Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1872-08-10
WHOLE NUMBER 1l79.

lIS 81 aHtT, CdnHOH eDOJ SeHJ InTOuSu
he officers quarters on Johnson's island
was to signify to the prisoners that the
hour for their release had come. Should
they take the island, boats were to be
impro, ised and Sandusky was to be at
tackled; if taken, the prisoners were to
be mounted, and make tor Cleveland, the
boats cooperating, and from Cleveland
the prisoners were to make Wheeling,
and thence to Virginia. The key to the
whole movement was the capture Of the
Michigan. On the evening of the 10Th,
by some treachery, Cole was arrested,
and the messenger who was TO meet
Acting Master Beall at Kelly's Island
did not reach him. Disappointed but
nothing dannted, Acting Master Beall,
having possession Of the Phlo Parsons,
passenger steamer from Detroit to Sam
dusky, went on his way towards john
sons Island. Having landed at Middle
Bass Island to secure a supply of wood,
the steamer Island Queen, with large
number Of passengers and thirty-two
soldiers, came up along side and lashed
herself to the Parsons. An attack was
at once resolved upon. The passengers
and soldiers were soon made sprisoners,
and the boat delivered to our men. The
soldiers were regularly paroled, the pass
engers were LETT Oh the island, having
given their promise not to leave for
tgenty-tour Iours, and the boat was
towed out into the lake and sunk. The
Parsons was then steered directly for
the Bay of Sandusky. Here the men,
from certain reasons not altogether sat
islactory, but possible fortunately, refus-
ed to make the attack on the Michigan.
Beall returned, landed at Sandwich, T..
W., and the men scattered through tho
country. Most of them have returned
TO the Confederate States; but few
days since, Acting Master Bennett G.
Burley was arrested and the trial is now
going on for his delivery under the Ex-
tradition treaty 1t we had Coles, Bealls,
or his own commission, shonld not fear
the result; as it is, they will have to
prove that they acted under my order,
and that will in all probability secure his
release, but it may lead to my expulsion
from the Provinces, at least, have it
from reliable source that this last prop
osltion has been pressed upon the Cana
dian authorities, and they have consider
ed it. l should prefer, if it be possible,
to have your views on the subject. Capt.
Cole is still prisoner on Johnson's Is
land. In obedience to your suggestion,
as lar as it was practicable, soon after
my arrival here urged the people in the
North to convert their paper money in.
to gold and withdraw it from the mar.
ket. / am satisfied this policy vas
adopted and carried into effect
to some extent, but how extensively
am unable to state. What effect it
had on the gold market it is impossible
to estimate, but certain it is that gold
continued to appreciate until it went to
900. The high price may have tempted
many to change their policy, because af-
terward gold tell in the market to $50.
When it was about $50, and expectation
of gold was so small that there appeared
to be but little or no demand for 1t, Mr..
John Porterield, formerly banker in
Nashville, but now resident in Mon
treal, was furnished with 100000 and
instructed to proceed to- New York to
carry out financial policy of his own
conception, which consisted in the pur-
chase of gold and exporting the same
selling it for sterling bills of exchange,
and then again converting his exchange
into gold. This process involved GER
tain loss, the cost of transhipment He
was instructed by Mr.. Clay and myself
to go OH with his policy until he had ex-
pended $4,000, with which he supposed
ne would ship directly $4,000 and
induce others TO ship much more, and
then, if the effect upon the gold market
was not very perceptible, he was to re-
turn to Canada & restore the money unex-
pended by last report he had caused the
shipment of more than two millions Of
gold at an expense of less than $4,000;
but it seems that a Mr.. Lyons, who had
been former partner of Porterfield, was
arrested by Gen. Butler on the ground
that he was exporting gold, and al
though Mr.. Lyon had no connection
with Mr.. P"rtertield in this transaction,
yet he thought it prudent to return to
Canada, and, while he retains the unex-
pended balance Of the s25, 900 to carry
out his instructions, and has restored
$4,000. | must confess that the first
shipment had marked effect upon the
market. am inclined to the opinion
that his theory will work great damage
and distrust 10 the Federal finances if
vigorously followed up, and if no unto
ward circumstances should interfere
with the operation. Soon after reach-
ed Canada a Mr. Minor visited me and
represented himself as an accredited
agent from the Confederate States TO
destroy steamboats, on the Mississippi
River, and that his operations were sus-
pended for Want Of means. / advanced
to him $4,000 in Federal currency, and
soon afterward several boats were burn
ed at st. LOais, involving an immense
loss OF property to the eueny. He be-
came suspected, as he represented TO me,
of being the author of this burning, aud
from that time both he aud his men have.
been hiding, and consequently have
done nothing. Money has been advanc-
ed to Mr.. Churchill, of Cincinnati, 70 or
ganize a corps for the purpose Of incen-
diarism in that city. consider him
true man, aud although as yet he has ef-
fected but little, / am in constant expec-
alton of hearing of effective work in
that quarter.
Previous to the arrival of Lieutenant
Colonel Martin and Lieutenant Headly.
bringing an unsigned note from you, all
the different places where our prisoners