Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1895-12-27

According to general order No. 80, from
headquarters of the northern department.,
at Cincinnati, dated April 25, 1865, by
command of Major General Hooker, and
signed by o. H. Hart, lieutenant colonel
and assistant adjutant general, it had been
found that Martin was a guerrilla, but
that he was innocent of nearly all the acts
that had been charged against him during
his career as q guerrilla.
This order No. 80, us printed, showed
that the findings of the military commits
sion convened here September, 1864, with
Captain William G. Rowelle president,
had cleared this young man Of every accu-
sation that had been broughtagainst him,
save that he had been a guerrilla. He was
an ignorant young fellow Of the back
woods, about 81 years of age, simply a tool
to be used by others. Previous to the re-
bellion he had worked on a farm in Carter
county, where he was born, and where his
father, two brothers inc -four sisters con-
tinued to reside.
The reader will naturally inquire how
it came that, now the war was over, such
an execution should be on the carpet as a
possibility. Tho sentence Of the commits
sion had been passed in September, 1864.
It was that Thomas Martin should be
shot to death with musketry, at such time
and place as the commanding general may
direct, two-thirds Of the members of the
commission %concurring therein" Under
the date of April 25 the commanding gen
eral had approved the proceedings, find
sentence be duly executed Mt Cincinnati
between the hours Of 12 ~. and 2 p. in.
Friday, May 5, 1865. This was signed "by
command of Major General Hooker, o. n.
Hart, lieutenant colonel and A. "A. g."
At about 1880 that day Il detachment Of
the Thirty-seventh Iowa and One Hun
dred and Ninety-second Pennsylvania, I'M
der command Of Captain Booth, post adj
jutant, proceeded to this spot and took up
q position on the ground mentioned. De-
spite the secrecy with which the whole
affair had been conducted these strange
preparations were Of sinister import to
some Of the many who witnessed them.
Gradually there congregated around the
spot a crowd of several hundred from the
northeastern part Of the city. At that
period Of Cincinnati history this location
was very difficult Of access.
AT / o'clock tho escort conducting Mar
tin left the Mclean barracks. AS the pris-
oner, supported by Father Garresche, en-
tered the close hack there was visible upon
his countenance an expression Of stupefica-
ton that concealed the sharp points of
fear. A hearse bearing a coffin preceded
the hack, while in front, at the sides and
In the rear marched the escort, with slow
and measured tread. This escort, COM
posed of men from the same regiments as
mentioned above, was under command Of
Captain MoLeary. as the procession took
Its way north or Sycamore street the OBJ
servers on the streets supposed it to be
funeral Of one already dead, to whom mil
itary honors we're being paid. Upon the
spot selected the guard and firing squad
were awaiting the arrival Of the procession,
when, at about 1:45, q messenger on horse
back dashed up and handed to Captain
Booth a dispatch just received at General
Hooker's headquarters from the president,
ordering the execution postponed until
further orders.
Captain Booth then dispatched this mes
senger to meet the procession and inform
the captain comlnandingof the order. The
procession was midway up the hill, and
thence it returned to the barracks, Father
Garrasche having tho pleasure Of colnmuni-
eating the good new to the prisoner. Cen
eral Hooker was not in the city that day.
1t was given out at the department. head
s4uO1UOIS U1lhu C1lO IOPI1Ofo a CO1llO IL III
swer to q dispatch sent to the president by
the assistant %adjutant general, in his gen
erals absence, at the earnest request of tho
doomed mans friends and the positive
representations Of certain legal gentlemen
that they could point out such q flaw in
the court martial proceedings as would en-
title the man to a new chance for his life.
The execution was indefinitely post
poned, and Martin may be living today.
Perhaps If he is he may have a theory or
positive knowledge of what it all meant.
Certain it Is that Of the many thousands Of
rough riders who overran Kentucky, Vir-
ginia and Missouri during the rebellion as
guerrillas Thomas Martin seemed one of
the most insignificant and inoffensive
specimens that could have been selected
for an awful example. The war had closed,
and Andrew johnson had succeeded Lin
coin. This case had dragged and perhaps
been lost sight Of until there came a time
when something must be lone or the find
ings completely ignored. It may be that
General Hooker had a complete under
standing with the powers at Washington
when he named the time and place for this
execution that it should never occur. Al.
ready in the minds Of many Grant was be-
ing looked upon as a presidential probable
tty, and people generally were ready to fol-
low his inolinations. And it was we'll
known that he wanted no more blood let
ting.-Cincinnati Enquirer.
At the Crossroads.
"Any game in this neighborhood, my
friend2'''
.tSeven up an draw poker"