The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-01-26
The Shadow
Of Death
What Presidsnt Lincoln
Did While II Hung
Over Him
BY +. A. Mitchell

The following narrative - given ex-
actly as It occurred with scarcely any
filing IN transforming 1t from ordinary
pariance to the story form:
One Of the saddest features Of the
war between the states was the ar.
raging against one another OF the diff
ferent members OF the Same family.
Such cases were more especially to be
found on the border line between the
United States and the Confederacy. In
east Tennessee the prevailing senti-
ment was for the Union. Kentucky
was about equally divided. Maryland
was In favor Of the Confederacy. All
these states, however. were held for
the Union by being occupied by Fed
eraI troops In the early part Of the
war. In Missouri. which was geo.
graphically northern state. the insti-
tuition of slavery had been planted, and
both confederates and Federals waged
war for It's possession, the latter gain
Ing the day during the early part OF
the war.
For years the mutterings of the strife
that was to come were heard In the
land, and for months those who were
farseeing began to fear that 1t was
about to break forth. Then came the
day OF firing on Fort Sumter. and the
people began to range themselves on
the side with which they sympathized-
\ One day two brothers, Allmon and
George Vaughan, babe each other good
by In the town Of Canton, Mo. An
mons sympathies were with the north
In the struggle about to take place,
while Georges were with the south.
II am sorry. George" said Allmon.
sthat you are determined to take the
Confederate side In this contest, but ]
grant that you are honest In your con-
victions. You are to be I'M the Confed-
crate army; shall fight with the Fed
erals. hope that we shall never meet
on the 6eld Of battle"
"And / regret, Allmon, that you win
not be convinced Of the wrong the
northern people are doing the south
and that you win not Join me In de-
Tending her. However. since can't
eonvince you We must part"
"Goodby, George. hops that We
win both come ont OF tho struggle
alive and shall meet again here q our
home. but something tells mo that the
war viii be long one and before that
can be We shall both be exposed to
terrible dangers"
Little did either Of the brothers
foresee the great danger that would
befail one Of them and the efforts to
be made by the other to save him
from q fate worse than death on the
battlefield or under the surgeons
knife. George Vaughan made his way
10 the south. while Allmon was given
position on the stan Of General
Mark e. Green. an old friend Of tho
Vaughan family.
& About ! year after the parting Of
ths brothers George Vaughan de-
termtned to pay . visit to hts home IN
Canton. Being Confederate soldier.
this could only be done secretly.
Diagnosing himself. he passed the
Union lines and reached Canton With
mt hts identity being discovered. He
was received with Joy. mingled with
fear and trembling. BY the members
Of his family. To Mn. GenexaI GrAsn,
on whose husbands star his brother
Alimon was serving. he bore messaxes
from friends In the Confederacy.
Quite likely the lady was : southern
sympathixer. for most Of the women
b the border states were on thu south
ern side, even the wives of Union on
eers not concealing their prefersnee.
When George Vaughan returned
from his visit he was recognized By
one who had known him before tho
breaking out Of the war. and since he
was known to have CONS south 70 en-
list In the Confederate army, and
caught within the Union lines IN dis
guise he was arrested and lodged In
jill ct Palmyra
The record does not state that tho
prisoner was bearing information con-
corning the Union forces or plans to
the southern headers, but 4 = prob
ahls that he was. Having brought
messages to Nrn. Green. Il = quite
likely that he took messages from
her and perhaps TO friends IN the
Confederacy. and II II not unlikely
that there were written messages con-
tanning the contrahand information.
George Vaughan was transferred
from Palmyra to St Louis. where
charge OF being spy WAS prefezrsd-
against him, and q court was cOnven-
ed to try him. Hin defense was that
~ haA e,sNv,e a., han hx%sv.n Ear m stthor