Year: 1862

States government as one of It's State D isons
It is apprOpos of the case Of those prisoner


who were lately sent there, on the charge 0
dabbing in the business of providing substitutes


for drafted recruits:


The substitute agents were taken separately


as they were arrested, 20 Provost Marshal Ken


nedy, and inquired Of him for what cause they


were brought before him. He ssid that he haC


orders from the War Department to arrest them


In answer to questions, he stated that be was


rot allowed to receive bail, but that they would


probably have to go to Fort Lafayette. They


were detained in the station house with Other


prisoners, and were subsequently sent 10 the


fifteenth precinct station house. They had q


large room here containing three chairs and q


couple of tables, but no beds or bedding. They


had to supply themselves with bed and board


the first night. The next day they sent JONI


note 10 Marshal Kennedy and in answer be


made arrangements to have them supplied with


beds They were kept there confined until


Monday, having been arrested on the Wedne5-


day previous, August27.


On Monday morning the order came that the


provost marshal wished to see them. On aTri-


wing there they were told to prepare to be taken
away III an omnibus. Que of them inquired II


they were TO return there again, and was an
swered in the Negative. They suggested then


that they had better take their baggage with


them, and .he policemen advised them to do so.


On entering the omnibus they were driven di-
recly to the Battery, where they were put on


board the police boat and taken down the bay
to Fort Lafayette. They arrived there st about
] o'clock, and were taken before Colonel Burke.


who issued the requisite order consigning them
to the fort. They were received at the gate by
Lieutenant Wo0d-the officer in charge-snd,
by Ske way, very gent.emsnly and oblging
oiicer as far as his position will allow. They
were compelled TO give their money and other
valuables to the officer for sale keeping, and
were carefully searched to ascertain whether
they had anything c0nIsbsnd about them, as
pistols, knives, or other dangerous weapons.


They were then conducted to their room, which
was, perhaps, twenty i've by sixty feet square,
where there were about forty persons assembled.
So they found themselves quietly set down IN
Fort Lafayette, without any apparent process CT
law. and proceeded to make the best Of it. As
they did not reach the fort until about one
O'Clock, they had no dinner for that day, but
between FIVE and six o'clock were marched out
in military order, to the mess room, where they
found laid out on pine table, 8 frugal Iepast,"
consisting of hard biscuit, hard crackers, and q
pint cup of lukewaIm cof5e with a very lytls
sugar in it. That constituted their meal for the
night. At dusk they were locked up in their
ICOGl luclE blbtpl4lk GUllSlobCu u
q mattress thrown upon an iron bedstead, with
a sheet blanket and a pillow. The prisoners
are not allowed to go out of the reom On any
pretext during the night; regulation, Of course,
required TO prevent escape. At a quarter past
niue the lights are put out, and no noise is
allowed in any of the rooms after that hour.
Their exercise consists of an hours walk in tAe
court inside the fort in the morning, and an
hours walk in the evening. The remainder OF
the time they are not allowed to leave the vicinity
of the doors Of their rooms. Upon the whole,
the treatment of prisoners, as prisoners, is as
lenient as is possible under the circumstances.
The only complaint the substitute agents could
make was, that they should not nave been
prisoners.


The next morning, after the soldiers mess,
they had breakfast, consisting of coffee as before,
a piece Of bread, raw onion, and piece Of fat
pork At twelve O'Clock they had dinner, which
consisted of bowl Of soup, piece Of pork, and
3 piece of bread. After this, being permitted to
do so, they supplied their own provisions, draw
ing their regular rstiOns, and having them
cooked by the mess cook of the fort.


The advent Of the substitute prisoners increased
the number Of persons in the room which they
occupied to about fifty, and for this company five
candies were allowed for reading or writing.
They ware permitted, however, to provide them
selves with candles, or in fact, anything that
they chose, if they had the money deposi ed with
Lieutenant Wood with which to pay forit All
orders for articles to be bought were drawn on
Lieutenant Wood. No liquor is allowed in tbs
fort for any one. All packages passing to OF
from the prisoners are examined. All letters
passing in or out are examined. Persons dis
charged from the prison are generally searched
before leaving, although this was not the case
en- the release Of the substitute prisoners, as
they were known to be loyal men, and not like
ly to get up any conspiracy against the govern
Rent


They had been detained about two weeks, with
the exception of Mr.. Ballard, who was released
several days before the rest on account of the
efforts of influential friends in the city, when On
Tuesday, September OH, Judge Advocate Turn
er came On from Washington to investigate the
cases of all the prisoners confined at the fort.
They had been Eve days at the ffteenth precinct
station house, and the remainder Of the time,
from August q to September 9, at the fort.
During the latter part of the time they had, in
compliance with a request to that effect, been
provided with room by themselves.


On Tuesday morning, Judge Turner came to
the fort and commenced the investigation of the
charges sgsinst the prisoners there. He FIRST
examined the case of Colonel Beige, of which
we viii speak hereafter. On next taking up the
case of one Of the substitute prisoners, it was
mentioned to him that their offense, if they had
committed any otfsnse, was the same, and
might be examined together. They first admit
ted that they had been engaged in the business
of obtaining substitutes. They were then
asked if they were notified, or had any intima-
ton from any one, previous to their arrest, that
the business they were engaged in was cOnsd
cred as interfering with eniistnents. The Judge
advocate was greatly surprised at their uniform
answer in the negative. He appeared TO have
been ignorant Of The fact that they had been
arrested for an Offense which was not pro
nounced an Offsnse until after their arrest. He
said he would telegraph at once to Washington
for authority to release them. he said, further
more, that he was surprised to find them still IN
prison, as authority had been given to promi-
nent person in this State to examine their cases,
and, if he deemed proper, to discharge them
from custody. After this assurance, the prison
eTs packed up their trunks in the afternoon, and
anxiously awaited their summons to liberty.
They had been locked up for the night, how
ever, and expected to stay until morning, when
the sergeant came, and calling their names told
them they were wanted in Lieutenant Woods
room. Here they were informed that they were
discharged, their money and valuables were re-
stored to them, and Lieutenant Wood kindly
conducted them to the boat from which they
bid farewell to Fort Lafayette, as they hope,
forever.


They state that they were treated as well as
they could expect under the circumstances. The
persons in charge, of course, are controlled by
strict military rule, and if persons there are
rightfully imprisoned, they have nothing to
complain of. The hardship, they say, exists in
the fact that loyal men are placed there in com
pany with traitors, not knowing how long they
must stay, hoping every day to be released,
hoping every day to have an opportunity Of re-
futing the charges against them, and every day
finding their hope disappointed. 1t is stated
that previous to the visit Of Judge Advocate
Turner, there has been no way in which per
son could bring his case before any official ex-
cept he might happen to have influential friends
to inteTcede for him.


The substitute prisoners had the opportunity
TO make the acquaintance of other prisoners
confined in the fort, and as therej is no restrie-
ton on freedom of speech inside its walls, were
enabled TO learn the circumstances of a number