Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-02-19
NEGATIVES
OF THE CIVIL WAR
ARE GENUINE
Outcome of Law Suit Vindica-
ton Of Authenticity of Won
derfuI Photographs Of Lincoln
and Other War Heroes,

Especial Dispatch to the Morning Journail
Washington, d. c., Feb. 1.-THE
of original negatives taken during the
civil war. by Mathew Brady and
Alexander Gardner, under the author
lily of the government and the protec-
ltion of the secret service, came to an
abrupt end today.
The suit, which has been several
years In progress. has involved several
hundred witnesses. including the state
ments of prominent army officials. af-
fidavits of old soldiers. and VAR de-
APARTMENT records; in fact. dates back
Ito 1861.
Allan Pinkerton, founder of the Pin
kerton detective agency, and first
chief of the secret service, and known
throughout the civil wal under the
alias of Major Allan authorized
Brady and Gardner, two of the first
Operators in outside wet plate photog-
raphy, to enter the lines of the union
army and take Photographic negatives
of Notifications, encampments and
army movements. Proofs were de-
posited with the government, while
Original negatives remained the prop
erty of the photographers, who stored
them in warehouses.
Four years ago. Edward b. Eaton. a
prominent antiquarian Of Hartford,
Conn, came to Washington with a bill
of sale transferring the title of 1000
of these valuable negatives to his own
ership. The property, which was
stored in the warehouse at $50 r.
Street, n. w. was delivered into his
possession n the historic negatives
were removed to Hartford and placed
~ a vault.
The recovery of the negatives
created wide interest throughout the
Grand Army of the Republic and dur
ling the discussion, DIR. II. G.. McClurg
Iof Davenport, Iowa, denounced the
~authenticity of the negatives, stating
emphatically that wet plate photog-
raphy was not sufficiently developed
during 1S61-65 to take these remark
able negatives. The Davenport DEM
ocrat and Leader published this state
ment. which resulted in a suit being
brought against that newspaper for
$4,000 libel and damages, by Mr..
Eaton. Attorneys Clark and Elutchin-
son of Des Moines representing the
plaintiff, n Lane and Waterman of
Davenport the defendants.
The evidence II a developed proved
q revelation. Negatives were produced
showing President Lincoln On the bat
tlefield of Antietam with Allan PIN
kerton, in the tent with General Me-
lClcllan. and in conference with Off
GERS of the army. II was q decided
sensation In Grand Army circles When
negatives were produced showing the
interior of Andersonville prison and
the hanging of Wirtz, the prison
keeper, at Washington, including neg
atlves of Mrs. Surrat n the Lincoln
conspirators hanging on the gallows.
Records in the war department were
introduced to prove their authenticity.
together with n congressional enact-l
ment in which it was shown that
Brady was paid s27,S0O for taking the
negatives.
Record was shown in which Presi-
dent Garfield once spoke. of the neg
atives as worth $3.50. 900 and in which
General Grant considered them inval-
liable as historical witnesses of the
great war.
Statements indorslng the negatives
were filed from Hon. Robert Shaw
lOliver. acting secretary of war; Gen.
eral $. 5. Burdette, past commander
in-chief q. a. r.; Librarian Cheney of
the war department; DIR. Edward s.
Holden, librarian at West Point Mill
tary academy; Admiral George Dewey. |
Brigadier General George II. Harris,
Bishop Samuel III. Fallows, Hon. Gif-
ford Pinchot. General John C. Black.
Major General Thomas w. Scott,
Clara Barton and many others distin-
guishod in civil war service.
william a. Pinkerton of the Pin
korton agency at Chicago. states: Il
was on the ground at the time most of
these negatives were made. from '61
until the close of the war. / was then
q boy, ranging from II to 81 years.
of age. / remember distinctly that
Alexander Gardner was in the employ
of Brady, the photographer, until
carly in 1862. At that time he sew
cred his connection with Brady and
went into the employ of the United
States secret service under my father,
Allan Pinkerton. Alexander Gardner
accompanied McClellan's army on the
march up the peninsula, carrying with
him a wagon especially prepared for
developing negatives
Veteran G.. w. Reynolds of Company
]. Ninety-second regiment, Illinois
Mounted infantry, who was n prisoer
at A~ndersonville. makes this state
ment: Il was a prisoner of wal at
that place the whole of the summer of
1864 and / well remember seeing "a
photographer with his camera in one
of the sentry boxes near the south
gate during July or August. trying to
take a picture of the interior of the
prison. The pictures which you eX-
hibit show plainly that they were I
taken i'm a sentry box on the east line
of the stockade. south of the swamp,
when the negatives We're taken for the
south section: and In the sentry box
on the south side when the negative
was taken which shows the dead line
and the abode of the boys on the side
hill. and the little rise Of ground in
the swamp that so many Of the old
prisoners will readily recognize
Francis Trevelyan Miller. founder
and editor-in-chief of the Journal OF
American History, in an historical in
x~fcftnn ttE. Of HhaCa namnffaa- azTn
their authenticity conclusively and
states that they are not only the
greatest records in American history.
but probably the first negatives ever
taken in war.
The c0rroborativc evidence from all
parts Of the country became so over
wbelmlng that today tho attorneys
for the plaintiff announced that the
defendants had admitted their error.
Iisslad a claar. frank statement OF fheil