Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1869-09-01

During the height Of the war,
Mcssrs Micalah Y. Johnson and Da-
vid Shcelnn were suddenly arrested
at Galona. ut the instance Of Messrs.
h. Is Washburnc and J liusscl Jones,
and hurried on to Fort Lafayette.
They remained IN the latter fort for
some months, Mr. Johason--lcaving
his companion behind--bcing finally
transferred to Fort Warren, at the
time when Judge Carmichael was in
carcerated there. Both these victims
of Radical tyranny were Democrats /;
both occupied a prom nent position at
tho Galcna bar, and no accusation
was preferred against either except
the vague but convenient charge Of
'disloyally." To add to the infiImy
Of the transaction, Mr.. johnson was
arrested in court, while in the midst
OF the trial of q murder case, and, with
Mr. Shoehan, was sent rapidly, under
guard, to the East, and lodged SO Sc.
crelly in Fort Lafayette that, for q
time, their friends did not know 10
what place they had been spirited
away. The manly protests made to
the State Department by Mr. Johnson,
during his Imprisonment, were wholly
unheeded and so they both fingered
on, until ultimately, after being arrcs-
ted without cause. they were released
without explanation.
AT the termination Of the war. Mr..
johnson brought SUIT against L. b.
Washburnc and J Russell Jones for
false imprisonment. In their answer
to the suit, the defendant pleaded in
the first instance, justification. Find
ing that they had no ground to stand
upon, and that they were liable to be
indicted in heavy damages, they sub
scquently withdrew the pleas they
had first put in, and, to conciliate the
man whom they had so giievously
wronged, they signed their names 10
the following most degrading confcs-
sion. They acknowledge
"1hat the said pleas, heretofore filed
by them in said case, and the matters
aud things therein set forth against
said plaintiff, are untrue 10 substance
and fact. And the said defendants
further confess the wrongful. trespass
faud imprisonment set forth in said
declaration, and that the defendants
arc not guilty in manner and form as
therein stated and set forth, and said
plaintiff has sustained great damage
thereby, as is stated in said declara-
tion, aud said defendants further con.
fcss that the said seizure and impris-
onmcnt was wrongful. uujusiifiablo,
and without cause, and that the said
pluintiif was innocent of the violation
Of any law. or OF daing any act mimi
cal 20 ths cove~n of tl,n United
States, aud that said plaintiff did no
act and uttered no expression, or cx-
ercised any influence, to the knowl,
edge OF said defendants, that was not
in support OF tho Government of The
United States, its Constitution aud its
laws"
1t will thus be seen that Mr., Elihu
B. Washburno, the prime mover in
this shameful transaction, now con.
iesscs that he had 20 just grounds for
acting as he did, and also that the
pleas heretofore filed by him in defence
of his conduct, were untrue in sub
stance aud in tact. In short, he first
perpetralcs fragrant outrage, and
next cndeavors TO cvadc the consc.
qucnccs by downright lying Finding
this OF no avail, he throws himself
upon tho mercy of Mr. johnson, and
consents to "cat dirt"
And this man now is United States
Minister to France = Baltimore Gas.