The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1899-01-12
LINCoLN's LAST OFFICIAL ACT
1t Was the Signing Of SEQ. Vaughan $
Pardon, Who NOW Lives in Mis-

!
Abraham Lincoln as president of the
United State was the signing of the
pardon Of George S E. Vaughan.
under sentence OF death, charged
with being a confederate spy. Mr..
Vaughan, nov an old and broken
mae, lives at Msryville.
Before th4 var George S. E.
Faughaa lived Ia Clinton, Lewis
equity, Mo He had a wife aud
several cailIreu and was one of the
| moss pronlnrnt men of the village.
On If his intimate friends was
Mark h Gree, who had already
begun 90 attain prominence as a
pro 'lavery type, AID who afterwards
became "A major general 10 the con-
f-i~'4t- amy. On the outbreak of
no.si.ftiss Green raised a confedsr-
ATE regimen. and received a COM
N issio as colono! from the south
ern government. The Vaughan
family. like many others, was divid-
ed On the question Of the war.
Georges enlisted in Green's regiment
and his brother Allmon, who was a
captain in the Missouri state guards,
stuck to the Union.
After the battle of Shiloh, Green
and Vaughan were in camp at Tu.
pelo, Miss. Green had not heard
for long time direct from home
and was almost entirely unacquaint-
ed with the progress OF affairs in
Missouri. II was desirable that he
should know more about them aud
Vaughan was chosen to 60 on the
perilous mission. Mr.. Vaughan de-
nies that he came north az a spy.
He declares that the inaction of
camp life had become distastefuI to
him and that he was DESTROYS only
to see his own family and to carry
messages from General Green to his
wife.
However that may be, he was cap
tured by union troops near La
Grange, Mo. He WAS tried as a spy
and sentenced to death. Senator
John B. Henderson took up his case
at tbs solicitation of his union
brother and received an order from
the president for new trial. This
resulted in the came verdict. An,
other appeal was made to Lincoln,
a third trial was held and the result
was the same.
Senator Henderson's blood was
up now and he determined to make
last stand. ae went directly to
the president He called kis atten-
ton to the fact that the war was
practically over, insisted that, TO use
his own words, 1.-The pardon would
be in the interest OF peace and con-
Citation" and urged it as a matter
of public policy, as we'll as a thing
in which he (Henderson) had per-
sonal interest. The president, after
hearing him through, said:
SENATOR, 60 over to Stanton and
tell him that this man must be re-
leased
But, Mr.. President" Henderson
protested, Il have been to Stanton
twice and he will do nothing"
"You go and tell Stanton what 1
tell you and l believe he will do it,
replied Lincoln. and" he added,
''if he doesen't, come back here"
Henderson went to the war secrs-
tary's office and that which hs ex-
pectsd took place. Stanton lost his
temper, swore he would do no such
thing and the two gentlemen parted
in al unpleasant frame Of mind.
Senator Henderson was in deadly
earnest now, however. The court
martial had decided that Vaughan
should be shot on April 6, 1865, and
if anything was to be done i: must
be done quickly. After supper he
went TO the white house. Il was
the evening OF April (, black letter
day in American history. The Pres
ident was dressed to go to the thea
ter. and was in his office when the
Missouri senator was shown ia. The
senator related in few words what
haI hnnranaI Lincoln fhn11zh III