Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1876-08-31

THERE has been good deal ofatten-
tion paid to the story that Governor
Hayes, while in command of a brigade
in General Sheridan's Army of the
Shenandoah, appropriated to his own
use $4OO in money, taken from man
who was shot as deserter at Monocacy
Junction, in August, 1864. The man
was tried by Court-martial, and con-
demned as deserter and confirmed
bounty-jumper. Before the execution
of the sentence he sent for W. w.
Harper, the Chaplain of the Thirteenth
West Virginia Volunteers, to whom he
gave two watches and s4OO in money
the avails OF his bounty.jumping. The
disposition of the money became a
matter of consultation, and it was de-
termined that it should be used to OBJ
tain recruit for the service who would
not desert. The watches were handed
back to Mr.. Harper, who still has them,
as ne has never found the relatives of
the soldier who was shot. As to what
General Hayes did with the money.
Mr.. Harper. is not prepared to say,
He only knows, or thinks he knows,
that he left il in the hands Of the Gen.
eral. Governor Hayes recollection of
the matter is, that after it was decided
the money should be used to get a re-
cruit, it was also decided that sit should
be delivered to the proper officer to get
the recruit" and he had always suppos-
ed "that this was accordingly done"
with the money. / know, says Cover
nor Hayes, "that l never used or ap-
propriated it to my own use. If it was
handed to me it was i'm mediately, then
and there, turned over to the proper
officer to obtain another man in the
place of the deserter."
This thing was not done in corner.
The officers present at tine COurt-mar-
tisl knew of the circumstance. Major
E. M. Carey, of the Twenty-third Ohio,
knew the money was left in the hands
of the Judge Advocate of the Court,
ermaster or the Provost Marshal, for
recruiting purposes, and that was, pro
baby, the disposition made of it. At
any rate, Governor Hayes assertion
that he did not appropriate it to his own
use is a sufficient denial. AS General
Comfy, who was cognizant of the affair,
though not present when the money
was disposed of, says:
SIT is the most preposterous nor
sense to suppose that General Hayes,
a soldier of the strictest honor, with a
brilliant record to hand down for the
inheritance of children he loved so ten
tenderly, could have sullied his honor
and taruished his fame in doubtful
money transaction, covering the pitiful
sum of four hundred dollars"
Moreover, the record of "the court
martial in the case of Isaac B. Wh.tlow,
rebel spy and deserter," has been dis
covered. 1t shows,
81. That he was tried by a drum
head court-martial regularly called and
by an order of General Crook,
and the action of the court confirmed
by the department commander.
'2. That he was ordered to be eXecut-
ed by General Crook at sundown,
August 3, 1864.
''3. That he fought in the rebel ranks
after his desertion and was captured in
rebel uniform, and that in addition to
other crimes he was bOunty,jumper,
and had received money as substitute.
81 That General Hayes had nothing
10 do with his trial or execution"
This record is at variance in many
with the statement of Chap
ain Harper, whose memory both as to
he time when the execution took
place, and the persons present when |
he money was paid over by hiuo is at
ault, and makes it probable that be-
1ond general knowledge of the affair,
General Hayes had nothing to do with
t. Chaplain Harper having made his
title noise in the world, can now re-
ire.-C Cincinnati Commercial.