The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1876-09-07


probably due 10 the fact that | was
confined to my quarters that day, as
stated, and the next day we moved to
terest, Arriving Mt the place Of ex.
ecution, we both knclt down togeth.
er upon his coffin, and offered
short prayer, after which he was
shot.
then returned to the hcadquar.
tiers of the Thirteenth West Virginia
regiment. lna very short time after
arriving there, my IMPRESSIONS that
it was ten or fifteen minutes, not
over thirty minutes, General Hayes
sent for me, can't say whether it
was an officer or enlisted man who
came after me, ! went 10 General /.
Hayes headquarters ut once, andS
found Colonel Comfy in the tent, and
did not notice any one else in tho
tent. General Hayes asked; What
did the man give you?' Itold him
about $500 and two watches Gener-
Hayes took the watches andexamin-
ed them. Colonel Comfy also exam
ed them, and handed them TO Gencr.
al Hayes, who returned them 10 me.
! was standing close to the General.
The General then said: "Ihaye de-
cided the money belongs to the Gov
ernment.p | have no recollection Of
him saying anything about the
watches, got the impression from
what GoncrM Hayes said about hay
ing decided as to where the money
should go, that he and Colonel Comfy
had been conversing about the mat
ter before | came in, | landed the
money to General Hayes, after got
the watches back. The money was
in II larg, roll, taken loose from my
pocket, Just as it was handed me By
the dcscrtcr | did not count the
money when | handed it to General
Hayes. Hayes did not count it in
my presence | took no receipt for
it. am not certain whether Gcncr.
al Hayes and Colonel Comfy were in
a wall tent or under 4 fly, but il it
was tent the front was all open.-
My impression is it was a wall tent,
1t was open wide enough for me to
walk in There might have been
other parties around the tent, but |
don't remember now,
! kept the two watches three years,
then gave the inferior one tony son
The other still retain, not having
been able to find the mother Of the
rebel dcserter.
The convicted descrtcr, Just before
starting to the place of execution,
eXhorted the multitude that stood
around him not to do as he had done,
and insisted that inasmuch as they
were soldiers fighting for the Union,
never to desert the army. After Civ
ing the money to General Hayes |
returned to the headquarters of the
Thirteenth West Virginia Regiment
and stated to Colonel William K.
Brown what had occurred. ! think
il was not yet dark when Preached
Colonel Browns tent, but ! know IT
was not dark when left General
Hayes tent. Ny impression has
always been that the execution took
place along toward the middle of the
day, and that the money asdeliver-
ed about the middle of the day.
Question by General Comly-Are
you sure that was the person pres
ent in the tent at the time that you
handed this money to General Hayes?
Mr., llarper-I am sure.
BY General Comly-IIave you al
ways heretofore stated that | was the
only person present with General
Hayes when the money was deliver
ed?
Mr. IIarpcr-I have always stated
that you were the only person pres
ent that | noticed.
Remark by Mr.. Harper-lhavc no
reason to doubt but that General
Hayes made proper disposition of
that money.