Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1912-06-07

ana MS claim against the gov
II ernmeH is Que of those won
derful recitals which are
stranger than fiction. The claim bas
been before congress since 1874. At
first ii was the claim of Joseph II.
Maddox He died and IL was then
presented for Laura +. Maddox. his
widow. She died. and the claim is
now pending for the legal representa-
tives of Maddox. Ii has been the sub
ject OF thirteen different reports IN
senate and house. eleven times favor
able and twice adverse. The bill once
passed both houses Of congress. but
was vetoed by President Cleveland
The Maddox claim involves Presi-
dent Lincoln. Secretary Fessenden,
Secretary Seward. Secretary Stanton.
Charles A. Dana. General Grant. Cen
eral Butler. Judge Advocate General
Holt OF the Union interest, President
Davis, Secretaries Randolph and Sed-
don and number of officials of the
Confederacy. many army officers. treas
ury officers and others who were well
known during the civil war. With his
name on the records of several de
partments Of the United States and in
the Confederate archives. with a vast
amount of documentary evidence, 1t
has not yet been determined whether
Maddox was loyal Union man and a
valuable spy, whether he was true to
Dixie and spy within the Union lines
or whether he was q shrewd trader us
ing two governments to make a vast
fortune.
Maddox. according to his own state
ment was born in Georgetown. d. c..
and was about thlrty-thrce years old
when the war began. Just previous to
the war he bought farm on the banks
of the Potomac in st. Mary's county.
Md He was at one time editor Of the
New Orleans Crescent and had also
lived in Virginia. He acknowledged
that his sympathes We're with the
south at the beginning of the war, but
that he opposed secession. Previous TO
the battle of Bull Run he was In Rich
mond and soon after returned to the
north side of the Potomac. In 1861 he
was arrested for disloyalty and con
fined at Fort Warren but was subse
Quently released and soon after agaii
went to Richmond. He had pass
from Secretary Seward countersigned
by General Mcclellan. He said he
went on business for Mcclellan and &C
compllshed what he went for.
After one of his visits TO Richmond
he called on Colonel j. L. McPhail. pro
vost marshal for Maryland. and con
WINGED that officer that he could obtain
valuable information about the Con
federacy. and through McPhaifs infu-
ence he became connected with the
government service, bur was never in
the government pay. He became
trader in products of the south. carry
ing goods from the Union side into the
Confederacy and purchasing tobacco,
turpentine and resin, which he brought
through the Union lines. disposing of
his wares south and north at a large
profit. He traded upon Confederacy
currency and, in fact. was doing a very
extensive business. His last venture
and the one upon which his claim is
based was in 1865. Through agents in
Richmond he bought 1902 boxes of to-
baceo, paying for it $l,021, 9445O in
Confederate money. This tobacco. un.
der orders Of General Grant. was cap
tured near fredericksburg, Il large por-
ton burned and the remainder TAX
en- and distributed TO the colored troops.