Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-10-30
GENERAL w. 3. STOKES.
The Cause Of Ms Arrest in Washington
tinker Dave" Beatty and
his Guerrilla Gang.
How the Fraud Against the Government
was uHearthsd.

Inc QlSpdkC1f HAgAAonCA ~ OAA A97Ap Va
yesterday morning, stating that
GENERAL WILLIAM B. sToKEs,
supervising inspector of internal revenue,
had been arrested on his arrival in Wash
ington, Thursday, on the charge of de-
frauding the government out Of S60, GOO,
crested quite q sensation in eur city.
It Is said that three days ego General
Stokes recsived 3 peremptOry order from
Commissioner Douglass TO make his sp-
pearance ia Washington Immediately, and
In obedience to the command he was soon
on his way to the national capital, where
ne was arrested Immediately after his ar
rival, carried before United States COM
missioner, and held to bail in the sum Of
SIS, 900 for his appearance before the fed
ersl court.
From various sources we have learned
the following train Of circumstances which
led to
GENERAL sFoKEs' ARREST,
and which we give "a they were told to
us, expressing no opinion as to their cor
rectness, and leaving the question Of his
guilt or innocence 70 bs determined by
the courts.
During the war there roved through the
mountain fsstnessos Of Fentress, DsKslb,
Overton and the diacent counties, band
Of guerrillas headed by
DAVE BEATTY, ALIAS TIsKER DAVE.
They numbered only about forty men,
and claimed 70 fight on the Federal side.
This body OF men was called an ''inde-
pendent company" During its whole
career it was never recognized by the gov
ernment, nor did Beatty ever receive
commission. They went
WHEREVER IT SUITED THEN,
and were q terror TO the people in the
country over which they prowled.
About two years ago q plan was hit
upon by which the command was to OBJ
tain from the government pay as cavalry
men for four years service and for cloth
ing, equipments, horses and rstions. A
roll, representing one hundred and four
men, q full company, was prepared and
given to General Stokes, who was at the
time q representative in Congress from
the third congressional district OF Tennes-
see. d msneuvered and log-rolied : bill
through Congress, providing tor the pay
ment OF one hundred and four men. The
amount involved wss about Si0S 0jO. In
the meantime, three men, named
srRoHMIKR, BOWMAN AND HATFIELD,
living in Fentross county, bought up few
OF the claims 81 about half of their value,
the other members of the company refus-
ing to sell or part with their claims. 1t sp-
pears that Strohmisr and Bowman, who
we're partners iEba store, and who, as the
expression is, went In ''cahoOt" in all
moueyed transactions, visited Washing
ton and collected the claims in behalf of
the compsny. Besty, who had been put
on the roll as csptsin, and his two sons 20
went to Washington, it ap-
pears, and got the money claimed to be
due them. On their way home they de-
Dosited, as It is said, considerable sums in
their names at Cincinnati or Louisville,
subisct TO their draft, taxing the balance
home with them. Out OF the amount
drawn, it is stated that Strohmier and
Roy.osn got and retained $40, 600. Hat
and ID is reported that prominent Rsdi-
csl official from Warren county got sl0,-
600. It is further stated that
sTRoHAuKR AND BOWMAN,
who seem TO hsve instigsted and engi-
peered the whole scheWe, had made up
their minds to pro rate the claims at hsif
their value, or at least 10 psy for the
claims the same price AZ which they had
hon0bt them from the few who had been
willing TO dispose Of them. Some m5n-
bars of the company scquieseed In the pro
rata Arrangement, while others refused TO
reesiye less than the foil smCnnt due
them. Strohmier and Bowman paid on
TO s certain amount, and then, claiming to
have become Dankrupts, said they could
psy no more The manner in which they
attempted to settle the matter produced
among the members Of the company the
most Intense dissatisfaction. Those who
had received no part OF the psymsnt ct ell,
in consequence Of Sprohmier and Bow
man refusal 10 pay them ths Whole
amount, IS well as those who had sold
their claims g. 3 low figure, or else SC
cepted of the pro rata terms, determined
70 bring the msttsr to settlement, and
oEYERAL RUNPUs ENsUED.
We reproduce the following account Of
3 tragedy which wss one of the results Of
the quarrel, snd which was detailed in the
Banner at the tins It occurred:
"Ssrohmier and Bowman, merchants at
Jamestown, had acted rs the agents Of
many of the interested parties, At all
events, these men had such connection
with the clsims OF the Beatty scouts as
TO involve them in suspicion of having
made more money than was consistent
with the interests Of those for whom
Congress had voted the appropriation.
"dr. Isaac Woods being one of the men
who conceived themselves 20 hsve been
wronged, had taken quite an active part
in trying to find who was to blame for the
men not getting all the money to which
they were entitled under the act OF Con-
procured suthoTity TO arrest Strohmier,
and had actually plse5d him under arrest.
aOn this day, however, Strohmier had
caused all those who insisted they had
been wronged out Of part Of their money
TO assemble In jamestown under the pre-
tense OF paying them of in full BE
failed to meet his promise in this regard,
and, as before stated, was notified BY Mr.
Woods thst he was under arrest. Upon
Of fpnlr nj In
which Strohmier said 70 Woods: If you
will place me on equal terms with You,
by giving me one of your pistols, viii
not subnait to be talked to in any such
way Woods wss in the act of complying
with the request Of Strohmier, when Ben
jamin Brsnnsn, sheriff Of the county,
made some psremptory demand NOT very
distinctly understood by the bystsDders,
alter which he and his brother and Bow
man all fired upon Woods, wounding hin,
from which be died about Q O'Clock that
night. TIE shooting occurred about 3
O'Clock. Mr.. Woods authority TO arrest
Strohmier was from the United States,
and consequently the sheriff could only
have figured in the matter In q voluntary
way.
'iIs Is said that each man wss entitled,
under the law, TO one Thousand and sixty
four dollars, snd were paid by Strohmisr
hundred and sixty. four dollars OF each
mans money. Out Of this sprang the
killing of ny Woods"
Strohmsn, Bormsn and Hatfield were
INDIcTED BIZ THE GRAND JURY
of the federal court, snd committed until
they gave the requisite bond. During the
present term OF the court, Beatty snd about
twenty four Of his men we're 10 attend
ance, together with the three men above
named. The cases in which they were in
terested being continued until November
Is. they went home until that time.
For the past two or three montha, two
government detectives have been engaged
IN working up the claim, snd in ascertain
ing all the facts connected with the Beatty
claim. General Stokes was arrested or
the strength Of information obsained by
these detectives. One OF the detectives
stated 20 a gentleman OF our scQu usintance
that General Stokes hsd acknowledged the
receipt Of the 81, 600 alluded 70 above. As
We unders.epd the case, however, tbs gov
ernment is not proceeding against General
stokes solely on the groDpd Of
RECEIyINe THIS $40 GO,
-. ,,, saeount Of alleged complicity in