Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-07-25
From the Columbus GA son and Times.
InHN srAPLER's AFFIDAVIT.

From the Columbus GA son and Times.l
JOHN sTAPLER's AFFIDAvIr.
7 AIusc0gee County, State Of Georgia.
John StspleT, being duly sworn, says: :
| On the 18th OF May, 1868, he was driving
a wagon in the peace ful pursuit OF his
I business, when a United States soldier
came up to him and seized him, leaving
his wagon and horses in the street, with
out anybody in charge bnt q boy, whom
he (Stapler) induced to mind them while
| ne was under arrest. He was then
taken to the military guard hOuse in Co
| lumbus detained there about one hour,
and then carried under guard to the Mus
eogee Depot, and taken thence to S2van-
nah, in company with John Wells,
/ James Barber and Wade stevens. Re
/ mained st Savannah IN the guard house
about one hour and q half. We were
| taken thence to the steamer and car
rfed to Fort Pulaski and after some delay
we were carried to a cell and there con-
/ ined. After being in the cell about an
/ hour and 8 half, Whitley, government
| detective 1.-THE same man who has since
! frequently visited Us at MCPheTsOn's
! barracks, Atlanta J, and Capt. Cook,
| Who commands at Fort Pulaski, came
/ 10 the cell and unlocked it, and made
| depOneHt come TO the door, when Capt.
/ Cook directed his orderly to search
| thoroughly the person and pockets OF
| the deponent. Whitley and Capt. Cook
! chen spoke together, and Capt. Cook
ordered the barber sent for to shave de-
ponenps head in one hour D5pOnent
was then put back in his cell. 10 about
an hour he was brought out and blind
folded, carried down into room, seated
in q chair, and the bsndAge taken from
bis ewes. Then he vas asked By Whit
lev ali he ever was discOursed by min
ister before he was put through" aud he
said he had an order from Gen. Meade
to put him through and asked Capt
Cook to allow him little while before
he put depOnent through, to which Capt.
Cook replied he would not do 1t, Whit
lev insisted, and st last Capt. Cook con-
sented to give Whitley fifteen minutes
by his watch "t0 put depOnent through"
When the bAndage was taken from
deponeDt's eyes, he saw soldier stand
inE near brass cannon, with a string
from the cannon TO his hand, and WheT-
ever depOnent turned the cannon was
ranged upon him. DepOnenl's beard
was then iathered with TWO scTubbing
brushes, ard there were two or three
rsz0rs lying on the table; depoaent was
made 20 stand up anu be measured
against the wall; during this time he
was asked by Whitley if he knew, or
had ever heard the people say, anything
about the AshbUrn murder. He said he
did not know anything, and had not
heard anything about IL. Whitley re-
piled, You need not tell me lie; the
rebels have been posting you, but it's no
usen
Whitley then gave deponent till the
next day to consult sind study and see II
it would not bring some good. DepOnent
was then put back in his cell AID there
remained IN solitary confinement, never
seeing Whitley again for four or five
DAYS, when he came there, took him oul
OF his cell, carried him to another part
Of the fort, and showed "the sweat
box, % and told him il he didn't up and
tell all be knew about it, be would put
deponent 81 that sweat box and keep
hin there thirty days. Deponent told
him he didn't know anything, aud
couldn't tell anything without il was a
lie; but he must tell him all he knew
He then put Ceponent IN the sweat box,
which is clUset in the Fort, little
wider than depOnent's body. Inc door
closed within thres or four inches
Of his breast the only air al
miHed is through a few aUger holes
ia the door. de was left in this cOndi- I
ton under the Ueiief that he was To re
main there thirty days, unless he told |
about the Ashburn murder. He Te-
manned in this position about thirty
three hours, when Mr.. Reed and Capt /
Cook came and took him out. Whitley I
came 10 aud said ne aiiOged they had I
taken Oeponent out too sOOu, and lie I
would have deponent back unless he told (
what he knew. When depOnent was 4
taken out his limbs were swollen and I
painful, aud to this day suffers from the /
He was then turned loose ]
snd allowed to walk about the fort, /
where he remained until the 9Th Of June; I
be was then put under gRard ard car
ried to AT anita. During all this 1
time he was strictly forbidden
to talk to any one. About
the 1O.h Of June he was put in McPner-
son barracks, where he was very well
treated, except that be was under orders
not to talk 10 any one without permits
sion. On Saturday, the llth OF July, in
the Afternoon, Whitley came to depo-
peut and other cOl0red persons who had
been detained in prison, and toi6 US to
20 70 Maj. Smythe's office. When ne
got there Maj. Smythe gave him an or
der for SAG, which he supposed was for
witness fees and transportation. DspO-
nent further says that be was never used
as q witness, and never knew anything
10 witness about. Deponent further says
that Stevens and BarOer both knew that
hs had been put in the sweat box, and
how he had been treated,
his
JOHN Z STAPLEE.
mark.
Sworn to and subscribed before me,
18th July, 1858.