The Portland daily press., 1880-08-07
[From the Honest Truth
PECK SNIFF PLAISTED.
HIS TRICK TO GOUGE THE SOLDIER
BOYS.
A Jury Convicts Him of Fraud and Mis-
representation.

When the late war was well under wav
Harris M. Plaisted took it into his head that
military commissions were more profitable
than scattering lawyers briefs. With his usual
ability as beggar and his mastery activity in
the line OF tall self initiation, he prevailed up.
on the Governor to commission him colonel Of
the 18th regiment.
But if anybody supposed that Plaisted was
to be satisfied with the bare and homely reali
ties of regimental life, why, that body didn't
know Plaisted. The new colonel was q very
large man, in his own esteem, and the 18th
regiment must be so equipped as to advertise
his Importance on its face. Among the req
uisites in this line the colonel reckoned first
class band. There was one in Gardiner, and
straightway our Plaisted went to engage it,
There was one obstacle in the way however
the band could not go at the public expense ex-
cept the men enlisted as privates liable to do
soldiers duty. This they were not disposed to
do. But finally Plaisted prevailed upon them
to enlist upon his promise-which, although
fraudulent, he convinced them was legal-that
they should necer be called into SERVICE
They went to the front, and served as per
agreement until the battle of Fair Oaks.
Then the division with which they were con-
nected were routed, and lost all their equip
ments, among which were the valuable instru
ments Of the 18th Maine band. Then tie
members OF the band desired to be disch arged
from service. Plaisted desired or pretended to
desire them to remain, and he gave them to
understand that if so disposed, he could now
ask them to shoulder muskets, in violation of
his own pledge. Finally, taking advantage of
their anxiety to go home, he told the boys
they tshould be discharged provided they
would pay for the lost Instruments. He made
this proposition in face of knowledge at every
intelligent mans command, that the govern
ment alone was liable for such property soslost.
inspired by the cupidity and contemptibly
small ingenuity that have characterized him
through life Harris N. Plaisted deliberately
resolved to ertot money from those men in con-
siderdtion of their discharge but as such an
act, plainly expressed, would lay him liable
TO court martial and punishment, he sought
the object by an indirect course, namely, pre-
tending to collect pay for property captured by
the enemy, not as a consideration for dis
charge, but to hold him harmless achere there
could be no liability.
The boys, tired OF Plaisted's double dealing,
at last agreed to his terms. They paid him a
part of the money, and signed him a Joint
note for the balance, the whole amount being
some $500.
After the war, the band members were
called npon by Plaisted to pay the note. But
they had some new lights. They had the best
valid, the consideration being of no vatue and
fraudulent.
Our Plaisted was not thus easily to be de-
prived of his little extortion. He sued, and in
April 1868, the case came to tria, in Bangor.
There were some rich developments in the
trial, which somebody may sometime perhaps
think it worth while to elaborate upon. In
brief, they consisted of glowing accounts of
Plaisted's superior talent for executing indi-
vidual movements to the rear and his Peck
sniftian qualities as a dealer with men.
The defence of the band men was that
First. The note and suit were without valid
consideration.
Second. That the note oedS procured by
Jrdud land misrepresentation on Plaisted's
part
On this defence Plaisted was beaten. He
was convicted by a jury of twelve men in his
own town, of FRAUD and MISREPRESEN-
TATION prdcticed deliberately upon soldiers
~ho aoere inh poacer and at his miserable
mercy
Is there any reason to suppose that Harris
M. Plaisted, thus convicted, would hesitate
TO repeat the frauds and thefts of the late Gar
celon gang if he ever got the chance?
1t Is safe not to giUe him the chance