Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1867-07-04

: don. On the evening of the 9TH, whe
Howell was to have it, accompanied by
detective officer. | went with him TO tn
Avenue House, where he was TO receiv
q the document, determined "a soon as tn
money was paid by him to Mrs Cobb, an
he had the pardon in his hands to demau
of her the money. AS shown by Mr.:
: CObb's testimony, the pardon was not Pre-
t cured on the 9Th, she alleging that tn
i. President was sick, that Mr. Seward wa
not in the city, and that friend of her
in the Treasury Department, who assiste
c her. was also absent from the city, in New
York, but on the following evening sh
would certainly have the pardon ready
Accordingly on the evening of the Sth,
again visited the Avenue House with
I detective, and the moment Howell paid tn
. money TO Mrs. Cobb and received his pa
pers, entered the room and demanded
from Mrs. Cobb the $500. She at once re
cognized me and remarked she had met IN,
before | informed her | had been watch
ing her for several days, believed | wa.
posted as to her doings at the White House
and said, 'You shall not impose upon tn,
President by your presence. lie doubtless
regards YOU as an honest woman, and wher
he is made aware of your real character
and the business in which you are engaged
| think you will not be permitted again &c
visit the White House." She refused tc
return the money. when / asked her to &c
with me to my office; she consented, and
asked me if had any objection to bel
husband accompanying us; replied, Ser
tainly not" and. entering the carriage with
Mr. and Mrs. Cobb. went to my healquar-
tcrs. | took Mrs. Cobb into my private
office, and requested her to return me the
money paid to her by Howell, stating to her
distinctly that it was my money; | had
marked it for the purpose of entrapping
her; the person for whom she had obtained
the pardon was not Capt. Howell, but
Capt. Hinc; devised this plan TO ascertain
how and through what means she obtained
parlons, she should not impose upon the
President any longer, and / should lay all
the facts before him at once, awaiting his
decision in the matter. She became very
much excited and very abusive, declaring
that she had obtained great many par
dons from the President. and she should
continue to obtain them as long as she
could find customers; she and the President
had perfect understanding. and he dare
not refuse to sign any paper she presented
to him. asked her how many pard0ns
she hal procured. She said she could not
! tell, but s'.reat many; she had got three i'm
single day. and very Indignantly claimed
that she had as much right to do so as
other brokers. | asked her who among
her acQuaintances were engaged in the
business She mentioned the name of Mrs.
Ella B. Washington. she and one Of the
rebel Colonies and others. She said that
Mrs. Washington had obtained ten pa don.
Il. 4 ~ IL.
She did not see why she should he selected
Tor arrest while Mrs. Washington and others
were allowed To be unmOlested AL linz the
remarks: Your action i'm arfcsiinr me-
will cost Won your commission. shall see
the President to-morroy. AMI have you
mustered out Of the service" rcplie to
her: The President will probably require
some other reason for m, dismiss II from
service than the statement ola vile creature
like you.'
To satisfy me of her intimacy with the
President and with the attaches at the
White House. she entered inta a long and
minute statement of conversations she had
had with him. assuring me he had inform
cd her that was To- he mustered out OF
service on the 18th OF November; that Mr.
Stanton would not be retained in the Cabi-
net beyond the LIST of January: that many
of the Black Republicans and Abolili0nist
ofliceholdcrs were TO he removed. aad she
knew who they were; that the President
had informed her that the Detective Bu-
reau was to be broken up, and that Stanton's
friend, Baker, would retire into private life.
After listening for more than all hour to
conversation of this character, | decided
Immediately TO sec the President. | took
the pardon, as delivered by Mrs. Cobb to
Capt IIine. Mrs. CObb's written contract
with Capt. lIine for procuring the same,
the markell $50 notes paid by lline to Mrs.
Cobb and by her returned to me, and leav-
i'm Mrs. Cobb in charge OF one OF my
officers. went 10 the Executive Mansion
about o'clock. | found the President
alone in his room, and, after the usu i salu
tation said, "Mr. Bresidcnt, have some
papers here that | desire to show YOU
He said. Take seat sir" Immediately
unfolded tie pardon and laid it upon the
table before him. He put ON his spectacles,
looked at it, and said. ''Sir, where did you
get this:" IL got it from Mrs. Cobb |
then handed to him Mrs. Cobbs written
contract for procuring said pardon. lie
read it. when exhibited to him the mark
ed money. and began detailed statement
OF all the facts connected with the case
He interrupted me in moment, anu said,
"Where did you get this pardon?' l re-
piled. "From Mrs. Cob5," and was pro-
ceeding to narrate the circum stances, when
he again interrupted. and added, "Well
what is all thi. about?' began third time
to relate the circumstances, when he inter
rupted me with rising passion, This is
detective job isn't it" | answered Eyes
sir, and if you will listen to me moment
l will explain it." He raised the pardon
from the table and said, "But what business
have you with this pardon?" When | again
attempted TO make an explanation, he broke
in by saying, Well, this is a strange affair.
This pardon has not been recorded.
You have no business with it sir. There
is no oath OF amnesty attached to it."
then politely requested the President to
listen to me, stating that l would explain
the whole matter. | had not proceeded
far, however, when he became very much
excited, rose from his chair, said, ''Sir,
what business have you to interfere here?
What business has this woman to use my
name in connection with this matter?
How did this pardon get out of the Attor-
ney Generals office without being recor-
ded?" Looking at the pardon, he remark
ed. this is my signature, / did not sign
this pardon until very late this afternoon,
and here find it returned, as you say,
through pardon broker" He called his
son Robert, and said 'Robcrt do you
know anything about this pardon?" Ro-
bert answesed, "Yes, father; that is the
fpardon you signed for Mrs Cobb this az
tcrnoon." He took the pardon from his
drawer, unfolded II, and remarked. This
is a~pretty business. Where is Mrs.
Cobb | replied, "At my headquar-
ters." "Did you Arrest her, sir?" repli-
cd, NO, sir; Simply asked her TO go to
my headquarters to make an explanation.
Agrin he became very much excited, walk
ed the room to and fro, and suddenly turn
ed ferociously upon me and exclaimed,
"Who employs you to interfere with the
duties of the President or the Attorney
General?" My answer was, certainly in
tended no wrong; did not conceive it to
ba pOSSlble that he cOuld knov the real