The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-09-07
HAYES'S HAUL.
A Leaf from the War Record
Of the Republican Candidate,
That Dead BOunty-.JuImP-
eI''s Missing Money.
An Unsuccessful Attempt to Sup
press the Facts in the Case.
Special dispatch to the Enquirer.
THAT DEAD DEsERTER's MONEY.

special dlspatcn 70 lne Enquirer
THAT DEAD DEsERTER's MONEY.
COLUMBUS, Aug, 22-The political sem
sation of the day, and one that bids fair
to last through the rest of the campaign,
has just come to light. Readers of the
Enquirer will remember the publication
some weeks since of statement from
Chaplain Harper, late of the Thirteenth
regiment of West Virginia Volunteers, to
the effect that in August, 1864, he re-
ceived from deserter, just before he was
shot, four hundred dollars in money and
two watches which were to be turned
over to his (the deserter's) relatives, and
that after the execution had taken place
General Hayes, who was in command of
the Division of the army, summoned the
Chaplain to his quarters and compelled
him to give up the money to him. This
statement had been repeated with great
exaCtness of detail from two or three
other sources, but no notice was taken OF
the matter either by Governor Hayes or
any of his party managers. 1t was sup
posed that they intended to pass it by in
silence, neither admitting nor denying,
Just as they do the proofs of Colonel
Barnes crusading record, and this course
would doubtless have been pursued had
they been allowed to do so.
CALLING ON THE GOVERNOR.
Yesterday morning Chaplain Harper
arrived here from Charleston, West Vir-
ginia, and with him came General Rus
sell Hastings, General Thomas M. Turn
er and Major William Mckinley, all
of whose names were, in one way or an
other, connected with the transaction.
The Chaplain made a call on the Gov
ernor at once and explained the nature
of his business, which was to establish
the fact of his having turned over that
$400 to him.
A PRIVATE CONFERENCE.
The Governor accorded him brief
hearing, and then invited him to 60 over
to his residence, where they could talk
over the matter without danger of being
disturbed. The conferences continued all
the forenoon, and during its progress
Major Mckinley and Generals Turner
and Hastings were present, while Gen
eral Comfy, of this city, was called. The
meeting, of course, was strictly secret
one, although, as usual in such cases, the
most of it came to light.
Comfy DENIES IT.
After the party separated, Chaplain
Harper read his story, which he had
written out, depicting all the cirCumstan-
Ces with great exaCtness of detail, claim
ing at the same time that General
Comfy, who was then colonel Of the
Twenty.third Ohio regiment, was in
Hayes headquarters and saw him pay
over the money. General Comfy denied
this, however, saying that he had never
been witness to any such transaction.
The story of Colonel Brown, who was at
that time in command of the Thirteenth
West Virginia regiment, and which was
published in the Enquirer last week, was
also reviewed, but its production failep
to bring out any new light in the case
GOV. HAYES STATEMENT.
Governor Hayes said, after the Chap
lain's recital had been concluded, that he
was not prepared to contradict what he
had stated. He had an indistinct recol-
lection Of some of the circumstances of
the case. He remembered the man be-
ing shot, but if there was any money paid
over to him, he felt sure that he turned
it over to the Judge Advocate who SEN
fenced him. In the multitude of events
that had crowded upon him during the
twelve years that had elapsed since the
thing occurred, he had to admit that his
memory had grown dim as to the exact
circumstances. Still he felt sure that if
the money came into his hands he paid
it to the Judge Advocate, with insIruc.
tions that it be sent back to the county
which had paid the money to the de-
serter, for he was a bounty-jumper, to
enable them to procure another man to
take his place. This statement, how
ever, didn't fully meet the case, though it
threw the onus of proof on another man,
the Judge Advocate, who is now dead.
kilograms were sent at once 10 his exec
utors, in Ashtabula county, to examine
his papers with view to obtaining any
memorandum he might have made of
the money, but so far no tidings have
been received of their search,
uTrpppPSsIra THE NRWg