The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-14
Lincoln Conspiracy and
It's ConSpirdtOrsa.asa.as
copyrighted, 1902. by The Baltimore Americana


trate. and on Oct IS Col. G. st. Leger Gren-
fell. Mudd. spangler. OLaughlin and my
self were removed to these selected quarters
and herded together like so many cattle
The doors for the first few days were al
ways kept closed. with an armed sentinel
walking to and fro from his seat. closely
guarding against any approach to our quar-
tiers.
Soon leg irons were introduced, and each
ironed. with the exception of myself. they
remaining off me because L was engaged
IN writing for some OF the officers at post
headquarters. When the instructions con-
tanned I'm General Newton's communication
OF Sept. had been looked into the ring
leaders OF the plot ferreted out and placed
IN irons, the commanding officer, to prove
how willingly the duty of his superior. but
likewise of himself, had been performed,
penned the following communication to the
War Department.:
Headquarters. Fort Jefferson. Fla,
"Oct. 90 1866.
"Brevet Lieut.. Col. Samuel Brock, Assistant
AdJutant General:
"Colonel-I have the honor to report that
when relieved Major Willis f; craig; one
Observation-Disclosures New York Volun-
teers. OF the command OF this post, ne
failed to turn over to me any particular or
der or instructions relative TO the conIine-
ment OF state prisoners at this post, and To-
day for the first time, learned from Briga-
der General Newton, commanding Depart
ment Of Middle Florida, that instructions
had been sent TO the commanding officer OF
this post TO keep them in close confinement,
when not at work. When this post was Wis
tied by Major General Foster, commanding
this month, he gave me instructions TO put
them In close confinement, and L nave ac-
cordingly fitted up DUNGEON TO carry out
tx4es Inst rCffC Hrrf hQd
day known anything In regard TO the or
ders from the War Department. am, sir,
VERY respectfully.
.sYour obedient servant,
"(Signed) GEO Z. WENTWORTH,
major Eighty-second United States Col
ored Infantry, commanding.
AMID May wINDINGS.
What mind amongst those may windings
can unearth the cause of all these secret
Vaccinations. Everything connected so
far as to the cause assigned for the placing
OF US in irons has been refuted by their
own correspondence. We were closely con-
fined, when not at work, in this damp and
iil-ventilated dungeon. prepared by Maj.
George Z. Wentworth for our reception
forced to labor daily. heavily ironed about
our feet, our footsteps closely followed by
an armed guard Cblack), denied intercourse
with everyone upon the island and locked
within our gloomy dungeon at shutdown
This continued unchanged until the ar
rival of the Fifth Artillery, Brig. Gen. Ben
nett II. Hill commanding. The rations is
sued at this time were putrid. unfit to eat,
and during these three months Of confine-
ment lived upon cup Of slop coffee and
the dry, hard crust OF bread. This is no
exaggeration, as many others can testify
to its truthfulness- Coffee was brought
over to our quarters In a dirty, greasy
bucket. always with grease swimming
upon it's surface: bread, rotten fish and
meat. all mixed together, and thus We
were forced to live for months, until star.
walton nearly stared us in the face
When the Fifth Artillery arrived ard we
looked upoA the faces Of men of Our own
color and race. we felt greater security for
our lives. We did not think it possible that
worse men could be found upon the face
OF the earth than most of the officers con-
nected with the Eighty-second United
States Colored Infantry. but we soon found
that we had traded off the witch for the
devil. AS for the enlisted men, or private
soldiers, both white and black, must say
that we were treated by them with the
utmost kindness and consideration. which
shall ever be remembered with the most
grateful feelings.
1t was but a short period before the
hatred Of the officers of the Fifth Artillery
became visible and felt in more instances
than one. Their arrival dated from about
Nov. Is, when General Hill assumed COM
mand OF the post Frequent visitations
were made by them to our quarters without
a word being spoken or a question pro-
pounded. they looking upon us as IL we
were wild beasts and concocting some plan
to degrade and further torture us.
A USELESS PROTEST.
First Lieut.. William Van Reed, adjutant.
being officer OF the day. OLaughlin deter
mined to ask him the cause Of his being
placed in irons. O'Laughlin stated to him
it was not In conformity with the findings
OF the court; that sentence did not call for
such inhuman treatment at the hands of his
jailers; that he had conformed to every
requirement since a prisoner in the hands
OF the government, never violating any rule
governing the command and firmly protest
ing against such barbarous treatment.
Lieutenant Van Reed walked up and down
our quarters In his insignia of rank. and
replied:
Sir your sentence is nothing; we can
do with you and to you just as we please, -
and. without further comment, abruptly left
our quarters.
If a subaltern officer could thus set aside
the findings OF an entire court of officers
also override the modified sentence of the
President of the United States, he possessed
more real power over us than either and
had IL in his assumed power to ignore the
findings Of the court In its entirety. and, II
so desired. could order us on sight to be
taken from our cell and executed in like
manner TO others.
What a parody on Justice! Unless that
long-drawn-out trial. with it's horrors at
tending for months, its findings to be thu:
ignored by subaltern officer in the service
OF the United States. The time was fast APP.
preaching when /, like unto the others. was
TO be made again TO feel the iron heel of the
despot sent to overlook and guard US. II
could be read in the eyes of each officer as
he approached, could be viewed in THEN
many consultations after and during
visit to our quarters, they slyly gazec
from one To the other. after looking upor
my unshackled limbs as yet.
AGAIN PUT IN IRONS.
On Nov. II. 1865. Capt George w Cradle
first lieutenant United States Artillery
came into our quarters accompanied by
tie sergeant of the guard, and i'm a very
gentlemanly manner thus addressed me:
Arnold. 1 have a very painful duty q
Esse n