Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-12-01

state library. was one Tor MliDfluSe,
which was shipped. Wednesday.
There is one place in the State
House which is 4 SOFT of common
ground, where people who are en-
ployed within the building, heads of
departments. and ALL meet. occasion
ally to have a smoke, and Incidentally
to discuss the topics of the day. as
we'll as now and then. to swap yarns
The place is just beyond the north side
of the rotunda. next to the employees
room. and is really the most demo-
cratic spot in the whole building.
1t often happens that the VISITOR
can find here. one or more OF the state
House people. enjoying breathing
spell and it often happens. too. that
the visitor can hear that which VIII
interest him. by listening. And 1t is
seldom that he will be looked upon as
an intruder. for the talk that goes on
here is never of a confidential nature
there are too many constantly pass
ing through the room for that
1t happened. yesterday morning. that
two of the department people were
having a quiet chat, presumably ABOUT
the nominations of the day before. ana
the one that is expected to be made III
the near future. and also too. or the
Tuesday night caucus at Guy man,
when Il third party entered. rms ad-
dition to the group had in his possess
sion an Old bill that was issued away
back in the days Of State banks, ana
upon showing it to the other two one
of them remarked that it reminded him
,t Of ha old l|nnfptprafe DIS, tlS
if was printed only on one side.
Roth of the two who had been talk
ing over matters before the visitor en-
tered were Grand Army men. ana the
mention of Confederate money re-
minded one of them of an experience
which had been his during the early
bart of his army life. 1t was at the
first battle of Bull Run that it hap
pened. He with five comrades. was
carving a wounded man in blanket
between them. but before they could
get to the rear with their burden, they
| got between the lines of the two ar
mics. They had left their guns. ana
| he. with another man. started out 10
get some guns for the party.
| While they We're gone, the other TOUR
men were captured. but the two es-
capped. and it was not until after the
war that they saw their comrades
again. The captured men were taken
to Libby prison. and shared in common
the lot which befel many other men
from Maine regiments. as well as
those from other states.
| 1t happened that one of the captured
men was from Milo, and member or
Co. d, I'd Maine. This man was
something of an artist, and while lying
in prison it occurred to him that ne
could make some of the Confederate
money which was in circulation. Some
of the bills were very crude in design
and execution. and were printed on
rough paper made from green cotton
The man cOntrived to secure some OIL
the paper mentioned, and set at work
with the result that he executed some
very presentable bills.
With some of the bills. he succeeded
in bribing the guard to get him such
materials as he wanted, and soon eS-
tablished himself as a regular bank
note company. with capital stock OF
whatever amount he was able to pro-
duce. In this way he was able to Sc
cure for himself and some of his fellow
prisoners things that other prisoners
who did not have access to the bank
were obliged to do without.
This banking business. however
came very near resulting disastrOusly
for him. although it taught him les
son. 1t seems that the guards at the
prison had orders to shoot any mar
whose face they saw at the windows
and one dark day. when the money
: maker unconsciously moved near the