The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1868-06-25


ite with both Hes, among the ardent and
.rnercurial y0pug aristOcraey, which fur
nished TO the rebellion Harry Gilmore, the
"French Lady" Stuart, and many other
partisans, and in whose circles tsDixie'' and
''My Maryland" are still nlournfuTy sung
over atks lost cause" Many Baltimore
bellies are living who might innocentlv
blush at the disclosures of the daily re-
ports OF one whom, in February. 1851,
they called ssthe fascinating Howard of
New Orleans"
Another of Piukertoh's agents was Of
grsver character, one whose devotion to
his countrv in the most perilous and thank
less chBraeter of a spy, led to his ignomin-
'olIs Death at Richmond. may, therefore.
call him by his real name, Timothy Web
ster. He was adapted to operate on the
middle and lower classes Of society Of
great physical strength and endurance,
skilled in all athletic sports, a good shot,
and with strong will and courage bor-
dering on rashness ; yet always justifying
his boldness By an ingenuity and fertility
Of invention which saved him from a
thousand perils, and at last falling a vic
tim only because sickness rendered him in
capable Of executing his otherwise success
full plan Of escape; d man whose exploits
as the Union spy would in daring and rO-
nance equal, If not surpass, those Of the
Harvey Birch Of COoper.a
There were other agents, and among
them Mrs. Warn, q lady whom the chiv-
airy Of the Monumental City would then
have pronounced as "f3scinating'' as some
Of their fair friends did Howard.
BY tie 10th Of February Pinkertou's ma
chinery was fairly in running order his
agents in full communion with the clubs
and secret societies Of Baltimore, so that
an interview was planned and brought
about between Howards chief and a Cap
tain Fernandina, one Of the most active Of
the conspiratOrss Fsruandina was an
Italian, orOf Italian descent Hehad lived
in the South for many years, and was
thoroughly possessed of the idea of South
ern wrongs, and that the South had been
outraged by the election Of Lincoln and,
educated with italian ideas, he justified
the use Of the stilettO and assassination as
a means OF preventing the President elect
from taking his seat in the Executive chair.
He was an enthusiast and a fanatic In
the interview with Fernandina, which took
place at -- saloon in the presence of
some Of the military company which he
commanded-his lieutenant and others in
their conhdence-in the course Of the cons
3 '>t't~eASl- 4 CA AdlANllltg BElleNEllB AAb " a.
addressing thorough secessiOnist, said :
Lincoln shall never, never be President.
My life, said he, ais of no consequence.
am willing to give it for his. I will sell
/ my life for that Of that abolitiouist AS
| Orsini gave his life for Italy, [ am ready to
/ die for the rights of the South"
/ Some one present remarked, care there
no means of saving the South except by
assassination ?" "NO" said he "you
might as well try 10 blow down the Wash
ington monument with your breath as to
change our purpOse-die he must and shall;
and, he added, turning to Captain T,
a cO-conspiratOr, 1--WE will, if necessary, all
die together. Every Captain will in that
day prove himself hero. The first shot
/ fired, the head traitor Lincoln dead, and
all Maryland viii be with Us and the South
/ freed. Mr.. H." said he, turning to
Pinkertou, 'IfI alone must do it I shall not
hesitate ! Lincoln shall die in this city! u
The next day Pinkerton met the same
| Captain T, one of Fernandina's as
soeiates, who called Pinkertou aside and
whispered: "It is determined that that
Cd Id Lincoln shall never pass
| through here alivel The id abolition
ist shall never set foot on Southern soil but
to find a grave" He added 81 have seen
| Colonel Kane, Chief of Police, and he is
all right, and in one week from to-day the
/ North shall want a new President, for
| Lincoln will be dead :"
| Among the associates Of Howard he
meets with fast young gentleman by the
name of Hill, who proudly exhibits gold
/ Palmetto badge, and represents himself as
| a lieutenant in the Palmetto Guards, a
secret military organization in Baltimore.
| Howard, the ardent secessiOnist from New
| Orleans, chiding the slower and more eau
| tiOus action of the friends in Maryland,
and Hill, of the Palmetto Guards, become
bosom friends. They drink, gotO concerts,
! Itheaters, and other places of amusement
! together. Hill, who has social position in
/ Baltimore, introduces his accomplished
friend from Louisiana, and finally opens
to him, in part, the secrets of the plot to
I Iassassinate Lincoln. He himself goes into
/ it with reluctance. "What a pity" says
/ he to Howard, "that this glorious Union
must be DESTROYED all on account of that
monster Lincoln !"
The plan was to excite and exasperate
( tine popular feeling against Mr.. Lincoln to
the utmost. On the published programme
he was to enter Baltimore from Harrisburg
on tue 23d Of February, by the Northern
/ Central Railroad, and would reach Balti-
more about the middle of the day. A vast
crowd would meet him at the Calvert street
depot, at which it was expected he would
take an open carriage, and ride, nearly a
mile and half to the Washington depot.
1t would be very easy for determined
man to shoot him on his passage. Agents
of the c0nspirator had been in the prinCi-
pal Northern cities, watching the move
ments of the Presidential party, ready to
telegraph to Baltimore any change ofrOute.
A cipher was agreed upon, so that the con-
spirators could communicate with each
other without the facts leaking out through
the telegraph offices. Meanwhile the idea
of assassination preyed upon the mind of
Hill; he grew sad and melancholy, and
plunged still deeper into dissipation. How
ard is his constant companion and conf
dental friend, his "ShadoW," in the Ian
guage Of the profession ; at times he is
thoughtful, and then he breaks out into
rhap>odies. He talks to Howard of dreams
and death. Il am destined to die, " said
Hill, "shrouded with glory. If n man had
the nerve he could immortalize himself by
pIungin,- a knife into Lincoln's heart.
Let us" said be, "have another Brutus.
I swear" said he, az win kill Lincoln be-
fore he reaches the Washington depot, not
that I love Lincoln less, but my country
Websier went into the secrect service of tho Gov
ernrcrt uut'er the administration Of Mr.. lincoln.
and as an Illustration Of thn condition uf public feel
Ing alter the attack Fort Sumter, insert the fol-
lowing incident
ter e-t and observed in The six commissisners
crnissnries fron South Carolina and Georgia each Of
them wearing cnnspiCuOuslv black and white cock
ade Tb4v rcc-rved marked rttenion from the pass u
r and from the people the stations. Soon the It.
fsntion Of Webster attracted 10 man rather be-
voDd middle are a planter or farmer with q most
resolute and Determined expression OF tHcH- He bs-
cams excited by tho coCksde gentlemen, known to be
rIrI srsnts FIa seemed restless AID uueasy and as
they D.tspd him would sc"wl upOu them with undis
uni led bostty. Finally Webster, who sat watching
sav b;rn draw revolver from bis pocket and place it
on the ri beside him. and, the six rebel eissaries
tDpro,rlsd him, he in his seat, took of his hat
and Lacking steruy at them exclaimed. 'Gsntemen,
IN and damn all those who would destroy the Union
and then resumed his reat. The car, filled with men,
was silent, every expecting fight. Several gem
tIara amp cached the man, but afer locking in his
face asspd on in silence. Soon after three ether rebel
agents wearing cuckades came in Rising again, and
sienning on the seat he raised his hat and again
claimed still more pOntedly, "Hurrah for Andrew
I,cssoD and damn all mon who wear corkades u
Several persons sitting near him rnse and left the car,
NOT caring DO present al tho expected fight. Di-
raotiv four rather rOuzh-lOokug men came and took
ne yacant seats near him. They hiH npghhors
from, Fast Tannes=ee crowd Of men, with those
wearing cockadcs, gathered At sach end OF tho
Ia rosa the third time and stepping into the passaga
Iting first at one end and then the other he took of
hi, has and said at say hurrsh for Andrew Jaczon
and damu all traitors who wear cockadesl Such
~ denomination srnraased in bis aVe and hsar4r