The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-08-19
A SECRET OF THE WAR.

HOW a LITTLE GAME WAS SPOILED AND A
BRITISH OFFICER WAS ARREsTED-A HAPPY
ACCIDENT.
a gentleman in Hartford, whose charac-
ter to all who know him is a sufficient
guaranty of his statement, gives the Cou-
rant, of that city, scrap of secret history OF
the war, which shows how a scheme for
securing the recognition of the Confedsracy
was providentially averted. 10 the autumn
o. 1861 the gentleman IA question was called
20 Louisville, Ky, on business. On his ar
rival there he found the city in state Of
fsyerish excitement, the Union aud dispuiOD
parties being abont equal in strength, and
az outbreak at any moment would not have
been. surprising. He stopped at the Gait
House, and he had just entered his name on
the register, when distinguished looking
stranger entered the room, and was inn
mediatelY sUrrC unded BIZ number of
gentlemen OF the secesh persuasion, with
whom be entered into an excited conversa-
ton. Ou inquiry the gentleman was found
to be William Mure, of Charleston, S. c..
British consul at that port. He was an
ardent sympathizer with secession, and ex-
pected soon to be appointed British minis
ter 70 the Confederate Government. He
was fresh from the rebel capital with the
latest news, which was eagerly absorbed by
the listeners. Later in the evening as the
Office Mr.. Mure entered the room with a
friend, and, taking seats near him, the two
commenced conversation in d low tone,
which, however, in their earnestness, was
soon so audible that the other occupant of
the room could not help overhearing a large
portion of it. From what be heard he
gathered that Mr.. Mure had been closeted
with JEFF Davis and his cabinet for several
days, and a result carried about his per
son papers which he believed would insure
the
RECOGNITION OF THE CoNFEDERACY
by the governments of Great Britain and
France, together with bills OF exchange
representing large amount OF money for
the purchase OF arms and munitions of war.
Mr.. Mure further stated that he should
leave Louisville on the following Sunday
morning under an assumed name for Bos-
ton, by the way of New York, and he would
take the Cunard steamer at Boston for
England on the next Wednesday. Our in
formant immediately decided that his bust
ness in Louisville might wait and that he
would travel with Mr.. Mure as far as Gin.
cinnatl, where he would take the train for
Washington and lay the case before Mr..
Seward. On Sunday morning he arose
early, but found that Mr.. Mure had started
the night before. He Immediately
at Cincinnati late as night, only
to find that a bridge on the road to Wash
| ington had been carried away, and that
travel would be interrupted for "a hours.
He went at once to the telegraph office and
found it closed, it being midnight. A
policeman, however, came to his assistance
and brought the operator from an spothecsry
shop near by. Informing the latter
that he desired to send an important mes
sage to Mr.. Seward, the operator
replied that he possessed the government
cipher, whereupon the following message, in
substance, was sent:
To the Secretary of State. Washington, DC.
Mr.. William Mure. British consul at
Charleston, S. c., left Louisville last night
for Boston, by way OF New York, bearing
about his person papers from Jefferson
Davis, which be says will insure the rec
ignition of the Southern confedrscy by the
governments of England and France, to-
getAer with other valuable documents. He
sails from Boston on Wednesday.
[Signed1 b. T. H.
The name signed was a fictitious one, used
flor the occasion tor
PRIVATE REASONS,
the gentleman recalling the fact that certain
members Of his family were on terms OF
intimate friendship with the Mure family,
and not desiring to involve others than
himself in the affair. Doubling whether Mr.
Seward would notice the dispatch, the gen
tleman started for Boston by the way of the
New York Central road, designing to have
Mure arrested as he went on board the
steamer, in case no previous efforts to de-
tain him were made. In passing through
Syracuse on Tuesday, be bought the morning
paper, and on CHANGING throeh telegraphiC
news he saw a dispatch from New York on
Monday to this effect:
Mr.. Mure, British consul at Charleston
was arrested at the Brevoort House this
evening and papers of great value were
about his person. He was Immediately
taken to Fort Lafayette.
Satisfied at the result the gentleman in
question returned to his home, Some two