Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-12-17
Lincoln Conspiracy
and It's COnspiratOrs.
copyrighted 1902
copyrighted. 1907.

1,cd. 1902
mcigatcd. and through which one man
| lost his life:
Headquarters Fort Jefferson. Fla,
June IL. 1867.
Special Order, No. IS.
EXTRACT.
.. The attention of the officers OF the
post is called to the fact that atrocious
crimes have been committed by prisoners
at CHS post who seem to think that they
cannot be reached by the law In future
every sentinel must use his bayonet and
cartridge. and 10 sentinel who faithfully
tries TO do his duty shall ever see the in
side OF the guardhouse. II prisoner re-
fuses to obey orders the sentinel must
shoot him and then use his bayonet. at the
same time calling for the guard. The re-
| sponsibility for obedience to this order
| vii. be borne by the commanding officer.
Ev order Major George T. Andrews, Com
manding Post,
{Signed) PAUL ROEMER,
Fist Lieutenant. Fifth Artillery, Post
Adjutant.
LIFE WAS HELD CHEAT.
After the issuing of Special Order, Nc.
IS a man had to be very particular ana
careful. as his tenure of life hung upon
slender threads. The sentinel held with
in hi, hands the life Of every individual
over whom he stood guard. 10 crafty
his own feeling of hatred or revenge he
was invested with the power to Kill his
victim under cover of faithful execution
of his duty, assigning cause for his
deed a refusal on the part OF the victim
to comply with orders given Neither IN
a civilized or uncivi1ized country did there
erlanate such an atrocious order. sane
tioning murder.
II was q stigma and disgrace upon
the nation which they represented. l DO
not attach any blame to Major Andrews
in the matter, for, from what heard MN
remark on one occasion, Of which VIII
speak hereafter, he received his orders
from 4 higher source. from Edwin NJ
Stanton. Secretary Of War. Punishment
Of severity soon became the order of the
DAY. Trivial offenses were soon punished
bv The CARRYING of a 1ls-pound cannon
bal from one place to another and back
again. through which many men became
injured.
MURDER! MURDER!
AS their feet touched upon the landing
GrenfelIS head was raised from beneath
the water for him to catch momen S
breath. AS they raised his head there
Murder. MURDER His piercing cry
alarmed the ladies, and with quickenlng
footsteps they hastened to the fort, their
haI placed over their ears to drown
the horrible cries of murder
Soon were his cries stif1ed as his head
again sank beneath the water, and when
raised UP al gain to catch breath his voice
was stifed. They had nearly completed
their inhu1nan deed. there being but little
l.F a,9d death
insensible condition he was hauled upon
the deck of the scow, unable TO speak,
respiration scarcely percephble, the pic
ture OF death itself.
Whilst lying in this condition. lieu
tenant kicked him in the side. and. accom-
panied by the other officers, left Grentell
in charge of the guard. AS they neared
the sally-port, convers!ng. the lieutenant
remarked that he would either make Gren-
fell work or he would kill him.
viewed the whole proceeding from the
casemate widow adjoining our quarters,
iii which We We're permitted to remain
during the hours of the day. This case
mate was the one joining that directly
over the sally-port, from which the whole
front of the fort facing seaward was 7'isl-
bic, and in direct line to the wharf,
where the transaction described took
place / afterward conversed with the
soldiers who were compelled to perform
this piece of intuman duty, gaining from
them sufficient information to corroborate
the evidence of my own eyes.
NOT EINDICT1VE.
They may attempt to stamp my rendi-
ton as false. as has been done in occur
rences Of similar purport, but outside Of
those personally connected in it, the truth
Of my assertions can be substantiated by
respectable and competent witnesses. if
at present living. These pages contain
nothing but truth throughout. They have
not been written through any vindictive-
ness or malice on my part but only to
show the inhuma mites practiced upon the
island at that time, which were degrad-
ing and most diShonnrahle of men in a
civilized country.
In a short time Grenfell, his footsteps
tottering was conducted to his quarters,
supported on either side by a sentinel. He
was then placed in cell. addressed by
the soldiers. where he remained during
the day sick almost unto death from the
large quantity of salt wafer swallowed
during the drowning process resorted to.
From this period he remained in his cell.
A few months afterwards all the officers
with the exception OF one, were transfer
red to other posts, new officers taking
their their places.
Tile barbarous acts of cruelty were
never 10 such an extent resorted to there
after. Major Valentine III. Store arrived
at the post sometime in May, 1851. and
assumed command He was 4 strict dis
ciplinarian, and caused the officers to
stand up to the required regulations guild
ing the army. He was not only strict as
to the enlisted men, but likewise to the
officers causing each to perform regular
ly his required durieS. He was not only
soldier, but also a gentleman of noble
type, honorable and humane. His treat
ment both of US and Grenfell was very
kind. He was the same to each anu all
who conformed TO the rules laid down,
Furnishing no one through hatred or preiu-
dice.
AN ACT OF VIOLENCE.
Any violation of the rules was severely
punished, no matter by whom, he being
no respecter of persons. During the pc
Rod of his command, which was Of short
duration, everything progressed most ia
vorably in the garrison. only one case
calling for stringent measures to Re re
sorted to- George Z. Jackson. assistant
military store keeper, was assaulted by a
prisoner named James Orr. Orr was one
of the gang OF a working party at that
time unloading lumber from a schooner
lying at the wharf. 1t was hot, as was
the general case on the island. but the
men as well as the soldiers had performed |
the task faithfully.
1 Will now state the remark Major An