The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-01-18

day Union soldiers were sent from Pal
myra for us, and we were taken to that
place and lodged in jail. | was locked
in an upstairs cell. / didn't know what
they did with Cannon at that time. l
learned afterward that he was kept in
custody for year, after which he was
given his liberty.
81 walked the floor of my cell all that
night, for feared the worst. Ny fears
we're not mitigated by the prisoners be-
low, who informed me through a hole
In the floor that the cell occupied was
the one in which condemned prisoners
were confined, and that from it ten
men had been taken only few days
before and shot.
"After q few days. confinement in
Palmyra l Was transferred to St, Louis.
There vas tried by court martial and
| sentenced to be shot as a spy. My
brother Allmon, who was then cap
tain in the Union army with Grant,
had already learned of my trouble
through letters from my wife, and he
had written to John b. Henderson,
who had just been elected United
States Senator from Missouri, laying
my case before him and urging him to
do everything he could to save me. On
receiving my brothers. letter Senator
Henderson went to Secretrry Stanton
and laid the entire matter before him.
Stanton promised to make thorough
investigation, but after making it he
decided that l must die. Henderson
went TO him again, and begged, expos
tulated, and argued with him, but
Stanton would be moved neither by
entreaty nor argument. l had been
guilty of serving as a spy, he said, and
l must die, according to the laws OF
war.
"Finding Stanton immovable, Hen
derson appealed to Lincoln. He ex-
planned to him the situation, and, after
| looking through the papers in the case,
Lincoln sent word TO the Secretary of
| War that he must order new trial for
me. The Secretary issued the necessa-
ny orders, and was again tried in St.
Louis, but again sentenced to be shot.
On learning the result of the second
trial, Henderson again took up the
case He went to Stanton and again
the Secretary said he could not inter
vene. Henderson once more appealed
to Lincoln, with the same result as be-
fore.
"My third trial occurred at Alton,
ILL.,, where 1 had been removed after
having had the sentence of death i'm
posed on me the second time. |
thought that this was my last chance
for life, and when l learned that for
the third time court-martial had de-
clared my life forfeited l gave up all
hope. But Senator Henderson's blood
was up now, and he determined to
make last stand. He went directly to
the President. He called his attention
to the fact that the war was practically
over, insisted that, to use his own
words, the pardon would be in the in
terest of peace and conciliation,' and
urged it as a matter of public policy, as
well as a thing in which he (Hender-
SOM had a personal interest. The
President, after hearing him through,
said:
Senator, 60 over to Stanton and
tell him this man must be released
"But Mr.. President Henderson
protested, Il have been to Stanton
twice, and he will do nothing"
"'You 60 and tell Stanton what l
tell you, and believe he will do it,
replied Lincoln. and he added, IF
he doesn't, come back here
Henderson went to the War Secre-
tarys office and Stanton would do no
such thing.
"SenatOr Henderson was in deadly
earnest now, however. The court mar
tial had decided that should be shot
on April 16, 1865, and if anything vas
TO be done it must be done quickly
After supper he went to the White
House. 1t was the evening of April
IA, black letter day in American his.
tory. The President was dressed to &C
to the theater, and was in his office
when the Missouri Senator was shown
in. The Senator related in few words
what had happened. Lincoln thought
pensively few moments; then turning
to his desk he picked up sheet of eff
cial paper, wrote few lines on it anC
: handed it to him. 1t was an order fol
my unconditional release and pardon
and it was the last official paper he evel
: signed. An hour later he was assassi
mated in the theater by Wilkes Booth.
Mr.. Vaughan is now seventy-fvt
years old. Ten yearsago he suffered a
paralytic stroke, and paralysis has since
, confined him TO his house. He has los
entirely the use of his legs and is abl'
to move about his home only by meani
of rolling chair. His mind, in spite
of his debilitated physical condition, il
still bright and clear. Naturally h'
reveres the memory Of Lincoln abov'
) that of all other men. - Chicago
Tribune.