Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-01-30
the ENLISTMENT ITvFsTIei.
ton.
LIE BLACK HORSE IN
1HE RACE.
hnlistments in Augusta and Removal Of
Arms at Ol1town.

Inc investigation concerning enlistment.
was Continued yesterday afternoon. before
'he committee. Leading questions were
asked by Senator Dingley, the chairman
Mr.. Hutchinson. Mr.. Lord. Senator Harr;s
and DR.. Butler.
GEORGE Avery, of Augusta, was the frs,
witness and was sworn. Lived here three
years, and do general kinds Of work. Was
on guard in the State House l6 DAYS and
nights :: first came on duty before New Years
uav. Made application for position to come
mere at capt. Blacks office. Alone when he
wen. there. Some persons were present
III once; Black was there and asked me If I
wanted to enlist. told him yes; l did en-
list and signed a roll. was to report for
duty at the State House. Took an oath at
MIR. Blacks Office; Blood administered the
oath. Could not now state the substance of
the oath. -Four or five were present and
TOOK the oath at the same time. Came to
the State House after had taken the oath.
Found others were at the State House; there
were some 10. Was armed at night Har.
low Hall brought them to me. Furnished ME
a Springfield rifle and 10 cartridges. Loaded
my rife.
Received our orders from Hall, quartered
u
loaded during night. Took out cartridge on
coming off duty. Ordered that if any one
came to the State House not to admit anv
one unless he should call him. Kept the
doors locked. Was paid SIG for my services
by MIR. Black in his Office. Black was here
every evening during the time was IN duty
Did not meet in any hall down town. Did
not go down town only long enough to get
meals. Was not drilled in the State House
Some 30 or 80 were in the State House while
| was here. The force was armed with same
kind Of rifles that l had. When we were
paid another gentleman handed Black the
money which he paid the men. Slept on the
floor and on the tables, without blankets OF
any other accommodations. Hall told US not
to fire unless we had orders. Ordered to
keep snug in room during the day. Was not
here on the meeting of the legislature, but
was here on the second day. Left here be-
fore the next Sunday after the meeting of the
legislature. Was discharged by Mir. Hall
When I took the oath did not listen, and
had no idea what the oath meant. Knew not
the names of the men with me on guard If
Mr.. Hall had ordered me to fire would have
done so. A man named johnson was on
guard here, also George IIersom. Presume
that Black signed my name when received
my pay /; cannot write myself.
Capt. o. T.. w. Hinckley of Oldtown, tes-
tilted: Resigned as captain of the Hersey
Light Infantry of Oldtown. in July. An Or
der was issued for the election Of officers on
the first of December by Major Folsom, but
no commissioned officer was present, the
company being in command of the orderly
sergeant The KEYS to the armory were LETT
in nv possession, as well as the ammunition,
being l 100 rounds. The captain being alb
sent from town. Lieut.. Miles had command
of the company. Miles came to me after the
ammunition, and demonstrated, saying that
Capt. Weeks did not want them to go to the
armory. He then ordered me to take them to
his house, and did so. He consulted often
with Major Joseph l.. Smith and Folsom
Miles was a greenbacker, but said he didn't
care about this counting out business, but he
seemed To be in for carrying out the project.
Christmas noon Miles came out Of Major
Smiths house and hailed me, asking about
the company's property. That afternoon
Miles took the train. with Folsom. for Ban
cor. Joseph L.. Smith came home from Au-
yusta, and was asked at the depot If there
was going to be any fighting. NO, he
replied, hut dunn them, we are ready
for them" Christmas night-the same night
the arms were to be taken from Ban
gor there were suspicious circumstances
late at night and myself and another gentle
man stationed ourselves in the gallery of the
Baptjst church. at window overlooking the
armorv. and saw men remove the arms to
sled and drive up to the common. Miles
father was there, and MIR. York was driving
the team. They took the guns to MIR. Miles
house There were titty-nine guns packed in
three boxes. | went into the armory next
morning. and the guns were gone. Miles
L., hal ro,npyaI rho nv verbal
orders from the Adjntant General, hut he
afterwards learned that the Adjutant General
was not in Augusta The arms and anmuni-
ti,n were afterwards taken back to the ar
morv.
Daniel NJ. Berry of Litch6eld. residing
nav in Augusta testified that he had served
in Blacks company, and was eight days on
Guard at the State House. He went to
Rl,ck's office and asked him if he wanted
any more men to 90 to the State House. He
then signed his name, held up his hand, and
took an oath. 1t was sort of an army
oath that we would protect the Governor and
Council, the Constitution OF the uh"ee
States, and State of Maine. When ! came
| into the State House there were about D,
there in charge o! Major Folsom. Hario"
| Hall had charge of the Guards. was armed
with a gun and twenty rounds of ammuhi''o"
| Ii any one appeared III tue ou'siue wv"
TO call for the captain Of the guard. ii an!
par,v should use force to get IN we were no
10 Are until we got orders. Black was her'
,bout every evening. Capt. Black paid MI
NJ his Office when / was discharged. a mar
stood beside him who furnished nm I'M
money. whom took 10 be Zen. Chan'oei
lain. The witness on further examination
was shown his mistake as to the identity
Gen. Chamberlain. From the witness ue
srription of the individual we should take '"'
nerson to be DIR. Lancaster.
The pay roll ct Capt. Blacks company W" va.
exh;bit.d. amounting to LOG men, Win th'
amount received opposite each man na"'e
ne we'll as other papers of great interest.
The committee adjourned until THIS ai'e'
noon.
! REPRESENTATIVES. of the Seth "iii'a"'
p,s, No. Is, G. A. r., Augusta attenae
the convention and camp fire in CITY HAL
Lewiston, last evening. The comra"es
ceived royal welcome in the e"te'p'.'"
c;,v e spindles. Ten young men 'lo'
Rates College acted as ushers, ana MI
,no,adies from the Lewiston High Schoo
a;,,ed here and there to provide for tue WAN
~ the veterans. 1t is said that one genie