The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1868-06-26

the Capitol, rcceiveu everywhere win inc
earnest sympathics of the people, his spirits
rose, and when he pronounced "gooJ by"
TO the Pmirie State, ut the State line, he
said, "Behind the cloud the sun Ii shining
STILL" And on lIe sped. through the great
free States Of Indiana, Ohio, Penn. and
New York, to fulfill his great mission.
There was living nt this time in Chicago
man by the name Of Allan Pinkcrtou, one
Of the boLles,, most slrcwd, and skillfnl de-
tectives Of any county. He had always
been thorough an,i-slavery man. super
iniendeut Of the "underground railroad,"
friend and companion Of Lovejoy and the
"old guard" Of carly al,oltionists in Illinois.
With his anti.slavcry character we'll known,
such was his reputation rs detective that
Mr. Guthrie, when Sec. Of tho Treasury,
had, Notwithstanding, employed him rs
Government detective. In lS60-6l he
was in the employ Of the railroad compa-
nies Of the Northwest.
In the winter OF 1861 General Scott, see
ing the gathering storm, called TO Washing
ton a few national troops. The passage OF
these over the Northern Central and Phila.
delphia, Wilmington and Baltimore rail.
roads greatly exaspera,ed the conspirutors
in Baltimore and elsewhere, and threats
were openly made, and organizations effect
cd. to destroy the railroad tracks, burn their
bridges, and the great steam fcry-bOat by
which the Susquehanna was crossed ut fla-
vrc lie Gmce.
In February Pinkertnn was employed by
the officers oi the Philadelphia, Wilmington,
and Baltimore road TO investigate and ascer-
tain tho facts in regard to these matters with
a view Of protecting their road. For this
purpose he removed to baltimore, taking
will, him such Of his detective force rs he
thought best suited to his purpose. ....
While thus engaged an officer Of the road
learned that young gentleman Of high so
cial position in Baltimore, the son Of very
prominent citizen who had held high Off.
cial position under the State aud National
Governments, had declared that he was ono
Of u hand who had sworn TO take the life Of
Lincoln on his way to Washington. The
officer communicated this fact to PinkertOn,
aud ho Immediately aske'l and Obtained
permission to investigate this conspiracy.
Ii was now to bc plot and countcrploi.
A warm admircr Of The President elect,
whom he had known In Illinois, PinkertOn
determined that, if c0olncss, counge, and
skill could save the lie Of Mr.. Lincoln and
prevent the revolution which would follow
his violent death, no would accomplish It.
Ills plan was with his detectives to enter
baltimore us residents Of Cliarlcstown and
New Orleans, AMI by assuming to he seces-
siOnisl Of the most extreme violence, TO Sc
curo entrance into their secret societies and
military organizations, and thus possess
themselves Of their secret plans. In look
ing over his corps he found two men ad-
,nimbly adapted TO The object no hal in
view, both young, and both able TO assume
and successfully carry ont tho character oi
hot blooded, fiery sccessionist. One Of
these, whom I shall call Howard, was Of
French dcscent.--lle had been carefully
educated for Jesuit priest. AMI aiding to
his collegiate studies were tl,a advantages
Of extensive foreign travel and il'e ability %
speak, with great facility, several m0dern
languages; and u knowledge Of the South,
is localities. prejudiccs. customs aud lead.
ing men, derived from several years resi-
dencc in New Orleans and other Southern
cities. With these qualifications ho posses
scd n fine personal appearance. insin,atil'g
manners, and that power of adaptation to
the pepsOns whom they wish to Influence,
popularity attributed to tho Jrsuits. How
arl was instructed to assume tho character
Of an extreme sccessi0nist, 20 to first-
class hotel, register his name, and his resi-
dencc rs New Orleans, visit the place OF
amusement, sock the acquaintance AMI So
cure the confidence Of the young aristocra
cy Of tho city; enter their clubs, penetrate
al. u.,I l,a Ian will
wus known they were then forming. lie
was also instructed to make daily reports to
his chief, then under an assumed name,
occupying an Office nnd nominally carry.
ing on n business in Baltimore. Those re.
ports, now lying before me, arc curious and
interesting. They show that Howard was
emincntly successful that hc soon became
a welcome guest among many Of the first
families in that old aud refined city; that he
was iayorite with both sexes, among the
ardent and most mcrcurial young aristoc'
racy, which furnished to the rebellion Har.
ry Gilmor the "French Lady," Stuart, and
many other partisans, and in whose circles
@Dixie" and MY Maryland" are still
mournfully sung over the lost cause"
Many baltimore bells are living who might
innoccn,ly blush at the disclosure OF the
daily reports Of one whom, in Feb. 1861,
thoy called "lle fascinating Howard OF New
Orleans"
Another Of Pinkerton's agents was u
grayer character, one whose devotion to
the country in the most perilous and thank
less character Of spy, led 10 lis ignomin.
ious death at Richn ond. may, therefore,
cell him by his real nainc Timothy Web.
ster. He was adapted to operate on the
middle and lower class OF society; ot great
physical strength and endurance, skilled in
all alheletic sports, q goo.l shot, and with
strong will and courage bordering OIL
rnshness; yet always justiiying his rnshness
by an ingenuity aud fertility Of invention
witch saved him iioma thousand perils.
and ut last falling a victim only because
sickness rendered him incapable Of execut.
ing his otherwise successful plan Of escape (;
a man whose exploits as Union spy would
in daring and romance equal, ir not sur.
pass, those ofthe Harvey Birch Of Cooper.
There were other agents, and among
them Mrs. Warn, lady whom the chival.
ry Of the Monumental City would then
have pronounced rs "fascinating' as some
Of their fair friends did Howard.
by tho 18th Of February Pinker,on' 5 ma
chinery was fairly in running order; his a,
gents in full communion with the clubs and
secret societies Of l,aliinosc, so that an in
terview was planned and brought nl'oui bc.
tween Howari's chief and Captain Fer
nandina, one Of the most active Of the con.
spiru,ors. Fenlandina was an Italian or oi
Italian descent. Hc had lived IN the South
for many years, and was thoroughly posses
sed OF the idea Of Southern wrongs, snd
thar the South had been outraged by the
election Of Lincoln; and, educated with
Italian IDEAS, he justified the Use Of the sli.
letio rud assassination MS means OF pro.
venting tho President elect from taking his
seat in the Executive chair. He was an
enthusiast and fanatic. In the interview
with Fernandina, which took place at
mlooo, in the presence Of some Of the mili'
tary company which he comInandcd-his