The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1876-08-31
THAT $4OO.

THAT $500.
The Point Pleasant Register, a rebel
paper, got one w. w. Harper, to charge
that he had paid over to Gen. Hayes
s4O0 paid to said Harper by rebel spy
and deserter, who was shot at Monocacy,
Md, in 1864. Harper was chaplain of a
West Virginia regiment, and the de-
serter gave him the money and two
watches, to be sent to the deserter's
mother, if she could be found. Harper
has the watches yet, and he has been
accused of using the money. He assert
ed that he paid the money to General,
then Colonel, Hayes. Harper has ap-
peared to be worried over this matter,
and last week he went to Columbus, and
went to the residence of Gov. Hayes, in
company with several newspaper re-
porters. Gen. Comfy, Postmaster at Co
lumbus, and editor of the Ohio State
Journal, was also present.
Harper said that the deserter was shot
about noon, and that few minutes af-
terwards Col. Hayes sent for him, (Har-
per) and that in Col. Hayes tent, in
presence of Lieutenant-C Colonel Comfy,
he handed the money to Col. Hayes.
After Harper made his statement, Gov.
Hayes made the following statement:
81 should probably object to being in
terviewed on public affairs generally, but
this charge aimed at my character for in
tegrity, and my honor as a soldier, is of
such a nature that am willing to reply
to it publicly"
1t was suggested to Gov. Hayes by
reporter that general statement of the
facts would save time, 1t being the report
er's intention then to print the interview
in the afternoon paper of that day.
THE charge is, said Gov. Hayes. that
| | appropriated to my own use about $400
in money taken from a man who was
shot as a deserter at MonOcacy Junction.
Md, in Gen. Sheridan's army of the
Shenandoah, in August, 1864.
~ do not understand Mr.. Harper to
have charged me with any misap-
preparation Of money, but it has been in
| ferred from his statements, by certain
newspapers which have misrepresented
him.
MILITARY HISTORY OF THE SPY AND DEsERTER.
The case was a remarkable one on ac-
count of the condolences which led this
deserter to his fate. In the fall of 1868
he came in rebel uniform into the Union
line in the Kanawha Valley, claiming to
be Union man who had been forced
into the rebel army. Subsequently he
enlisted in Company d, .Twenty-third
Ohio. Soon after he became sick, and
was in the hospital a month or two.
| ha ual1 ha IL a1 foly
with him arms and equipments, with
watches and pistols which he stole from
his comrades. Afterward, May g. 1864,
at the battle of Cloyd mountain, he was
taken prisoner, with arms in his hands,
fighting in the rebel ranks. A few days
afterward he was recognized by men OF
the Twenty-third regiment, who were
detailed to guard the prisoners taken at
Cloyd mountain. Finding he was dis
covered, he managed to escape in the
night
On the 4th of August, 1864, large
number of recruits were brought to the
Twenty-third regiment from Ohio, while
the regiment was camped at Monococy
Junction. Among them this rebel de-
serter and bounty jumper was discover
ed. The deserter had chosen the
Twelfth Ohio, but before his arrival the
lWelILn Twenty Dteu COu-
olidated.-REPoRTER. The facts were
reported to Gen. Crooks headquarters.
His Adjutant General, Captain Botsford
ordered a court-martial to meet immedi
ately. Members of the court-martial
were probably all from my brigade, but /
was not at the court, and had nothing to |
do with it, as i now remember. The |
man was tried, found guilty, and SEN |
fenced to be shot. lie confessed that |
after his escape in May, 1864, he went |
down the Kanawha to Ohio and became |
a bounty jumper; that he had received |
bounties number of times from differ |
ent localities and individuals, and had |
aiterward deserted. He was prevented |
from doing it on this occasion by recent |
order which required that recruits should
be receipted for at their regiments before |
they were paid their bounties. He had
about $400 in money, received for boun-
ties which he had jumped, and also two
watches. He had no family, or near rel
atives, unless his mother was living,
whom he had not seen for some years,
and whose residence he could not tell.
now THE MONEY WAS TO BE DISPOSED OF.
After the trial, members of the court
martial on talking it over concluded that
as the money of the deserter had been
received from localities or individuals to
furnish a soldier to the Twenty-third
regiment, that it ought to be used to get
another recruit for the same regiment,
and that it should be delivered to the
proper officer for that purpose.
In all this / concurred, and l have al
ways supposed that this was accordingly I
done with the money. l have often told
the story of this deserter, it being inter
esting on account Of its coincidence, and :
nave always spoken of the money found !
ipon his person as having been used to :
ret recruit for the Twenty-third regi- /
nent in his place. The regiment receiv- a
ID many recruits after that time, and ] a