The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-02-07

douiuSlOIi. H. -, FeD. g. he Id"
suit over the $4,000 collection of orig
inal negatives taken during the civil
Gardner, under the authority of the
government and the. protection of the
secret service, came to an abrupt end
today.
The suit, which has been several
years in progress, has involved sever
al hundred witnesses, including the
statements of prominent army Off
Gals, affidavits of old soldiers. and war
department records; it's facts date back
to 1861.
Allan PinkertoE, founder of the
Pinkerton Detective agency, and first
chief of the secret service. and known
throughout the civil war under the
alias of Major Allan" authorized Bra
dy and Gardner, two of the first oper.
ators in outside wet plate photography
to enter the lines of the Union army
and take Photographic negatives of
Notifications, encampments, and army
movements. Proofs were deposited
with the government, while original
negatives remained the property 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
ownership. The property. which was
stored in the warehouse at go E street
n. W., was delivered into his posses
sion, and the historic negatives were
removed to Hartford and placed in a
vault
The recovery of the negatives Great
ed wide interest throughout the Grand
Army of the republic and during the
discussion. DR.. H. c. McClurg of Dav-
export, Iowa. denounced the anthem
ITCHY Of the negatives. stating emphat.
ically that wet plate photography was
not sufficiently developed during 1851
% to take these remarkable negatives
The Davenport Democrat and Leader
published this statement. which result
ed in suit being brought agains,
| that paper for $4,000 libel and dam
ages by Mr.. Eaton. Attorneys Clark
and Hutchinson of Des Moines repre-
senting the plaintiff, and Lane and
Waterman of Davenport. the defend
ants.
The evidence that developed proved
a revelation. Negatives were produced
showing President Lincoln on the bat
t!efield of Antietam with Allan Pink
erton. in the tent with General McClel
Ian, and in conference with officers Of
the army. 1t was decided sensation
in grand army circles when negative:
were produced showing the interior o.
Andersonville prison and the hang
ing of Writ, the prison keeper. a
Washington. including negatives o.
Mrs. Surrat and the Lincoln conspira
tors hanging on the gallows.
Records in the war department
were introduced to prove their authen
ITCHY. together with a congressional
enactment in which it was shown tha
Brady was paid Sc7. 500 for taking tn.
negatives.
| Record was shown in which Presi
dent Garfield once spoke Of the mega
tives as worth $4,000 and in which
General Grant considered them invaiu
able as historical witnesses of the grea
war.
! Statements indorsing the negative:
were filed from Hon. Robert Shaw Oil
Yer. acting secretary of war. General s
s. Burdette. past commander-in-chief
, G. A R. Librarian Cheney of the va
department, DR.. Edward S Holden. Ii
brarian at West Point Military Acad
envy, Admiral George Dewey, Brig
Gen. Geo H. ,Harries, Bishop Samue
+. Fellows. Hon. Clifford Pinchot. Gen
John c. Black. Mai. Cen Thos- W
Scott, Clara Barton. and many other:
distinguished in civil war service.
| Francis Trevelyan Miller. founde
and editor-in-chief Of The Journal O
/ American History. in an historical in
vestigation OF these negatives. prove.
their authenticity concIusively ant
states that they are not only creates