Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-10-17

Fifty years ago today the board of po-
lice commissioners or city of Baltimore
felt the heavy hand OF military power,
for, summoned from their beds in the
small hours Of the night, their houses
being surrounded by soldiers, they were
made prisoners to the United States
Five days previously the chief of police
of the city, or marshal George p. Kane
was taken in like manner.
In the abruptness with which these
officials were deprived of their liberty,
in the dramatice setting of the scene
when the soldiers, marching silently, sur
rounded their houses in the dark, in the
absence of the usual warrant employed
for an arrest in the process of law, ana
in the protests of the prisoners that they
were guilty Of no crime, but were the
victims of unconstitutional and arbitrary
acts on the part Of the government, were
the elements of a situation that might
have belonged to a military play depict
ing some old-world story of conspiracy
and war.
The arrests were an illustration that in
time of war republic, no less than a
monarchy, sometimes exerts its power
on civilians In no gentle way. These
Baltimore officials we're held to be dis
loyal to the government. plotting treason
and preparing to give aid and comfort
to the enemy They were seized as pris-
oners of state, in which condition they
were soon to find that such designa-
ton leaves no ground on which person
bearing it can even secure a definite
statement of what he is accused. Some
may have been unjustly immured. The
very nature of war between people
of the same race and land made their
case the harder
Yet the position OF the government left
| II no choice but to lay hold on all 1t
could of those it deemed secret enemies,
and keep them close until such time as
their power to do mischief was thought
to be gone; and there was also key in
the hands of most of these prisoners,
with which at any time they could open
their PRISONS door-namely, the oath of
allegiance to the l.. S. government.
/ a GEN. SCOTS ORDER
The arrest of the Baltimore police Of
| fcials was authorized on June "a, in an
order from Gen. Scott to Maj. Gen. N. p,
Banks in command of the department
of Annapolis, with headquarters at Fort
McHenry.
The order was delivered to Gen. Banks
/ by a Mr. Snethen of Baltimore, a gem
/ tlemam Of standing" who was men
toned therein as having just given the
secretary of war and Gen. Scott ''im-
portant facts touching the subject of the
union" in Baltimore.
| cit is the crinion of the secretary OF
war, and, ned not add, my own" the
/ order an, 'fha- the blow should be
early struck to carry CONSERVATION, into
The ranks of our numerous enemies
about here. Accordingly, it seems adj
visable that you should take measures
hold the four members of the Baltimore
\ police board, viz. Charles Howard, Will
| liam II. Gatchell, j. w. Davis and c. d.
/ Hincks, Esqs., together with the chief
of police, G. p. Kane.
! General Banks-ex-member of congress-
ex-governor of Massachusetts and at the
beginning OF the war president of the
| Illinois Central railroad-who had re-
ceived his commission on May 16, and
had taken command at Fort McHenry
on June TO- spent three days in investi-
| cation in Baltimore before ordering the
| first of the arrests thus authorized
| ARREST OF MARSHAL KANE.
! About o'clock on the morning of
June % 1900 men were ordered under
arms in Fort McHenry. Forthwith they
were marched into Baltimore, with
loaded muskets and fixed bayonets.
Entering the city, they had gone but
square" says a newspaper dispatch
of the day, when a policeman in his
cool summer uniform ana swinging his
long baton, was observed crossing the
street ahead.
Instantly the head of the column
opened the body stepped on, and the
| policeman found himself swallowed up
and borne along in the resistless adj
vance.
1.-TWO squares ahead another policeman
was discovered. Again the column open
| ed and another was engulfed. BY the
time the column reached the residence
of the marshal, not less than 81 of the
vigilant guardians of the night had thus
been swallowed up"
| The force being detailed to different