Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-08-06

A Federal Spy I'm Richmond : How
Near He Came 10 Accomplishing
His Mission. a0 a M
From Pollards Life Of JEFF. Davis.l
About the close of the year 1864, Q
stranger appeared in Richmond, of ele-
giant dress and manners, speaking both
English and Italian, and whose dark and
peculiar features supported the statement
that he was q native of Italy. He made
himself exceedingly agreeable to the
company at the Exchange Hotel,
although practicing something of the re.
serve of the nobleman; and he was OBJ
served with not little curiosity, until
gossip settled on the discovery that he
had beea seen to visit the State Depart
ment, and that, therefore, considering,
too, his distingue appearance, he must
be charged with Emission " of impor-
tance Dining one day at the hotel, he
took advantage of casual remark to
draw into conversation Mr.. Boteler, a
member of Congress from Virginia, a
gentleman who was supposed to have a
great taste for learning. The latter had
noticed the sound escaping from gas jet
over the table. The conversation turned
upon the possibility Of producing must.
cal notes from such q source; chemistry,
acoustics and other branches of science
were discussed, greatly to Mr.. Boteler' 8
relish; and at last the Italian gracefully
insisted that the Congressman should
accompany him to his room, to wit
ness some scientific experiments in
which he was then engaged. The
experiments were shown; Mr.. Bote-
Ter saw at once that their adjust
ments were those of scientific man,
and for hours he roamed with his strange
acquaintance over the fields of science,
literature and art, wondering at his varied
accomplishments and fascinated by the
charm of his manners. AS Mr.. Boteler
rose to depart, the stranger said, with the
air of communicating an important con-
fdence: II have something to say to
you. The pleasure / have experienced
in your company, and the position know
you occupy in your Government, en-
courage me to make communication
that will interest you. / have mission
to Richmond, and / have already par.
TALLY discharged it, and am now only
waiting on your Government for sum
of money that is necessary. | belong to
the society of Cdrbonarii 1t sympa'
thizes with the Southera Confederacy
and it is the only power in Europe that
can compel its recognition, for Napoleon
III is secretly member of the society,
and dares not disobey its mandates.
More than this"-and his brow dsrkened
II hold in my hand the life of Abraham
Lincoln the victim whom the Cdrbonari
designate can not elude them"
What impression this important aud
terrible disclosure made upon Mr.. Bote-
Ter is not known; but he has never
denied that be believed what the
man told him. he even went to
the extent of appointing day
to accompany the strange diplomat
to the State Department, and actually
engaged to add his influence to the i'm
pressions which the latter already re-
ported he had made upon Secretary Ben
ismin, but to what extent of aiding the
mission he did not mention. The day
came; Mr.. Boteler attended at the hotel.
The Italian was not to be found he had
left the hotel hurriedly that morning.
suspicious were arouseu ht tne Ctate De
partment. Pursuit was ordered on all
the roads leading out from Richmond,
aud fortunately the man, disguised as
peddler, was overtaken and arrested a
few miles from the city. He resisted the
officers stoutly and with great insolence;
for some time the search to which he was
subjected revealed nothing contrsband
or suspicious; he was about to be dis
missed with apologies. when one Of the
officers examining his boots discovered
that the heels might be screwed off, and
found sungly ensconced therein several
sheets of tissue paper inscribed with
plans of all the fortifcstions of Rich
mond, and withs correspondents giving
all the details of its defensesl The man
was carried back to Richuond as spy.
But he Ess meyer tried, never punished,
and we do not know what became Of
him--the Government being unwilling
to give publicity to the incident, and
anxious to hush up an affair in which
its credulity had been so ridiculoasly
prsotised upon by an adventurer, who,
at best, was nothing more than o char
tdtdn