The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-10-11

Col. Lewis was paroled to report at headquar-
tiers every morning; Miss Lewis, who through
out the whole performance acted in a ladylike
and repentant spirit, was permitted to lodge at
a neigbboring house, but Miss Cline, on account
of her ferocicus behavior, was furnished with
quarters at the Jail. OF course, even the best
room in the Vicksburg Jail was not boudor,
and great cry was raised by the rebel citizens
over the Provost MarshaPs action in cOnfning
a Southern lady in common Jail. To give
Miss Cline the needed air aud exercise, she was
permitted every morning TO take walk
through the streets of the city; but, as she
refused to agree to return voluntarily, two
sturdy guards were sent to accompany her ia
her promenade.
OUT OF PURE BRAVADo
she nearly always chose tho main business
street for her walk. and great crowds of sympa-
thizing citizens and curious soldiers would line
the sidewalk as Miss Cline, with an armed
guard on each side Of her. would trip iauntily
down the street. She was always richly at
tired, and never failed to display upon her per-
son the Confederate colors. One morning she
coaTed the guards, two robust Teutons into
photograph gallery, where she had the party
photographed, the guards having bayonets
fixed, with 40 rounds and three days rations
Many hundreds Of these pictures were sent into
the Southern States for the purpose of firing
the Southern heart with the example of Yam
kee brutality to Southern women.
The case against the Lewis family was finally
settled by the payment of heavy fine and the
banishmont beyond our lines of all the parties
Mr.. Lewis aud his daughter are long since
dead. and ] learned some years ago that Miss
Cline married Union soldier at the close of
the war, and is now living in Texas.
1t was always q great mystery to US about
the Provost Mashal's office where the average
rebel citizens managed to obtain their contra
band goods. The majority of the merchants
in Vicksburg were Jews and Gentiles from the
North, and all Of them pretended to be violently
loyal to the old flag but still the fact remained
that contraband goods were sold somewhere,
and great efforts were made to discover the
depot Of supplies.
FREQUENT RAIDS HAD BEEN MADE
upon a number OF suspected stores with i'll
success; for in some manner the suspected par
ties snuifed danger in time and secreted the
contraband goods; but after the Lewis episode
it was determined to 90 to tue bottom OF affairs
and unearth the source of the smuggling. 1t
was strongly suspected that Levi, Moses 81 Co.
were the parties who had been furnishing goods
TO the Lewis family. Their large store was
located on prominent corner, and was known
to be the trading depot of the Lewis family
and Of many other wealthy rebels.
One day in May, 1864, two of our detectives
who had been detailed to attend to this partie
Il
widow from some landing above Vicksburg,
was busily engaged in selecting goods; all OF
which seemed perfectly legitimate ia. its char
acter. At about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, 1t
was observed Mrs. Bells packages were all ready
to bedelivcrcd at the boat aud she was seen leav-
ing the store with MIR. Jonas. They proceeded
directly to the residence Of Jonas, and as soon
as they had fairly entered the house 1t was no
ticed that the curtains were lowered. while
daughter OF Israel was posted on the porch as
Tidette Here then was the supply depot aud
had the detective sent for assistance and then
made a descent on the place, they would no
doubt have found Mrs Bell and her friends in
the act of taking on cargo; but the spy left his
post returned to the Provost Marshal's office
and there rehearsed his story to gaping crowd
of clerks and officers. A procession composed
Of guards and detectives proceeded to the Jonas
Castle only to find that Mrs. Bell had gone to
the boat, where the guards followed her only
to be once more too late. for the lady was found
locked in her state-rOom, from whence she was
throwing the last of her bundles
INTO THE RAGING MISSISSIPPI
OF "a. the members of the firm Of Levi.
Moses S ~ were arrested and thrown into Jail,
while their stock Of goods was stored in the
contraband warerOom in the Courthouse; but
in less than a month their old stand on Main
street was again occupied by new firm, styled
Moses Solomon g. Levi whose members looked
strangely familiar TO all of u.s.
Is it to be wondered at that the example set
by the rebels and merchants should kiBdle in
the breasts of the soldiers yearning desire to
rake in some Of the shckels that were TO be
earned in Illegal traiiic2 But human flesh is
weak, aud some Of the boys fell-and trafheked
with the enemy. s
The Post QuarterInaster had under his con-
| troll large number of mules and horses, some
/ times many hundreds in number, and upon
| these animals several Of the Quartermaster's
/ OrdeTlies cast a wistful eye. A good mule or
/ horse brought from $500 TO $3.50 from planters
just beyond Black River, and no questions
asked. What was easier than to form a trust,
/ composed of three Orderlies and few planters
in search Of horse flesh. to fitch, on some dark
night, half dozen mules from the corral and
/ slip them out To the waiting rebs just beyond
our picket-iines and in return take in l,200
| TO 81 400 in greenbacks2 This program was
carried out with mathematical precision, and
4 long before the Quarterpaster awoke to the
fact that his mules were shrinking in numbers
/ something near 80 animals were spirited be-
| yond the lines and were tilling the soil of the
/ sunny South.
Bat our loyal boys in blue were not minded
TO thus rob Uncle Sam in cold blood, nor could
| they stand idly by aud see good Government
! property used by blatant rebels. So the Quar-
1 termaster received an anonymous letter giving
names alphabetically arrauged) and location
Of each and every planter who had purchased
animals Of the boys, and in good season the
mules were returned TO the Government cor.
! raj; the Quartermaster's account was squared
and the planters got about 30 days in the
guardhouse, while the 0rderlies-well, it was
never discovered who were the guilty ones
for. without doubt, some kindred spirit about
the Office gave the ringleader kindly hint o.
impending danger.