Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-12-27

prevailed not the slightest disposition to dis
turbance was manifested.
A Clerk tKemovimg War Material With.
out auv Written AuthOrity-R eformer
| Pickard Aiding the Transaction.
At subsequent interview with Mr.. French
he informed the Mayor that he was clerk in
the Adiutant Generals Office. that he had no
orders from the Adjutant General, and no
r,rtten orders from anybody, bit was acting
uader rerboi orders from Governor Garee-
Ton.
As he thus strangely came to Bangor on so
serious an GRAND without credentials or writ
ten instructions, Alderman rickard who OBJ
tanned the appointment of the present Arsenal
Keeper, and who is one of his bondsmen. is
said to have introduced French to the Arsenal
Keeper and to have induced the latter to con-
sent to the removal of the military property
without written order or requisition, The
clerk Mr. French seemed to be an molten
sivc person who had been pushed into disa-
grceahlc work that he did not know much
about, and he left on last evenings train to
return to Augusta.
Probable Headquarters ofthe Operation
Joseph J.. Smith. \. W. lIOskins and
NJ. N. Folsom, of OldtOwn, clOseted at
the Exchange.
While looking over the register of names
at the Exchange to lind that of Adit. Gen.
Leavitt, the significant discovery was made
that Joseph l.. Smith, the late greenback
candidate for, and now eNpectant, Governor,
Wv. H0sl<ins the fusion Indian Agent,
and Nj. NJ. Folsom, of the State Militia,
and Smiths political shadow, were booked in
the same room and it is understood that they
accompanied clerk French from Augusta.
These patriots were closeted together during
the lay and il is believed that one or more of
them visited the Arsenal in close hack to
assist in designating the material to be re-
moved. After Mr.. French had ordered the
teams to carry the arms back, Folsom ap-
peared on the street and is reported to have
strongly censured Frcnch's course in order
ing the return and to have persistently urged
him to order the teams to the depot. Mr..
French. however. would not incur the hazard
of so doing and the Oidtown orders were not
obeyed.
We may state here that Mr.. Thayer, of the
Exchange, denies having assumed any charge
of removing the arms, but says he ordered
the teams to accommodate his guest, Mr.
French.
The Guns and Arms Returned.
| The two teams drove back to the Arsenal
and the Mayor rendered Mr.. French the aid
of officers Allen and Clark in handling the
property, and they rode back on the teams.
On arriving there the Arsenal was found
locked, and Mr.. French had to be called up
on again. lie promptly sent word to the
Keeper, who shortly after came and once
more took possession of the engines of death
that had caused such great excitement.
Feeling in the City.
The feeling among the better class of cit-
zens throughout the community last evening
was of very earnest Indignation at the action
of the State authorities in seeking to intim-
date and overawe the people by means of
with which the excitement subsidized as soon
as the arms were taken back to the State
Arsenal, afforded the most ample evidence
that there is no disposition toward wanton dis
order among the citizens who were exasper-
ated beyond control by the attempt to carry
State guns and cartridges to Augusta to be
used by usurpers against the honest people of
| the State.
| While the demonstration i'm refusal to per-
| NIT the guns and ammunition to be carried
away was beyond all ordinary control, and
reminds us OF the days when the best citizens
of Pttsburg, Pa, refused to let Floyd's agents
carry off the federal cannon to the South /;
yet the subsistence of all demonstration I'M
mediately upon the return of the deadly weap-
ons to their store house, proved that the mass
of Bangor citizenship has sufficient selfcon-
troll to prevent any trouble in our city except
under the most serious provocation.
Meeting of Citizens.
A meeting of citizens was held last even
ing at which the events of the day aud the
| situation were fully discussed. The timely
and calm, Judicious action of Mayor Brown
the outrage upon our community in thus
dragging forth munitions of war on peace
full holiday, was unsparingly condemned
there was unanimous expression in favor of
every effort to prevent disturbance and allay
excitement.
A Letter to the Governor.
The following letter to Governor Garcelon
has been signed by Hon. w. ii. Brown, Hon.
J. S. Wheelwright and other ex-Mayors, and
will be signed to-day by numerous other
prominent citizens and sent to Augusta:
To has Ereeiiency Aioazo Ga,reioa, Gorer-
nor of the State Of Maine:
The citizens of this city were much sur
prised on the afternoon of Christmas day, to
learn that the arms and ammunition were be-
ing removed from the State Arsenal, located
here, to the Railroad depot. The first actual
knowledge of the fact was upon seeing the
teams loaded and passing through the princi-
pal streets of the city. Immediately there
was Il spontaneous uprising of our best citi-
zens so filling the streets rs to prevent the
passing of the teams. The Mayor, who had