The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-12-11
lLTN@0lM'S
LAST ACT
sodir's Pardon % Court QArtial Death Sen.
teDee Signed an Hour Before Assassin
Bootb Fired the Fatal Shot.

HE las. official act performed by
Ahraharn Lincoln as president OF
the United States was the signing
the pardon OF George 3. h.
vaughan, under sentence OF death,
..S nth being a Confederate spy. Mr..
ss--ssan ,oy an old and broken man.
~. = Marysyllle. Mo. The story OF his
s-ssf sersenee TO death. and rnal pardon
:. hour before Lincoln Was shot oy J.
Wukss Booth. Is one OF the most interest
:. a the unpublished chapters OF the civil
~. - xy
80 q Canton. Lewis county. No. He
- wife ard sev1l children and was one
= ne most prominent men of the village.
-. a. his intimate friends was Mark r.
n-~en. who had already begun 10 attain
sroninenee as Democrat OF the pro-
avery type, and wis1 afterward became
ns3os general In the Confederate army. On
- oufbreak of hostilities Green raised
rsrfederate regiment, and received COM
1000 A. colonel from tne Southern gov
~-nent The Vaughan family. like many
sshsrs Was divided on the question OF the
-, George enlisted in Green's regiment
~ his brother Allmon. who was captain
8 tho Missouri State Guards. stuck to the
Onion.
1:eorxe Vaughan followed Green through
eaesmenfs In which he participated was
~ battle OF Athens. Here the historians
steiement that brother grappied with
keothef' was literally true for George S.
Il Vaughan followed the banner OF the
fonfederacy and on the other side his
brother Alimon was lighting under the flag
Of the Union.
After q number of engagements in Mis-
scuri among them the battle OF Wilson's
- v>x5xa ff2 tra oe.1 r{.fxs tr,sfv
LYON fell. Green ard his men. who were
viii Price and Van Dorm. were transferred
70 Arkansas. After the battle OF Shiloh, in
gh3ch they participated they went south
with the other shattered forces of the Con-
federacy and ~amped near Tupelo. Miss.
where they remained inactive for some
tlue
starts nm . Dangerous Trip.
Vaughan had by this time been made
segimentai Quartermaster. with the rank
II captain and continued to enjoy Gen.
Greens confidence and friendship. Green
had not heard for a long time direct from
Als home. and was almost entirely unac-
suainted with the progress OF affairs In
Missouri. 1t was desirable that he should
know more about them. and Vaughan was
chosen TO go on the perlous mission. Mr..
Vaughan denies that he came north as a
spy. He declares that the inaction OF camp
NE had become distasteful to him. and that
be was DESTROYS only to see his own family
and to carry messages from Gen. Green to
kIa Wife However that may be, 1t Is GER
tain that he started with a knowledge of
the fact that he must go within the lines or
The Union army and remain there some
time II he was successful In his mission.
Il was predicted by his comrades. who
tDew where he expected TO go. that he
would never get back alive. but he started
q make the attempt. He was accompanied
Ha fellow soldier. George Yates. whose
home was In the vicinity OF st. Louis.
5nv had been ''bunkies'' and were close
frauds.
We determined from the first" said Mr..
Vaughan In relating the events that fol-
lived. that We would go along like ordi-
nary citizens; that We would talk little
= possible without exciting suspicion. and
tAat we would as far as possible avoid
meeting people. Until we reached st. Louis
~ were IN country that was held by the
confederates, aE1 We reached ST. Louis
without any adventures. On the outskirts
Il the city We separated. with the under
standing that no matter what happened 10
other OF us each would deny any knowl-
edge OF the other.
II made my way through the city with
out exciting any attention, and reached the
wharf in safety. On inquiry learned that
.
short time for Keokuk. Ia All the boats
were watched and guarded by Union sol
diers and had 10 be extremely guarded In
my movements to avoid suspicion. I passed
their lines all right and went on board i'm
medateiy. received permission from the
clerk to remain on board until our depar-
ture and did so. Before the war i went
smooth-faced. Later I had grown mus
taehe and beard and BACKED them. When
\ hR1 G,ur VA q
30 perfect that nobody would have recog-
hlsed me. In fact. q man from Canton.
With whom had been acquainted for years
was on the boat. but did not recognize me.
Il learned as we neared Canton. Mo-,
which was my home. that the boat was to
Hop there n short tine TO take on a small
cargo AMI when We reached the little
wharf I kaped ashore and quickly disap-
Feared In he darkness. II was late. no
body was on the streets OF the town. and
made my way to my home without being
seen. remained Indoors all day. and the
next night mounted my horse and rode
out 70 Gen. Green's house where / dcliv-
esed his messages to his wife.
Captured As Spy.
I made my presence known TO a few Of
NY most intimate friends In the town. and
learned all could about what WAS going on
ir TIA, part OF Missouri In a few days
confederate captain. Carmen by name
"ae had been brought home wounded
came TO me and told me he desired 70 get
eack to hi. command. and We decided 20 try
70 make our way back together. We start
60 N the night. After walking 8 long dis
taEee Ne stopped 10 rest and sleep In a
ta'ck.t about nile west Of Ia Grange.
somebody had seer us pass near that place
who. We rever learaes*-and our actions
hsd excited suspicion. Word was quickly
ear'led 10 Capt. Lewis. who was stopping
~ tae town with a small force and he i'm
,aeaiafe'y started IN ng-sait ef US He fol-
nsta US 90 closely that he easily discoy-
s,ea enT hiding place. Before going 20
.'tF carnion and | talked for quite a