Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-05-29

ters. | took Mrs. Cobb into my private of
flee, and requested her to return to me the
money paid her by Howell. stating to hcl
distinctly that it my money ; L hac
marked it for the purpose of entrapping her
the person for whom she had obtained the
pardon was not Capt. Howell but Capt. Hne,
| had devised this plan to ascertain how anC
[ through what means she obtained pardOns
she should not impose upon the President
any longer, and should lay all the facts be
fore him at once awaiting his decision in the
matter. She became very much excited anC
extremely abusive, declaring that she hao
obtained great many pardons from the
President, and she should continue to obtain
them long as she could find customers
she and the President had perfect under
standing, and he dare not refuse to sign any
paper she presented 10 him. | asked hel
how many pardons she had procured. She
said she could not tell. but Il great many ; she
had got three in single day, and very in
dignantly claimed that she had much right
to do 50 as other brokers. | asked her who
among her Acquaintance we're engaged III
the business She mentioned the name oi
Mrs. Ella b. Washington, she, and one OF
the rebel colonels and others: she said that
Mrs. Washington had obtained ten pardons
where she (Mrs. Cobb had obtained one
she did not see why she should be selected
for arrest while Mrs. Washington and others
We're allowed to be unmolested adding the
remark Your action in arresting me will
cost YOU YOUR commission | shall see the
President tomorrow, and have You mustered
out of strYice.'' | replied to her - The
President will probably require some othel
reason to, my dismissal from service than the
statement of vile creature like you
To sat- sfv me of her intimacy with tho
I'll II.
House. sic entered into a long. minute state
ment of conversations she had had with him
assuring me that he had informed her that
| was to le mustered out of service on the 5tf
of Noven ber that Mr.. Stanton would not
be retained III the Cabinet beyond the lst o
January that many of the Black Republic
can and AbOlitionist oticeholders were to be
removed, and she knew who they were that
the President had informed her, on one occa-
sion tina the Detective Bureau was t. ht
broken up. and that Stanton friend Baker
would reire into private life. After listen
ing for more than an hour TO conversation ot
this character, l. decided Immediately t. see
the President took the pardon, as deliv-
cred bv Mrs. Cobb to Capt. Iline, Mrs. Cobb
written contract with Capt Iline fer procu-
ring the same, the marked $50 notes paid by
Hine t. Hrs Cobb and by her returned t
me and leaving Mrs Cobb in charge of one
Of my officers. | went to the Executive man
sion about clock. found the President
alone in lis room. and. after the usual salu-
tation. said, Mr. President | have some
papers hre that desire to show YOU" lie
sand. .. Lake a seat sir. | Immediately
unfolded the pardon and laid il on the table
before hin. lie put on his spectaccs, looked
at 1t. arl said. = Sir, where did YOU get
this " got ii from Mrs. Cobb" "
-, y.,1 7.ll
tract for procuring said pardon lie read it
when | exhibited 10 him the money. and e
gan dctiled statement of all the facts con
nected " IN the case He interrupted me iu
moment. and sand. here did YOU get
this parton , - replied, From Mrs
Cobb; and was proceeding to narrate the
circumstances when he again interrupted
me. and added. Well. what is this all
about " began third time 10 relate the
circumstances. when he interrupted me with
rising patsion. :. This is detective Job. ism I
il = answered. = Yes, sir and if You
viii listen t. me n moment VIII explain it.
He raised the pardon from the table and said,
=. But what business have vou with this par
don ," When again attempted to make an
expiration. he broke in by saving. :. " ell
this Il very strange affair. This pardon
has Tot been recorded. You have no busi-
ness With it. Sir. There is no oath of am
ncsty attached to it then politely re-
qucstd the President TO listen to me. stating
that I would explain the whole matter.
had not proceeded far. however. when he be
came very much cNcIted. rose from his chair,
and said Sir. what business have YOU to
interfere here What business has this wo-
:nan = use my name in connection with this
matter? How did this pardon get out of the
Attorney Generals Office without being re
corded - Looking at the pardon, he re
marked this is my ignaturc. did not sign
this rardon until very late this afternoon,
and iere | find it returned. ms YOU say,
through IL pardon broker He called his
son Robert and inquired " Robert, do YOU
know ANYTHING about this pardon " Rob
ert answered - es. father. that i the par
don ven signed for Mrs. Cobb this afternoon =
He took the pardon from his drawer, unfold
ed it. and remarked. - This is pretty bust
ness Where is Mrs. Cobb? | replied
:. At nv headquarters. - Did YOU arrest
her. Sir? ," | replied. - No, Sir; simply
asked her to % to my headquarters to make
an cSplanation'' : Again he became very
much excited. walked the room to and fro
and suddenly turned ferociously upon me
and exclaimed. - Who employs YOU to inter
fere with the duties of The President or the
Attorney General ?" Nv answer was.
ceive it t be possible that he could know the
real character of this woman; my only de
sire was to exhibit to him the character o
the persons engaged in procuring pardons
and the means employed; and if | had done
wrong | was very sorry. He became NOR,
composed and wanted to know who this Mrs
Cobb was stated TO him, as far as possible
who she was He then asked me if | woulC
request Mrs. Cobb to come and sec him the
following evening at SIX O'Clock. | replied
:. Certainly.' he alSp requested me L
come and see him the next evening, which
promised to do. and. leaving the pardon anC
Mrs. Cobh's contract with Capt Howell II
Z his possession. returned to my headquar
ters.
During my conversation with Mrs Cobb
previous to visiting the President, as befor
recorded. learned that Mrs Ella B. " ash
ington residing in Georgetown, was also en-
gagged in the pardon business. and. KNOWN;
that the exposure that must necessarily fol
low in Mrs Cobb's case would intimidat
and prevent Mrs Washington from procur
inc further pardons from the President,
Immediately, on the same evening. drew a.
an application for another pardon, i'll tn
name of John Kelly. placed this applica
tion in the hands of Capt. Hine gave hin
800 in treasury notes. and directed him &
go 10 Mre- W ashlngton bodruiiig-houee Il
Georgetown and make an agreement to pro
cure from the President another pardon. ;
) Jones. who had introduced Capt. Hine
Mrs. Cobb, accompanied him TO Georgetown
and introduced him to Mrs. Washington as
rebel. and an applicant for pardon. Mrs
Washington informed Capt. Hine that sh
would procure his pardon that night. ii
paid the 800 To Mrs. Washington and too
the following receipt
WASmSGToN, ID. c, Nov. >, 1860.
Recciy cd from John Kelly one hundred dollars q
retaining fee for obtaining his kelly's) pardo
from the President.
(Signed) ELLA Il. WASHi>GTOS-
This pardon, however, was not procured