Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-08-14


arrests of leading supporters at Louis
vile, the unsympathetic attitude OF
Mcdonald, the Democratic candidate
for Governor Of Indiana, all tended TO
discourage the ringleaders, and the day
fixed for the revolt, which was to have
been the 10th Of August, passed by
with no demonstration. @The neces-
sity Of pandering to the military feel
ing which resulted in the nomination
of Mcclellan totally demoralized, l."
writes Thompson, @the Sons of Lib
erty."
Convinced that there was nothing to
be expected from the cooperation Of
Northern Democrats, Thompson fell
back once more upon his gang of es-
capped prisoners and other loose fish in
Canada. The next scheme adopted by
him was ingenious and audacious, and
not without probabilities of success. He
determined TO capture the war steamer
Michigan, plying on Lake Erie, and
with her to hberate the rebel prisoners
on Johnson's Island; the prisoners
were then to march upon Cleveland,
attacking that town by land and water,
and thence march through Ohio to
gain Virginia. A man named Cole,
formerly one of Forrest'c troopers, was
sent around the lakes as deck passen-
ger to inform himself thoroughly Of the
approaches to the harbors, the deposi-
tories of coal, the stations and habits
of the Michigan. Cole performed his
duty with great energy and efficiency,
and with much amusement to himself.
He invented an oil corporation in which
he was president and board of direct
ors, opened an Office in Buffalo, and
used great deal of Thompson's money
in making acquaintance with the
officers of the Michigan. The 10Th of
September was the day fixed for the
attempt upon the vessel, Cole having
contrived to get himself invited to dine
with the officers on board her on that
day. A Virginian named John Yates
Beal was assigned the more difficult
and dangerous part of the enterprise.
Beall, with twenty-five Confederates,
took passage from Sandwich, in Can
ada, on board the Philo Parsons, an
unarmed merchant vessel plying be-
tween Detroit and Sandusky; they
were all armed with revolvers, and had
no trouble in taking possession of the
steamer and robbing the clerk of all
the money and valuables he had. They
soon afterward fell in with another un-
armed steamer, the Island Queen,
scuttled her, and then steered for San
dusky Bay to join Cole and the boats
he had prepared in an attack upon the
Michigan. But the plan miscarried.
The military, aware of Coles inten-
tions, had captured him, and Beall,
missing the signals agreed upon, did
not dare to proceed upon the enter
prise alone. He therefore returned
to Sandwich, and his crew scattered
through Canada.
Not content with this failure, Beall
must try another venture, and later in
the season, about the middle of Decem-
Der, he wss caught in the State of New
York, near the Suspension Bridge, in an
attempt to throw passenger train from
the west off the track for the purpose
Of robbing the express car. This was
the third attempt which he had made
to accomplish this purpose. He was
in citizens dress, engaged in an act of
simple murder and robbery, yet he
imagined that the fact that he had q
Confederate commission in his pocket
would secure him against punishment
in case of capture. He was tried by
court-martial and sentenced to death.
Jefferson Davis took the same view Of
the talismanic character of the Con-
federate commission upon which Beall
had relied, and issued manifesto as
suming the responsibility of the act,
and declaring that it was done by his
authority. There was great clamor
about the case, and many people of
both parties pleaded with Mr.. Lincoln
to commute the sentence of Beall. A
petition in this case was signed by
most of the Democratic members
Of the House of Representatives and
by many Republicans. But the
Judge Advocate General reported that
"Beall, convicted upon indubitable
proof as spy, guerrilla, outlaw, and
would-be murderer Of hundreds OF
innocent persons travelling in supposed
| SoCuIlbJ upOu Ouc OlOuI SIthb IlUJOuSu-
fares, fully deserved to die felon's
death, and the summary enforcement
of that penalty was duty which the
government owed to society"
Loath as Mr.. Lincoln was at all
times to approve capital sentence,
he felt that in this case he could moi
permit himself to yield to the prompt.
ings of his kindly heart. He sent o
private message to General Dix, saying
that he would be glad if the General
would allow Beall few days respite
to prepare for death, but positively de.
clined to interfere with the sentence,
and Beall was hung in the latter part
, Of February. The Virginia Senate
made his case their own, and recon.
mended, by resolution, of the Sd Of
March. the adoption of such steps as
might be necessary in retaliation fol
the offense committed by the anthori
ties of the Uni.ed States. Chicago
Lerger.
A Contederate's Humane Act.