The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-03-23
ACTION AGAINST
BOGUS CROSSES
BY CONFEDERATE VETERANS
WILL PROBABLY BE MADE GEN.
ERAL THROUGHOUT GEORGIA.

Action of Atlanta Camp Heartily
Endorsed by Savannah Veterans.
Gen. McGInshan Advocates Yearly
Publication of Names of Veterans
in Each District Entitled to Wear
the Cross of Honor-This Would
Expose Fraudulent Holders One
Reported to Have Been Found ON
Negro.
Confederate Veterans here are great
ly interested in any movement which
may be made to stop the sending of
bogus Confederate crosses of honor to
the South.
The announcement that the Atlanta
camp had Indignantly denounced this
practice has had the effect of calling
the matter to the attention of the Sa-
vannah Veterans, and both camps will
probably take action at their next meet
ings.
The Confederate cross of honor is Of
a die which can be easily duplicated.
1t has recently come to light that par
ties in the North are making bogus
crosses, and sending them into the
South. Here they are offered for sale
to any who wish them, and it is stated
that many of them have found their
way into Georgia. None have yet
been discovered in Savannah, though
1t is regarded as only a matter of time
when they will reach here.
The matter is one which it will be
hard to combat. A united fight will
be made against it by the Veterans,
Sons of Veterans, and Daughters of
the Confederacy. The value of the
cross is purely due to what it repre-
sents, and if conditions are such that
any one can obtain them, this value is
destroyed and the distinctive mark of
honor given to a Confederate soldier
is practically lost.
Advocates Publishing Names.
In speaking of the matter yesterday
Gen. P. A. S. McGlashan suggested a
plan, which if generally followed,
pressing the bogus crosses. The plan
as suggested by Gen. McGlashan is as
follows:
las the matter Is very hard one
to fight, and as our condemnation of
the practice would have little or no
effect with those manufacturing them,
there is but one way in which 1 think
the matter can be fought effectively
I believe that the names of those en-
titled to wear the cross of honor
should be published each year in each
district.
THE districts are comparatively
small, and nearly every person who
is a resident of the district would
know the great majority of those
whose names were published. In this
way the man who wore cross when
he was not entitled to it would be
at once pointed out as a fraud, and
sentiment would compel him to cease
wearing the badge In this way the
sale of the crosses would in time be
effectively stopped and the Northern
parties would at once cease manu-
featuring them.
Il have seen none of the crosses
in Savannah, though If they are being
made it is only a question of time
when they will get here. I will call
the matter to the attention of my
own camp at the next meeting and
probably shall ask every camp in my
division to act on the matter | shall
also officially notify the Daughters that
the crosses are being made and sold"
One Found on a Negro.
prominent member of McLaws
Camp of Veterans stated that he had
known the bogus crosses were being
manufactured and sold before the ac-
ton Of the Atlanta camp was taken. In
his opinion a. vigorous warfare against
them is the only way in which the
counterfeits can be stamped out:
Though I know of none of the bogus
crosses reaching Savannah" he said,
yet do know that one was found not
far from here on a negro. At first it
was thought that the negro had stolen
the cross, but a closer examination
showed that the badge was a counter
felt.
II can most heartily indorse the ac-
ton of the Atlanta camp in denounc-
ing this practice, begun by persons
swayed only by a commercial interest.
1 think that our camp will take SINH
lar action at is next meeting. If we
are determined 1 am confident that we
can stamp the practice out"
AS stated in the Morning News yes
terday the matter was called to the
attention of the Atlanta camp by Mrs.
s. E. Mabbett custodian of the Confed-
crate cross of horror. The action of
the Atlanta veterans met with general
approval and hearty Endorsement by
Savannah Confederates.