The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1911-02-03
A Spy Of President
Lincoln
BY DONALD CtIAMBERLlN
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

strangest feature Of the spy system
is that the more delicate woman should
have done her share in it.
One day q girl about twenty-four
years old went to Allan Pinkerton,
who was at the head of the United
States secret service bureau, and told
him that she had lived at Richmond,
the capital of the Confederacy, and
was supposed to be a secessionist She
proposed to go there, intending to offer
her services to the Confederate gov
eminent, to return to Washington and
take back information to Richmond.
In other words, by pretending to be
in the Confederate service she hoped
to get information of their intentions
or condition for the Federal govern
ment. She said her object was TO
make money to lift her sick mother
out of poverty.
Pinkerton set several traps for her
In order to test her fidelity to the
Federal cause and, having satisfied
himself of 1t, sent her to Mr.. Lincoln.
This was in 1864, when the struggle
| WAS uEdWluB W u NiooN. NS
Mr. Lincoln gave her to do was to DIS
cover what commissary stores were In
Richmond and what further supplies
could be obtained.
Kate Beale went to Richmond, going
through the lines without much
trouble. Her accent, which she had
acquired in the south, was distinctly
southern and great help to her. she
wormed herself into the confidence OF
the wife of an important officer In the
Confederate commissary department
and asked him If there was not some
plan by which she could assist south
ern sympathizers in the north IN
running eatables into the south. he
told her there were only two ways
nv blockade running and by getting
vessel to some spot of southern terri
tory unmatched by northern troops.
She proposed to start an expedition
on the last named plan.
She was taken to President DAVIS
and TO the commissary general. she
told them that she knew southern men
IN Baltimore who would run supplies
through If sure they would be met
Inv southern force. After much dis
cussion a point was named where sup
plies might be landed.
During these discussions the spy
learned that If Grant succeeded IN
taking Petersburg, all supplies pelhg
cut off from the south, the troops and
people of Richmond had almost no
provisions whatever to rely upon. Inc
surrender must follow very soon.
Having gained the information she
wished for, Miss Beale made her prep
arations to return to washington
The day before she intended TO SCI
ont she was met on the street by q
man-one Of the many washington
southern sympathizers-who was car
rving information to Richmond ahe
who had seen her not long before com
ing ont of Allan Pinkerton's office. H'
looked at her with pair OF steel gra.
ewes under bushy eyebrows and VIII
more than ordinary interest. she dl'
not remember ever having seen hln
before, but considering her mission sh
felt sure she was In danger.
She pretended not to notlce th'
mans interest in her. Walking on, Du
without turning to see If he tolio"e
her. she spied an empty CAP. bechol
inp to the driver, he pulled up at I'll
curb. and she entered, telling MIN
drive her to the presidential mansion
AS she was driven away she saw III
man still looking at her, but preteh'
inc NOT TO notice her When she stol
nod at the presidents home and ahgn
ed the man came hurrylng up 81
went in and asked for Mr.. DAVIS. Il
was husy at the time; but, having wal
cd ovhile to see him, she went ava
When she passed out OF the uooI !. !,
man with the bushy eyebrows hau u
appeared. Apparently her DUH gan
had succeeded.
Rut she dare not remain in Rlc
mond a minute longer. MOI CARING
90 directly northward, she conciuu
70 FIRST 90 south and told the cabm
TO drive her to the battlenelds III
had been fought on by Lee ana N
CleIlan two years before, and, arrlVl
there, she dismissed him.
Hiring vehicles where she cou
walking where she could not NJ
them. sometimes floating In stol
hoot on the James river, she at Ii
reached Fortress Munroe, In poss
sion of the Federal forces. There
found naval transport about to lea
for the north and, reaching New 70
fool, n train for Washington.
When the name Of Kate Beale v
taken up to Mr.. Lincoln he muttere'
"thank God" and directed that
should be Immediately conducted
him. When she entered une ~
where he was and he arose to 81
her it seemed to her that his tall Ii
Azure would never cease rising.
tool, both her hands in his, and his
nrossive ewes told her how relieved
was to see her.
81 have important news for you,
lincoln" she said, and she toiu
what she had learned.
II was but a month after that
Grant took Petersburg and the
federacy collapsed.
Kate Beale was paid large
from the secret service fund.- '
which she ministered to her moth
wants She said afterward that
work was so fascinating that mad
war continued longer she would
made another trip.
The Arrow of St. Edmund.
The legend of the death OF ST
munI was curiously corroDor'
after lapse of eight centuries
r+ory goes that the martyr was