The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-05-25

GIGS1uHuL nAQ-1nI0Il1edu uer on one 0Es
] casion, that the Detective Bureau was
to be broken up and that ,Stanton's
friend, Baker, would retire into private
life: ARer listening for! more than an
hour TO conversation Of this character,
dectded immed lately % see the Prssi-
de1t. took the pardon, as delivered
by Mrs. Cobb to Captain Hine, Mrs.
G0bb's s'written contract with Captain
Hi9e for procuring thesame, the mark
ed $50 notes paid by Hine TO Mrs. Cobb
and by her returned to me, and, leaV-
ing Mrs. Cobb in charge Of one Of. my
officers, I went to the Executive Man
sion about eight o'clock. I found the
President alone in his room, and, after
the usual salutation, said, @Mri Pres
ldEnt, i have some papers here, that /
desire to show you." he said, "Take
Il sea, sir.nS Immediately untolded
\ the pardon and laid iton the table be-
fore him. He put on his spectacles,
| looked at 1t, and said: "Str, where did
you get this Pr 81 got it from Mrs.
Cobb."Si I then handed to him Mrs.
Cobb's written contract for procuring
said pardon. He read it, when ex-
hibited to him the marked money, and
began a detailed statement OF all the
facts connectsd with the, case. He in
| terrupted me in a moment. and said,
"Where did you get this pardon?" /
replied, 'fFrom Mrs. Cobb" and was
/ proceeding to narrate the cIrcum-
tstRnces, when heagain Interrupted me,
and added, "Well, what is this all
pabout2b I began third time to relate
the circumstances when he Interrupted
me with rising passion, This is de-
tectiye> job, ISN'T it2n I answered,
a lexplainit.n He raised
thePardon from the table and said "But
what business have you with this par
dong When Iagain Attempted 10 make
ane4p planation, he broke in by saying,
f"Well this ts very strange affair.
This pardon has not. BEEN recorded.
You have no business with 1t, sir.
There Is no oath of amnesty attach
ed to It." then politely requested
the President to listen to me, stating
that I-would explain the whole matter.
1 had not proceeded far, however, when
he became very much excited, rose
from his chair; and SAID: aSitwhat bu-
stness have you to interfere hereH
What business has this woman to use
my name in connection with this mat
ter? How did this pardon get ous of
the Attorney lGeneral'sYoffice without
being recorded ?" Looking at the par
don he remarked, '"thfs is my sigma
tuSs. l did not sign this pardon until
very alatel this atternoonSl and here I
find 1t returned, as you say, through a
pardon broker" gGHe called his son
Robert, and inquired, "Robert, do you
know anything about this pardon3 2"
Robert answered, "Yes, father; that is
the pardon You signed for Mrs. Cobb
this afternoOn:" He took the pardon
from bis drawer, unfolded IL, and re-
marked: 'GThis Is a pretty business.
Where, is Mrs. Cobb gr'i 7 replied, "At
my headquarters.D tDid you arrest
her, Sir 1 replied, 'tNo, Sir; simply
asked her to go to my headquarters to
make an explanation" Again he be.
lcametVeTy5 much excited; walked the
room to and fro, and suddenly turned
| terociouslY y upon me, and exclaimed
the duties Of he8President or the At
torney General 2sI My answer was, I
certainly intended no wrong: did not
conceiveJit to be possible that he could
know the, real character of this woman;
my only desire was to exhibit to him
the char acter Of the persons engaged
In procuring pardons and the means
temployed; andifVI had done wrong I
was very sorEy.II l4e became more COM
posed, and wanted to know who this
Mrs. Cobb was. Istated 10 him, as far
as possible, who she was. .DuHeE then
asked me ifT1iWould request Mrs. Cobb
| TO come and see him the following
i,eVeninE at 6 O'Clock. replied, Seer
tainly.m He also requested me to come
and see him the next evening, which I
promised to do, and, leaving the par.
don and, Mrs. Cobb's contract with
Captain Howell in his possession, 1 re-
turned to my headquarters. 3,a s71aI
During my conversation with Mrs.
Cobb, previous to visiting the Presi-
dent, as before recorded, 1 learned that
Mrs. Ella B. Washington, residing in
Georgetown, was also engaged 5tnethe
pardon business, and; knowing that the
exposure that must necessarily follow
In Mrs. Cobb's case would intimidate
and prevent Mrs; Washington frCm
procuring further pardons from the
President. Immediately, on the same
EeYentng, drew up an application for
another pardon, in the name Af John
| Kelly. ri placed this applications "a the
hands OF Captain Htne9 gave him 800
in treasury notes, and directed him TO
go to NJ rs. W ashingt toms boarding
house In Georgetown, and make an
agreement to sprocnre from the Presi-
dent another pardon, S.S!I1 Jones, who
bad introduced Captain Hins 10 Mrs.
Cobb, accompanied him to George
town, land introduced him o-Mrs.
WashtngtonlasaGTebalS !and!an applf-
can't for g pardon. Mrs. Washington
informed Captain Hine that she would
procure his pardon thatnight. He paid
1.-THE $1O0IO Mrs. Washington and took
1.-THE folio wing receipt: 5lLit az -
2..W,AsHINGToN,D.:C c., Nov. S, 1866.
~! Received from John Kellyone hum
dred doilats as retaining fee for obtain
ing his (Kelly'sl pardon from the Presi-
"[slgnedl Ella B. wAsH1NeToN." (
This pardon, however, iwasSnot'pro-
tcured, because on the following morn
ing Mrs. Cobb's case had become noised
about among the pardon brokers, and
Mrs. Washington declined to comply
with her contract, S&0c IL
But to return to Mrs. Cobb. On ar
irving at my headquarters Il informed
her that she was Rt liberty to go home,
and Immediately furnished herself and
husband with a conveyance. Before
leaving, she reiterated her determine
tion to lay the whole matter before the
President, and have met summgrily
dismissed the service. She told me
that she had very influential friends in
Washington, and she would &C, before
the grand jury and have me indicted
for false imprfsoltn neht, 90. l-'i>S
In compliance With the Presidents
request, went to his mansion the next
evening, and found him.in state OF
great excitement. he denounced tiny
FR6dse; Ms. Cobb was a respectable,
yirtuops lady and had no right to in
btertsEe With her occupation.n I had
tlsineefely believed could render the
President a great service by exposing
the character and business OF this
iiWomafi When, however, found that
he was determined TO put wrong con-
structf6h upon my motive, and to susi
,Itain Mrsg Cobb, I felt mortified and in
llfSnanbs5 Meyer was there q greater
contras; between Rnticipations and the
result. 1T was coming down from the
.Spmmit Of human glory, when the un-
a SEthS fuIsr 6f agreat people was con-
Il q1srsd and led captive apparently by
Ltths vile ProteQs OF his fancy. The
4 grand jury,oE the District of Columbia
7 then being In session, on the following
day yeFY much 3toJ my surprise, I