The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-06-11

/! johnson SclcCtPut tlC iiNbio. ''..As..''ea
! ground on The plantation. putting 1t be- be-
| tween two freshly made graves. soon
after which he returned to his home IN
Alexandria (?) In July he returned.
when the question Of what disposition
should be made of this fund was SER.
otisly considered. 1t was conceded that
possession did not give eithorEo OF US y
legal claim. but on tho other mana, tncle
were other Confedcrates who hau
much stronger equitable claim 10 1t than
either OF us. No one else had any knowi-
edge OF the facts connected with our
charge. nevertheless. 1t was deemed best
that we should make no revelations, eX-
cent that he should write to General Jo-
seph e. Johnston, n personal trent u' Nv
/ might consult Colonel LarKln oiliith'
my next door neighbor. and an OLD army
officer who had been chiet ot VIZ W.
In kind Of c. S. a.
n, ina meantime nothing had been
heard from any OF the other parties who
had been entrusted with the remainder OF
this fund, to-wit., $4,000, except captain
Taylor who made his way down to Sa,
yannah, from whence he skipped AROUND
70 New york, where the temptation 10
omen this treasure and get some relel
from his burden was SO great that ne
Yielded, and being imprudent IN some
of his expenditures, the suspicion OF
tho United States detectives was arous.
I'd he was, therefore, arrested ana sent
10 the old Capitol Prison. Washington,
y g.. taking from him some s., 900, found
Aon his person.
This made great reticencc necessary on
our mart. Major johnson finding his
hoard safe and sound returned to Alex
andrIa to conduct his correspondence.
General Johnston. who, like all other
old army officers, had been debarred by
the amnesty proclamation OF Frcsident
Johnston from holding any office and LETT
to be dealt with by the Reconstruction
Congress, was In a most impecunious
condition He took ground that this
FUND belonged to the Confederate gov
eminent, and, rs such, should be paid out
pro rata to old army officers who were
In arrears in their payments for SER
vices rendered and had no means OF
support Colonel Larkin Smith agreed
with General Johnston: but the dift1cul-
ties which cnvironed the, situation We're
so great that both Major johnson and
myself declined TO take the responsibility
OF acting in the premises. Hence It was
concluded, upon further conference, to
write General r. T.. Lee and hear what
he had to say on the subject. General
Lee replied very promptly that under
the laws OF war. 5this fund came under.
the head of captured and abandoned
property, and, as such, belonged to the
United States Government, and should be
turned over accordingly" This seemed to
both Major Johnson and myself tho
most rational solution of the difficulties
| which environed us. and was acuuiesccd
| in by Colonel Smith and General john
ston.
must confess, however, that when
this conclusion was reached, other friends
to whom we communicated our dctermin-
alton expressed great indignation, md
made, all kinds of propositions, which
would relieve personal risk; but. having
consulted General Lee, we regarded his
opinion as conclusive. Sff
Accordingly Major Johnson returned to
MossIngford and we provided to dig UP
our hoard, finding 1t intact; we took It
down to Richmond and turned It over to
General Patrick provost marshal, military
district No. l., headquarters in the Bal
lard House. we went into his office.
stated our cnse. counted out to him $50
twenty-d dollar gold pieces, and asked for
| a receipt. Ha remarked. withasome sur
| prise expressed IN his countenance;a,You
| gentlemen must have Como to consldera-
Bile expense and trouble in. coming for
| this money; do you claim nothing for
| your scrvices?"g Major Johnson replied
| Nhat In going back and forth from MOS
| $50" This wns accordingly counted out
| to him. remarked that Major John
| son was my superior officer: that tho
! trouble and expense fell mainly upon
him, and that I did not feel that my
| claim was so great as that of many
other Confedorntcs, who had made great
or sacrifices for our cause and country.
I, therefore, declined any compensation
for my services.
Some years after the war 7 had tho
pleasure OF meeting Miss Mildred Lee
(, at the White Sulphur Springs w. Va,
| and related 20 her the facts and circum-
stances attending this transaction. She
/ listened with great interest, and re-
marked without hesitation that General
Lee made a mistake, Every cent of
| that money should have been turned
over to the widows and orphans of Con-
federate soldiers"
Sic transit gloria rundi.
RICHARD v. GAINES,
Mossingford, Va, 1905.