The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1872-08-02

Ineif ptca was y "a, c0uceiFel, !
ana held out the promise OF success. |
Y had been previously ascertai1ee
rom escaped prisoners from johns
SOFAS Island that an organization
existed anon. the prisoners on the
island for the purpose of surprising
the guard and capturing the island,
the presence ofthe stelme.. Michi-
gan, which carried fourteen guns.
was the onfyobstacic. Secret COM
was had by which they
were advised that oH~ 10 Right-0fI
the 10th Of September an. attempt
to seize The Michigan wotfid be
made.
! On. that night, Capt. Cole, Who
had previously established the
friendliest relations withtiie ofieers
of the steamer, was to have a vine
drinking with them on board, and
at q given hour citing Master Beafl
was to appear on a boat, to. be oh
tanned for that purpose, with a stif-
ficient number OF Confederate SOL
diers to board and take the steamer.
Should they cap ture the, steamer, a
cannon shot sent through the Off
GERS quarters on Johpsoh's Island
was to signify 10 the prisoners that
the hour for their,feteas had come.
Should, they take fire island boats
were to be improvised and Sandus-
Ky was to be attacked. If taken,
the prisoners were to be mounted
and make for Cleveland, the boats
CO. operating, and from Cleveland
the prisoners were to make Wheel
ing, and thence, to Virginia. The
key-to the whole movement was the
capture of the Michigan. On the
evening of the 18th, by some treach-
cry Cole was arrested, and the Mes
senger who was TO meet Acting
Master Beall at Keily's Island, fail
ed to reach him. Disappointed, but
nothing daunted, Acting Master
Bealf, having possession of the
Philo Parsons, passenger steamer
from Detroit to Sanfiusk ky, W eIit on
his way toward Johosons Island.
Having landed at Middle Bas Island
to secure a supply of wood, the
steamer Island Queen, with a large
number of passengers and thirty
two soldiers, came up alongside and
dashed herself to the Parsons. An
attack was at once resolved upon;
The passengers and soldiers were
soon made prisoners, and the boat
delivered up to our men. The SOL
diers were regularly paroled; the
passengers were left on the island
having given their promise not to
leave for twenty-four hours, and the
boat was towed out into the lake
and sunk. f q. 7
The Parsons was then started, di-
rectly for the Bay of Sandusky
here the meT, from certain reasons
not altogether satisfactory, but pos.
sibly fortunately, refused TO make
the attack on the Michigan. Beall
returned, landed at Sandwich, C.
W., and the men scattered through
the country. Most of them return
ed to the Confederate States, but a
few days since Acting Master Ben.
net G.. Burley was arrested, and the
trial is now going on for his deiiv.
cry under the eXtFadition treaty
1t we had Coles, Beall's, or his own
commission 1 should not fear the
result. As it is, they will have to
prove that they acted under my or
der, and HAT will, in ali probability,
secure his release, but itimay lead to
my expulsion from the provinces
at least 1 have it from a reliable
source that this last proposition has
been pressed upon the Canadian an.
thorities, and they have considered
it. Should the course of events take
this direction, unadVised by you,
shall consider it my duty to remain
where 1 am and abide tho issue. ]
should prefer, if it be possible, to
have your views on The subject.
Capt. Cole is still a prisoner on
j ohnson,s Island In obedience TO
your suggestion as far as it was
practicable, soon, after any arrival
here ] urged,the people Of the North
to convert their paper money into
gold and withdraw it from the mar
ket. / am satisfied this policy was
adopted ard carried into effect to
some extent, but how extensively ]
am unable to state. What effect ii
had on the gold market it is impos-
sible to estimate, but certain it is
that gold continued to appreciate
untiiit went to 29Qa The high price
may ayetempted many,to change
their policy, because 8fterWard gold
fell i'll the market TO I5O. when it
was about $50, and expectation OF
gold was so small that there appear
ed to be little or 10 demand for it.
Mr.. John Potterfieid, formerly q
banker in Nashville, but now 8 res
ident of Montreal, was furnished
with 100000 and instructed to pro-
ceed to New York to carry out a
financial policy of his own concep-
ton, which consisted in the pnr-
chase of gold and exporting the
same, selling it for sterling bills of
exchange, and then again convert
ing his exchange into gold. This
process involved a certain loss, q
cost of transhipment. He was in
structed by MIR. Clay and myself to
go on with the policy until he had
expended $4,000, with which he
supposed he would ship directly
$4,000, 900, and induce others to ship
more, and then if the effect upon the
gold market was not very percepti-
BILE he was to desist and return to
Canada, and restore The money I'M
expended. By his last report he
had caused the shipment of more
than two millions of gold at an ex-,
pense of less than ten thousand dol
lsrs, but 1T seems that Mr.. Lyons,
who had been former partner of
POttertield. was arrested by General
Butler, on the ground that he was
exporting gold; and though Mr..
Lyons had no connection with Mr.,
Potterfield in this transaction, vet
he thought it prudent to return to
Canada, and, while he retains the
balance of the $4,000
to carry out his instructions, he has
restored the $40, 900. / must con-
fess that the first shipment had q
effect on the market. 1 am
inclined to the opinion that his tho
DRY will work great damage and
distrust in the Federal finances If
followed up, and If no
circumstances should in
terfere with the operation. bs,j,
Seon after / reached Canada Mr..
Minor Major visited me and repre-
sented himself as an accredited
agent from the Confederate States
to destroy steamboats, on the Mis-
sissippi river and that his opera
lions were suspended, for want of |
means. L advanced him $1,000, Ia |
Federal currency and soon after
ward several boats were. burned at |
St. Louis, involving an immense |
oss of property to the enemy. He |
became suspected, as he represent
I'd TO me, of lbeing the author of this |
burning, and from that time beth he
Ind his men have been hiding, and |
consequently have done nothing.
Money has been advanced .1oa Mr..
of Cincinnati, to organ
ze corps for the purpose of in-
in that city. / consider
lin true man, and though as yet
lie has effected bnt 1itAle,I am In
expectation of heaEing OF
work in that quarter. -
Previous tothe arrival e6 EieRts,I
lol. Martin and Lieut. sHeadIey,d
bringing an unsigned note FRONT