The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-01-29
ILIEGAL ENLISTNENTS
INTENTION OF THE FUSION
lists TO RESORT 70
FORCE.
The History Of Capt. Backs
Company.
Important Testimony Of Mayor
Nash and City Marshal Waite.

AUGUSTA, jan 2S-The committe to in
yestigate whether enlstments or enrolment OF
men have been made, held its first session this
afternoon.
Chas, e. Nash, Mayor Of this city, gave
lengthy testimony. Mayor Nash sail he was
fully satisfied that there had been eniStmentS
made here. On the 29th of DecembG he sent
a note to Gov. Garcelon rendering his SER
vices, with sufficient number OF plicemen,
to keep the peace, and asking that lB refrain
from calling out troops as that would excite
the people and might lead to bad reults.
committee of the city council and aso of citi-
zens informed the Governor this WIS the feel
ing and sentiment of the people. The Cover
nor paid no attention to this, but le (Nash)
was well satisfied that an organization was be-
ing formed here in the office of r. V. Black,
the object OF which was to sustain Gareelon
and hold the State House. 1t was notorious
about town that these men came to his build
ing and occupied it every night Thy drilled
nightly with the arms brought from tie Bangor
arsenal.
On the morning of the 7th he was summoned
by Garcelon to be present in the building with
two or three police, as he had been informed
that the police on duty now had no right to
make arrests. He came down with i've or ten
policemen. At every door there we're men
with police badges. He refused to ,ct unless
he had the whole responsibility, there would
be a conflict. He did his best to keepthe peace
that day but at night left the building Blacks
men had possession of the building that night.
He performed the same service the next day
In the gallery were q picked crowd OF Blacks
men. The next day he opened both galleries
Blacks crowd continued for three days trying
to provoke quarrel. The organization was
intact Friday. Blacks men wanted to go into
the library one by one, and on entering the
library arms were found there with several OF
Blacks men, and the Marshal declined any
further service here if the men continued III
possession of arms. Friday night Gen. Cham
berlain said that he wanted him (Nash) to
take charge of the building and shut out
Blacks men, but that order was countermand-
ed and Gen. Brown and others remained in the
building The names of Blacks men were
taken as they came in. Saturday the arms
were removed from the building and Augusta
police put on permanently. After that, Tor
some days those men of Blacks returned as Of
ten as the Legislature returned Black him.
self was insulting. This continued until the
outside doors were closed by order of Lamson
who made the request that the police force be
cut down to fifteen men. He did not comply
with that request. Blacks men were then eX-
cluded from the building, but it was well un :
derstood that enlistments were continued.
Forty of the names are in the office Of the
Adjutant General, six of whom have been
confined in the State Prison. Mayor Nash had
no doubt they were organized to prevent the
Inauguration OF Davis as Governor. Loaded
guns and ammunition were were found ready
for use.
He had been personally threatened. Major
Folsom was detailed by Gov hanson to take
charge of the Capitol police. Some of Black S
efforts made to get the peliee force ont of
the building would make an interesting
history. Blacks men had their last meeting
the night after the troops were called here.
He heard that was the last meeting He was
satisfied that enlistments had been made
| thrOu OhOuf the Stata The here met in
Bradbury's Hall. He informed Gov. Davis
| that he was unwilling to remain in the State
House longer with the police without being
strengthened by militia. He had what looked
| to him to be sufficient cause to take this
| ground which has already been stated. The
bringing of the militia broke UP their club
| down street and had a good effect every way.
| The police force he had here covered about 30.
| When the troops came the number was cut
| down to Is and to-day to ten.
| City Marshal Chas. FL. White testified that
| it was well understood that Black had drilling
| in the Bradbury Hall $50 men. One John
Leighton whom they had discharged because
he was suspected of voting the Republican
| ticket said the men were bound together by an
| oath, and they were expected to do what they
were ordered to do. He thought the club was
formed three weeks before the meeting of the
Legislature. One man belonging to Blacks
force had testified that he had loaded several
muskets in the State House with cut lead and
was known as the Black force There were
several ex-criminals who had been in either
jail or State prison. Capt. Black seemed to
I ,;a5+ 1arga Of the guns and ammunition the
.liey oaIie II91nl the Bangor arsenal. The
force at the State House had not been sworn
in as policemen and to his Knowledge wore MOI
acting nnder amy sesef were
| directed not to fire in the night time unless
| they had orders. They had guns in a COM
mittee room and portion were loaded. From
movements about town and elsewhere it was
| deemed prudent not to rely altogether upon
the police force. Had it not been for that he
| thought the Capitol would have been attacked
| between Friday and Sunday. He thought the
last and final meeting of Blacks company was
| held op Saturday evening.
Maj. S. j. Gallagher was called and testified
that the guns in the room below the Adjptant
| Generals office we're placed there in 1873, hay-
| ing been brought from the Portland arsenal
They were Springfield and Enfield muzzle
loading rifles. They had not been loaded
when he left last July. The cartridges
brought from the Bangor arsenal would fit
them.
The committee adjourned to 5 p. m. to-mor-
row,