The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-08
THE MISUNDERSTANDING CASE.
The Defense Attempt 10 Discredit Mr.. Glass
and Make a Failure.

The Defense Attempt 10 Discredit Mr.. Glass
and Make a Failure.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, April An effort was made
to-day by the defense in the Warder-Stealey in
vestigation to impeach ex-Mayor Glass by his
own testimony. lie was recalled and examined
at length by counsel for the defense concerning
his connection with the State prison at Jeffer-
sonville. He said he was a guard of the prison
a few years ago, and in answer to a question re-
piled stSt he did not keep the time of the pris-
oners. Then, with some show, he was asked if
he didn't propose to John r. Gathright. now of
Louisville, to report, for a certain compensation,
a less number of convicts at work than were
really employed. This insinuation aroused the
feelings of Mr.. Glass to a high pitch, and his re-
ply could not be mistaken. He said he had never
made such q proposition to any man, and no one
had ever approached him upon such q subject
The emphasis and feeling thrown into The answer
impressed the committee with his earnest truth
fulness. The defense sought to destroy the stand
ing of Mr.. Glass before the committee
by showing that he was a deserter from the
Confederate army during the late war. Mr..
Glass stated that, toward the close of the war,
he was captured, with a large number of other
Ccnfederates, at Vicksburg, where they were
held as prisoners for some time, and were finally
paroled, with a pledge from their commander
that they would not reenlist About thirty
days afterwards, however, he re-enlisted and
went to the front. He was not in full sympathy
with the Confederate cause at that time, and
since he had been drafted or forced into a re- en-
listment, and was subject to be shot down for
it, he took the first opportunity to leave the
army and take refuge at Jacksonville.
Then you are a deserter,' inquired Phil
Thompson, counsel for the defense.
Eyes, / suppose | am, replied Mr.. Glass.
II want to make some inquiries of the witness
about this matter, for was there, and know all
about those paroles. and establishments, and
desertions," said Major Farquhar, a
New York member of the committee
who was a gallant Union officer, and who was
with General Grant at Vicksburg. Then Major
Farquhar cross-examined the witness in detail as
to what led him 10 re.enlist after he had been
paroled, why he had deserted, whether he did
not know he was committing a breach of a
serious rule of war. etc. The examination was
very satisfactory to the defense, and the latters
attorneys were in higher feather, till Major
Farquhar, addressing the committee, said he
knew, from his own personal knowledge, that
the statements Of Mr.. Glass were true; that. of
the large body of confederates paroled, three OR
four thousand were compelled to re-enlist, and
that the confederate commander had placed him
self in jeopardy by winking at the violation of the
agreement under which the troops were released.
Such a boomerang has not been cast by a de-
PENDANT or prosecutor in a court of investigation
for years. Mr.. Glass was not only vindicated Of
the aspersion that was sought to be cast upon
him, but was elevated In the estimation of the
committee.
A number of gentlemen from Jacksonville.
among them the city clerk, city treasurer, ex-
Councilmen Swaninger. Frank. and others,
testified, but their testimony was, Mr.. Blanchard,
of the committee, said, only cumulative.
Mr.. Blanchard and Chairman Willis, Of the
House committee on rivers and harbors, testified
as to how the appropriation for Jeffersonville
was procured, it being through the Senate. Mr..
Willis stated further that he had written a letter
to Mr.. Glass. during the discussion in the Jeffer-
sonville Council about reimDursing from the
city treasury the men who had advanced 81. $50,
that no attorney or other person had influenced
the here to get the appropriation, and
no lawyer had spoken to the committee about 1t.
Senator Harrison will tell the committee. to-
morrow. what he did to get the appropriation
allowed by the Senate committee on
and finally to secure it's passage.