The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1908-05-21

pleased with him until his wrongs were
finally brought before President Lin
coin by Senator Charles Sumner.
In war time Mr.. Smith was a Boston
hardware merchant, with his brother,
Benjamin H. Smith, under the firm
name of Smith Bros. & Co., doing busi-
ness in Federal street.
The firm sought contracts with the
government, large and constant pur-
chaser of all kinds of war material.
Franklin W. Smith made a study of
the laws which related to dealing with
the national authorities, and also de-
voted some time to studying the prac-
tical details Of furnishing war ma
terials. He discovered many defects in
the laws, which admitted of a multi
tude of leaks" and that the govern
ment was being defrauded by greedy
contractors.
Through Daniel w. Gooch, then in
congress from the old Fifth district,
and other influential men, Mr. Smith
was instrumental In strengthening the
laws which regulated these govern
ment contracts. Herein was the be-
ginning of his persecution.
The contractors declared war to the
knife against this Boston man who
had dared to thus interfere with them.
When Smith Bros. & Co. became
purveyors to the navy department, the
firms operations were watched by hos
tile eyes from various points.
In June, 1864, in the matter of some
contracts for Banca tin, when Revely
tin was delivered the contractors
thought they had case against their
enemy, and legal proceedings for pros
ecution were Immediately begun.
The Smith brothers were arrested at
their store, and in default of bonds
were taken to Fort Warren, Boston
harbor, where only the most important
offenders, political or otherwise, were
supposed to be incarcerated.
Before United States Commissioner
Col. Olcott many Boston merchants
were obliged to appear and testify re-
garding their relations with the Smith
brothers. The result was highly COM
mandatory of the implicated firm.
The contractors were strong enough,
however, though foiled in the prelimi.
nary inquiry, to secure a court-martial
to try F. W. Smith at the Charlestown
navy yard. Assistant Secretary Of the
Navy Fox telegraphed to Boston that
the bail must be fixed at $500, 900. AL.
exander H. Rice, then in congress, and
a warm friend of Mr.. Smith, teee-
graphed at once to Secretary Webs
that $1,000,000 would be given the next
day, and that afternoon procured from
the bankers and merchants of Boston
subscriptions to the amount of $3.50. 900
for that purpose. Next day Mr.. Fox
telegraphed to Boston that only $2O.-
600 would be expected as bail.
The court-martial trial was probably
the most interesting of the war. The
press of Boston and of New York, and
the business men of both cities indi-
vidually and in their organizations,
supported Mr.. Smith throughout. He
also had the sympathy of all the Re
publican leaders of Massachusetts, and
notably of Sumner, who with the en-
tire Massachusetts, delegation prayed
President Lincoln to transfer the case
to the United States courts. The presi-
dent assured them that he would see
no injustice done, and would act at the
right time.
Meanwhile the court-martial was
organized to convict" to quote semi
official utterance of the time.
The chief of one of the navy depart
ment bureaus wrote in letter which
was brought out in the trial Smith |
was "a dead cock in the pit" from the
start.
The court-martial assembled at the
Charlestown navy yard September 20,
1864. The testimony was concluded
On December 1s. The arguments were
finished on January II. 1865, after
Sitting Of 70 days. !