The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-01
LINCOLN'S LAST PARDON.
SAID ALSO TO HAVE BEBS HIS LAST
oFFTCI4L ACT.
A Man Now Living Who Was Glad TO Profit
by 1.-THE Paper Signed an Hour Before
the Fatal shot Was Fired-The Story OF
George s. u. vaughan, Confedernte Spy.

by 1.-THE Paper signed an Hour Betor
the Fntal Shot Was Fired-The Story o
George $. Il. Vaughan, Confederate Spy
From ne Chicago Daily Tribune.
The last official act performed by Abraham
Lincoln as President Of the United States wa
the signing of the pardon of George B. \
Vaughan. under sentence of death. charged
with being a Confederate spy. Mr.. Vaughan
now an old and broken man, lives In Mary
vile. Mo. The story OF his arrest, sentence
TO death and final pardon an hour before Lin
coin was shot by J. Wilkes Booth is one OF tn
most interesting Of the unpublished chapter
Of the civil war.
Before the war George s. Z. Vaughan livet
In Canton. Lewis county. Mo-. He had q wife
and seven children and was one Of the most
prominent men of the village. One of=hls
most intimate friends was Mark +. Green,
who had already begun to attain prominence
as n Democrat Of the ro-slavery type. and who
afterward became a Major ener al in the Con-
federate Army. On the outbreak OF hostilities
Green raised a Confederate regiment and re-
ceivod a commission as Colonel from the
Southern government. The Vaughan family.
like many others. was divided on the question
OF the war. George enlisted in Green's regi-
mant and his brother Allmon. who was a Cap
tain in the State Guards. stuck to the, Union.
George Vaughan followed Green Through
Oub ~ HliooOuil CauIphlkD. I'LL vi NIO III
Eagements in which he participated was tho
battle OF Athens. Here the historians state
ment that brother R~rappled with brother
was literally true. for George s. E. Vaughan
followed the banner Of the Copfederacy and on
the other side his brother Allmon was fighting
under the flag of the Union.
After a number of engagements In Mis-
souri,. among them the b attic OF Wilson'S
Creek, where the brave and chivalrous Lyon
fell. Green and his men.swho were with Price
and Van Dorm. were transferred to Arkansas.
After the battle OF Shiloh. In which they par
ticipated. they went south with the other
shattered forces OF the Confederacy and
camped near Tupelo. Miss. where they re-
NAMED inactive for some time.
Vaughan had by this time been made ReRi-
mental Quartermaster, with the rank Of Cap
tain. and continued to enjoy Gen. Green's
confidence and friendship. Green had not
heard for a long time direct from his home.
and was almost entirely unacquaipted with
the progress OF affairs in Missouri. 1t was de-
sirable that he should know'more about them.
and Vaughan was chosen to 20 on the peri
lous mission. Mr.. Vaughan denies that he
came North as a spy. He declares that the
i~naction Of camp life had become distasteful
70 him. and that he was DESTROYS only to see
his v family and to carry messages from
be. it is certain that he started with o knowl-
edge OF the fact that he must go within the
some time Il he was successful in his mission,
It was predicted by his comrades. who knew
T Taef BACK * e alive. but to he CO. started thas h9 to- SG make ee tSe
attempt. He was ACCOMPANIED by a fellow
soldier. George, Yates. whose home was in the
We determined from the first. !" said Mr..
that we would 20 along like ordinary citizens.
that we would talk, as little as possible with
lar as possible avoid meeting people. Until
we reached st. Louis we were in country that
was held by The Confederates, and we reached
outskirts Of the. city we separated. with the
understanding that no matter what happened
Of the other.
II made my way through the city, without
Was W sf iosd{ine WI Rh iehRr Would L IIeaTefla IN a sa shor E t G9ns
R aGT E saarded 81 s. t nj Ih sol S2sIs w Snd I T hsd ed
Avoid eS iedf snspieion euf I psdsd u their Rbsi nlG inss al 1ie S9
permission from the clerk to remain on board
until our departure, and 1 did 80, Before the
a 'mustsche and beard and ID BACKED them Them.
When | carried, my head down my disguise
nized me. In fact. q man from Canton, whom
! had been acquainted with 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 stop there a
short time to take on a small cargo. and when
and quickly disappeared in the darkness. It
was late; nobody was on the streets Of the
being seen, ,I.remained indoors ali day. and
the next ne fa night ntrdlom,oo MOUNTED 6Is my horse and rode
his message to his wife.
most Is made insims my Presence rIendY e k fPo s6w to a a fey " Of my
part Of Missouri. In a few days q Confederate
CAPTAIN, Cannon by name. who had been
me he desired to get back to his command.
and we DECIDED to ;ry, to make our, way back
walking a long. distance we stopped to rest
and sleep in a thicket about a mile west OF La
actions had excited SUSPICION. Word was
quickly carried "a ,pe Ito to a Capt; Lewis. who was
immediately started in pursuit Of us; He fol-
lowed us SO closely that he easily discovered
mon and / talked for quite q while about the
war and its progress. Lewis slipped up near
came satisfied that we were spies. and closed
In ON us with his soldiers and made US pris-
The next, day Union soldiers were sent from
biaee and ! iSdEs;d IN iafi' TT' was 'f ioeFed d in sG an
with Carmen at that time. 1 learned after
ward that he was kent in custody for a year.
for 1 feared the worst. My, fears were not
hltlRdleu DN bne ITlSOneTS below. VINO IN
ne through a hole in the floor that the
cell l occupied was the one in which con-
demned prisoners were confined. and that from
i ten men had been taken only a few days be-
fore and shot.
After a few days confinement in Palmyra
was transferred to st. Louis. There | was
tried by court martial and sentenced to be
as a SPY. Ny brother A!llmon. who was
had already learned Of my trouble through
letters from my wife. and he had written TO
3. Henderson. who had Just been elected
States Senator from Missouri. laying
ease before him and urging him to do
he could to save me. On receiving
my, brothers letter Senator Henderson went
10 Secretary. stanton and laid the entire mat
ter before. him. Stanton promised 10 make a
investigation. but after making it he
decided that / must die. Henderson went to
him again and begged. expostulated. and ar:
with him, but Stanton would be moved
neither by e~ntreaty nor argument. | had
been guilty OF serving as n spy. he said. and /
must die. according TO the laws Of war.
Finding stanton immovqble. Henderson
appeal led TO Lincoln. He explained TO him the
:~ituation, and. after looking through the pa
pers in the case; Lincoln sent word TO the See
retary OF War thai he must order a new trial
me. The Secretary issued the necessary