy. That paper mas a mo
nopoly of the expression, whichno Repub-
Iican paper has ever infringed. We chal-
lenge the Statesman to cite 8 single sem
tence which has appeared ~editoriAlly in
any Republican FapesjR which thsPhrase
referred to q applied to President john
aon,
Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-03-09
How Endorsements of President
ohuSO are PurchaKed.

u
The Chicago Republican relates an in
cident or two in connection with the re-
cent visit of Governor Oglesby, of that
State, to New York, which exhibits the
manner in which some of President John
sons supports are ~sndeavoring to procure
support from prominent members of the
party which he has betrayed. 1t says that
Mr.. Thurlow Weed had promised the
managers of the National Lincoln Monu-
ment Association, that if they would send
a committee to New York about the mid
die or close of February, the subs cription
already made would be increased to $780,
600, and the mohey paid over. Governor
Oglesby and Hon. o. NJ. Hatch, late Sec
rotary of State of Illinoih were accord
ingly appointed said committee, and
visited New York to receive the subserip-
ton. In the meantime, the meeting to
indorse the Presidents policy had been
called for Feb. %, and as socn as the
presence of the committee in the city and
the purpose of their visit were made
known to Mr.. Weed, the name of the
/" Hon. R. j. 0glesby, Governor of Him
ois," was added to the list of those who it
was assumed would address the meeting.
Governor Oglssby demonstrated, and
stated that he was in New York to receive
the promised subscription to the Lincoln
monument; but finally it was plainly in
timated that if be, as Governor of Illinois,
would address the meeting and in
dorse the policy of the President,
he could have the 100000 for
the monument. But Governor oglesby,
mindful Of the words of the great states
man who declared that while he would
give his life to ssrgs his country he would
not do a mean thing to sags it, declined 10
be purchased even at this price. and the
committee returned to Illinois without
tbe money.
We shall not trust ourselves to COM
nent on the characteristic baseness re-
yealed by Nj. Weed in this proceeding.
have heard the act of stealing the
from dead mems eyes cited as the
acme of meanness; but this traficking on
he love and respect felt by the people
ior their martyred President to purchase
public respect for his successor utterly
the former illustration.
Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-03-09
Z. B. WHITMAN,
Captain and A. O. NJ
The Pennsylvania Democrats on Pres
fdent Johnson.

AuthAt SDnuSOEs
The Democratic State Convention ~
Pennsylvania, if it effected
demonstrated tn uorning else
Con- e extreme affection of the
rperhead party in that state for An
drew johnson and its unqualified ap
proval Of his policy. A few extract
from their proceedings, as reported for tn
New York Herald, will illustrate this fea
ture of the convention.
The following resolution was unanim
ously adopted by the convention:
THAT the bold enunciation of the prin
ciples of the constitution and the policy
of restoration contained in the recent an
nual and Freedman's Bureau veto mes
sages of President johnson entitle him t.
the confidence and support of all who re
spect the constitution aud love their coun
try"
The Hon. ]. W. Salier, temporary chair
man OF the convention, was jubilant anC
congratulatOry:
"He specially congratulated them il
having at the neaQ OF the government
a man who loved his country and wa:
not afraid to do hisduty. tApplause.)"
James Kerr, another speaker, was Con.
stitutional;
at had pleased Providence to raise up
& man who had taken the constitution il
his hands and who had the courage and
viii to stand upon it and bid defiance
even to those in his own parry who were
~endeavoring to destroy it (Applause.
1t was their duty 10 stand By him in this
contest"
Mr.. Brewer let himselfloose as follows
"a few weeks since the party in power
were clarifying over the President; but
now that. Andrew johnson hsd shown
more regard for country than party they
were openly announcing him. Jefferson
originated the great truths of the De-
mocracy jackson sustained and protected
them during q trying siege, andnow john
son comes forward as their bold defender.
He then called for three cheers for the
three Js|eferson, jackson and John
son. Loud and continued spplalss.T
Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-03-09
car Ne CompromIse .

The Elyria Democrat quoting a remark
Of the LEADER in reference 70 the attempt
of Sherman, Cox, ct al4 to patch up a
compromise between President johnson
and the Republican party, asks whether
this paper sis really opposed to any at
tempt to harmonic the apparently con-
hicting views entertained by prominent
members Of the Union party, so that they
csnact together for the good of our COM
mon country" We answer:
The immediate political issue before the
country ia this: Shall the southern states
lately IN armed rebellion, aud still rebel
li0us at heart Be Immediately restored 10
posOerf Shall we take to our arms at
once this set Of traitors, thoroughly dis
loyal as they have proved themselves,
without ~exacting any guarantees for the
safety ofthe Union and of Freedom, for the
establishment Of civil equality, and for the
protection Of white and black Unionists
in the South? The President, the Cop
perheads, and the southern rebels answer
this question in the affirmative: the Union
men, who put down the rebellion, answer
it in the negative. This difference is fun
damental. 1t cannot be "~harmonixed" or
compromised. Should the presidents
policy (which is also Vallandigham's
policy, and JEFF. Davis's policy, and the
policy Of every infamous rebel and only
less infamous Copperhead South and
North) be successful, the fruits Of the war,
for which we have paid thousands of lives
and millions of treasure, would be thrown
away. Therefore On this question there
can be no compromise. Compromise i'm
plies mutual concession, and in this mat
Ter we can concede nothing. To do SO
would be worse than to destroy the Union
party, for it would be to surrender the
very object for which that party exists.
Compromise on minor matters if you will
Ion this, neverl
For more than nine months-iadeed,
ever since the issuance of President John
sons first Reconstruction Proclamation,
May 2sth, 1s65-the Republican party, IFS
speakers, its journals, its conventions,
have been waiting and hoping and making
allowances for and concessions to PreIi-
dent johnson. Everything that could be
done to keep him in harmony with the
principles Of the Republican party has
been done. Radical men have been very
patient and very c~oniding. They have
made large allowance for the Presidents
Shortcomings, and have praised as loudly
e. possible the little he has done for lib
erty. Tt may gravely be doubted whether
this concession and confidence has not
been carried too far-whether it has not
encouraged Mr.. johnson to the desertien
which he has contaminated. At any rate,
that desertion is now complete. Mr..
johnson stands on the same platform with
Vallandigham, and no true Union man
esn stand there with him. 1t is as idle and
harmful to talk of compromising with
him az it would have been to talk Of com
promising with Lee or Breckenridge after
they had gone over to the Confederates.
II he will come back to us, well and good;
ma can navar 90 ovar 70 him |
Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-03-09
After which says saws our veracious re-

After which says says our veracious re-
porter:
"Nearly an hour was spent in speechi-
flying and in clarifying the party, the
President and everything connected with
the career of the organization"
Mr.. Hopkins, the permanent President,
rallied around Mr.. johnson in the follow
ing pathetic style:
"The noble stand taken by President
johnson in favor of q speedy restoration
of the States whose people had lately
been in rebellion to their former relations
to the Federal Union, and the enlightened
and m~agnanimous policy he had adopted
for the accomplishment of this truly pat
riotic purpose, deserved the highest com
mendation. The Presidents action in
this respect had demonstrated that he was
a statesman of enlarged views-one whose
deeds were worthy to be handed down to
future generations with those of the i'm
mortal Washington, jefferson, jackson,
Clay and their compatriots,"
Another delegate, says the report,
- endorsed the economical tenden-
cies of Andrew johnson, and an evidence
Of his CREST economy he said was the fact
that he refused to waste his ammunition
on dead ducks"
And finally after the resolutions were
adopted aud the nomination made,
Several other speakers renewed, con-
tinuing the remarks in the same strain,
adding to the endorsement of johnson
the approval of Senators Buekalew and
Cowan's course"
And at last,
"The proceedings were brought to a
conclusion at a late hour, the hall ringing
with cheers for the nominee and the Pres
ident of the United States.
Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-03-09

had received some $4,000 of the "Ohio
Farmers u stolen bonds from Wilkinson,
and that he was seeking for evidence to
convict them, but In order to retain the
confidence of the gang it was necessary for
him to negotiate the bonds.
Efforts were made to arrest both Will
kinson and Mckay. love on one occa-
sion visited Wilkinson at his home, threw
down his carpet sack filed with burglars
tools and sought to secure Wilkinson's
confidence; but Wilkinson, sharp enough
to see through his designs, told him that
he might as we'll take up his tools and
lesve-thRt he had mistaken his man.
Mckay was arrested, brought to Cleve-
land and placed in jail by members Of his
own gang, we understand, to keep him
from being arrested in Illinois on another
charge. Although his Acknowledgements
left little doubt of his guilt, yet for want
Of evidence he was discharged.
Wilkinson, It appears, is a blacksmith
by trade, and lives in a retired place in
the country, well supplied with hiding
places and well calculated as q retreat to
escape justice
Upon the guaranty Of exemption from
arrest, Wilkinson agreed to come to this
State to confer with the Company, pro
vided he could avoid an arrest here.
He accordingly visited the Office of the
Company in this State, and stated that he
would not acknowledge that he had ny
thing to do with the burglary, but that
in it.
He confirmed the existence Of a wide
spread organization of burglars, operating
extensively throughout the north and
west stating that by a liberal use of their
large resources in the briberyof the police
and detective force of the country, they
were enabled to almost defy arrest and
conviction; that McRay of Springfield,
Illinois, was e VIGOROUSLY successful burg
lar and a leading member of the gang ;
that he (Wilkinson) was on terms of con-
fdence with the gang, but that he had for
sometime been seeking to break his con-
n%ection with them, that he had at one
time $40, 900 of the "0hio Farmers y
stolen bonds in his possession-placGd in
his charge for the purpose of negotiation /:
he casually observed that McRay was one
of the persons engaged in the attempted
robbery of the Sandusky County treas
ury safe at Fremont, Ohio; that although
McRay did not engaged now as much as
formerly in active operations, yet that he
was personally present in the affair at
Fremont, Moray is said to be a man of
considerable wealth, being worth $780,
900.
Upon being urged to turn Estates evil
denoe," he objected, saying that it would
be certain death to him if he should do so.
There would seem to be little or no
doubt of McRay's and Wilkinson's active
participation in the robbery of the .'Ohio
Farmers" and of Felker's completely
with the gang.
The company are sanguine that the re-
mainder of the bonds or their equivalent
will be secured, inssmuch as so many of
those undoubtedly engaged in the burg
larry or in the negotiation of the bonds are
in such close quarters.
Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-03-09
POLITICAL

The city election at Waukegan, ILL., on
Monday, resulted il the success Of the
straight Republican ticket, which ran
against HAn Administration ticket, put
in the field by Copperhe4ds.
The electors Of Connecticut will choose
q Legislature in April, who will elect a
Z. S. Senator to succeed Senator Foster.
Let US fervently hope Dixon will not be
duplicated.
Senator Cowan has the promise OF At
tornev-General and Senator Stewart Is to
have a place at the head Of the new mining
bureau-so the gossip runs.
An enthusiastic mass meeting was held
at HYDE Park, Ill, on Monday evening
last for the purpose of sustaining Con-
gress. Eloquent speeches were made by
Judge Jameson and other Union leaders.
The Pennsylvania Democratic State
Convention met in Harrisburgh on Mon
day last for the purpose of nominating a
candidate for Governor. The convention
was addressed by several gentlemen, who
INDUCED in ~extrayagant laudation ofPres-
ident johnson, and q resolution was
adopted thanking him for his veto message.
Heister Clymer, of Berks county, was
nominated on the fourth ballot. His prin-
oipal competitors were General George
W. Cas-, Of Allegheny, and Richard Vaux,
of Berks.
The Washington correspondent of the
New York Post says that the President
told several New York gentlemen, last
Thursday night, that he was opposed to
n further amendments to the Constitu-
ton of the United States till the South
was represented in Congress. But he in
timated that if an amendment covering
the point of representation must be passed,
he preferred the M indicated by him be-
fore, that basing representation directly
upon voters. When it was suggested that
New England would not agree to that, as
she might lose one or two members, he re-
marked, with a laugh, that New England
made very close calculations IN such sub
jects.
The Union men of Hartford, Conn, had
q glorious meeting on the evening of the
I'd. Hon. HI K. ". WEIGH, presided.
Stirring speeches were made by General
o. S. Terry, General Stewart L. Wood
ford, of New York, and General Joseph
R. Hawley, Union candidate for Governor.
The latter did himself great credit.
Among other things he said: uThey tell
us we are divided. 1 know we are, but
we are strong enough to bear division
without losing sight of principles. We
have the manliness to discuss measures,
and, when the best is chosen, the courage
to carry it out. lApplause.l We have
the wisdom to tolerate differences of opin-
ion within u ranks, and TO argue to sat
isfactory decisions. We should care moth
ing for temporary division so long as we
are satisfied with the integrity OF our
party. We can bear patiently with all
men who differ on minor questions. I
have seen, during the progress Of a fierce
battle, fellow-soldiers passing to blows,
yet never ceasing their deadly fire upon
the eOmmon enemy" lGreat applause
Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-03-09
Escape OF David HENLEY from the
Penttentiary-HOw the Pris 0ner Dug
Out.

From the State Journal of March ~
BENTLEY wa confined in ~
of cells, but on ~ ne same block
thron~ 40 opposite side, and dug
~ he floor of his cell to the air
/ chamber below, then through the wall of
the prison building to the yard, in much
| the same manner as did John Morgan and
his confederates.
He must have been at his labor Of work
| ing out for several days, and as an old
hand at the business, showed much care
| and ingenuity. He escaped once from
the Michigan penitentiaTy and in his
| flight froze his feet so that he became
acIub-footed.n His first movement in the
execution of his late plan of escape, after
securing q large pair of shears from the
work shop, was to construct an image of
himself which he placed in his bunk, to
deceive the guard who passes the cells to
| see that the prisoners are all right. In
| doing this he gave due attention to the
@club feet and other peculisrities of his
/ person, and succeeded in deceiving COM
pletely, His greatest difficulty was in
I working through the prison wall, which
is about four feet thick. His inaDimate
representative in his bed enabled him to
be absent with IMMUNITY, to give his IN
divided attention to this, and he, perhaps,
spent many nights in the air chamber.
His plans were well matured, and from
the first we'll executed. When he COM
menced operations he removed the esment
from the bottom of his cell, glued the
particles together with clay, and fitted the
piece nicely into the opening, made so as
defy discovery. During the day he would
place his paddy" in the air chamber be-
low with his tools. At night place the
paddy in bed, lower himself into the
air chamber and commence TO work. He
followed the course of the passage exactly
as did John Morgan, but worked through
the wall at q different place. In addition
to the shears we mentioned, he had by
some means procured a small iron bar,
and with the two he accomplished what it
would seem difficult for q man to accom-
plish with the best of tools. The ladder
BY which he scaled the outer wall was
made from strips of his "hickory' shirt
and pine stats.
Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-03-09
Tho Herald and the President's
speech.

speech.
The Columbus Journal g few DAYS
since, in speaking of the Ohio Union pa
pers who sustained the Presidents veto
message, said:
"These papers, with the exception Of
tie Herald have been outspoken in de-
nunciation of the 22nd February speech
Of the President. The Herald is the only
Union paper in Ohio which has passed it
in silence"
To which the Herald makes the follow
ing disingenuous and shutting response /:
aft the Journal does not read the
Herald it does not know what the Herald
says. If the Journal does read the
Herald it knows the imputstions in both
paragraphs quoted ab ,ve, are false. We
advise the Journal if it viii insist upon
bearing false witness against q neighbor,
TO manufacture its own ~falsehoOds, and
net retail the petty lies Of one whose
malice is alone dictated by personal pique
at being superseded il Office, or business
competition and jealousy"
Whereupon the Sandusky Register com
ments with deserved severity, as follows
@We can cerroborate the HeraLEs
statement. 1t did not Hpass the speech in
silence The first editorial published in
the HerGLd after the speech appeared was
headed "Willing to Wcundn-a phrase
selected from the assassination passage
IN the Presidents speech. The editorial
quoted ~approvingly that absurd declara-
ton that Sumner and Stevens were will
ing TO wound the President but afraid to
strike Kim, and contained not one word
Of criticism upon any part of that humila- |
ting harangue We remember distinctly |
of blushing for the Western Reserve |
when we read it. Since the hurricane of
indignation has swept the land, the Her
aid has called the speech an unfortunate
a and applied some other similar
epithsts."
The Register might have added thst the
Herald while it endorsed the Presidents
declaration that Sumner and the party
which he represents were awiIIino
wound but afraid to strike"L
to condemn Mr.. IL 10
~onna ws:- lad no room
for the great
4.cn he was attempting to infict
upon the party which placed him where
be is.
Since writing the above We find the fol-
lowing in the Columbus Journal of We'd
pesdAy morning:
H1fthe Cleveland Herald will point US
to any article chsracterizing the perfor-
nance Of the President on the night of
the 22d of February, we will be most
happy to correct or statement in regard
TO it. We admit that we do not read the
Herald There is a limit to human en-
durance. But we have examined that
paper, as we did others, for expressions of
opinion upon the speech in question, in
makingnp our column of opinions of the
press. If we have overlooked any article
on the subject We viii gladly make the
asuenGs. Does the Herald desire US to
understand that It disapproved the speech ?
Its reference 70 the LEADER in counec-
ton with what it has to say Of Us is IN
worthy OF it. The LEADER is q most
readable and excellent paper but it is not
our lsades."
Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-03-09

The Rishmond (Va) Sentinel is merged
in the Richmond Enquirer, one of the
proprietors of each paper going out. Mr..
Nat Tyler, of the Enquirer, in a valedio-
tory card, gives as his reason for with
drawing the recent order to forward to
General Terry a copy of each number of
his paper. He says that on receipt of this
order he determined that he would no
longer remain connected with the press
while neither its liberty nor its property
were safe from general orders"