THE JEFFERSONI A N.
.: "iff
njr...:v -(
Hlcuofcir to jpomks, literature, Agriculture, Semite, iltaralitij, aub eueral mdtyzntz.
VOL. 24.
STROUDSBUEG, MONROE COUNTY, PA AUGUST 10, 1865,
NO. 23
Published by Tficodorc Schoeli,
terms-two dollars a yrar in advancc-jimi irno
paid before the end of the yeai, tuo dollars and fitfy
: k III UM LUllhlVt
rcViaTt teen feet high-had a garrison of but two PO", m relation to the si
- I' nt;nnnH lintl I 111 n rrnttqnnr n m -... 1 .1 t 11
. a.Uverthc.ncntsoroncsq, :ire of (eight lines) or regiments of veteran reserves. NiimhPrin.r. uon a? Toronto, Uadada,
-It 11, one or mrec uwiiiuusj.i jv. uani imuiuuiiai. - . o nnmo hnrn in erti,rlr, .
'.rrtinn j;n finnts. Lonirer ones in nronortion. nil tnM. nnlw 7flfl f r j.... rrti.i "" uure in squaas, ai
JOB PRINTING, , "'" w- Fff rebel pns-
w , , , hF ,AL.L, ?N?f,' . , , 'nCrS' " r of whom werc Texas ran-
""Ud " l5foii,fSo3L;?Jrt.Arl'andonthCgfirs and Suerrilliu. who had served under
, . I ? .. tuu uiku in iui uuiy. a ii
Fro 7i Zie Atlantic Monthly for Jxdy.
THE CHICAGO CONSPIRACY.
On the eve of the last general election,
the country was startled by the publication of
a Report from the Judge Advocate of the'
United States, difdosing the existence of a
wide-spread conspiracy at the West, which
had fSr its object the overthow of the Union.
The conspiracy, the Report stated had a
militarv organization, with a conimander-m-1
. ... ;
'
Kinf trnnnrn) nml ftiirinrinn to nflioorc nrA
ZJ( finrt rrn ml Tori momlnrc Kmitwl fr '
blind obedience to thc orders of their supe
riors, and pledged to "take up arms against
nny government found waging waraginsi a
people endeavoring to establish a govern
ment of their own choice."
The organisation, it was said, was in every
way hostile to thc Union, and friendly to the
w-called Confederacy; and its ultimate ob-
jeets were "rising in Indiana, Ohio, Illinois ,
nnd Kentuckv. in co-operation with thc rebel
forces which was to invade the last-named ,
gtal0 !
Startling and incredible as lhe rejrart .
Bccmcu. 11 iuiu nowung out mu iriiui, aim it.
1 ..11 t. : i
did trot tell thc whole truth. It omitted to ,
.t.fo ihnt iho ftTaniitinn ivn nlannpd in I
Richmond
; that its operators were directed' warming, and lo! presto! the white spaces
rhomppon, who was in Canada for ,broIje otintodark lines breathing thoughts '
bv Jacob Thomp
that purpose; and that wholesale robbery, ar-
on and midnight assassination were among 1
it ' design " i
The point marked out for the first attack ;
was Camp Douglas, at Chicago. The 8,00 !
. . AV,. r- , , - i-t .. 1 1
i -ri.i: (x. 1 !..,.. i.; i;i nf,i 1
uni armed, were to be joined by the Cana-' Sent B,ower said to JoI, Coperlicad of Chi
dn refugees and Missouri "Butternuts" caS "Down 'm '0,d Virginny' I used to
cn-aged in their release, and 5,000 nnd more , l,link the fourth ot Ju,y a humbu? but
members of the treasonable order resident in jthis Pr5son ,,as made niG a Patriot- N
i:n:r.Tirn- i 11 ik urce. ui iiifariv -:u.invi muii i
i mi.: - r r i. ir nor,
would be a nucleus about which lhe conspi
:
ritors in other parts of Illinois could gather;
nnd being joined by thc prisoners liberated
from other camps, and members of the order
from other States, would form an army a
hundred thousand strong. So fully had eve
rything been foreseen and provided for, that
the leaders expected 10 gamer ami organize ,
. , . , : 1
this vsit body 01 men wiuun a loriniguu j
The United States could bring into the field
no forces capable of withstanding the pro
gress of such an arm'. Thc consequences; clans to gather, attack the camp, and
would be that the whole character of the j liberate thc prisoners. "JCierual vigil
war would be changed-its theater would I ancc is the price of liberty," and the
, - , , , , n .t. I Young Commandant was vigilant, fcoou
tyn cmimrf i mm nip nnrnnr in ri cii iiii;.
free States; and southern independence,
an( !
fi
the beginning at thc North of that process
disintegration so confidently counted on by
the rebel leaders at the outbreak of hostili
ties, would have followed.
What saved the nation from being drawn
into this whirlpool of ruinl Nothing but the
cool brain, sleepless vigilance and wonder-j
fill S5gncily of one man a young officer nev-i
. . , , !
er read ot mine newspapers? removuu rom u
field duty because of disability, but commis- saute tae 0ld flaSj but not with blank car
toned, I very believe, by Providence itself tridges.
to ferret out and foil this deeper-laid, wider-j )3ut wj10 was t0 light the outside bon
tpreadand more diabolical conspiracy than ; fire ? That thc improvised "Butternuts"
n that darkens the page of history. Oth-1 failed to discover, and thc Commandant
TTn enn
cr men and women, loo were msiruuien-jfcui
tal in dragging the dark iniquity to light
i. . i r i ?. r.t r..n nnrm;tv
but they falcd to fathom its full enormity,
. . , tt
and to discover ite point of outbreak. He did
mai; anu ne inroiiicu me ngr whh -"""
to spring, and so deserves the lasting grati-;
tude of his country
How he did it I propsc
io tell in this paper.
It is a marvelous tale:
it u-.U ,,! mnrn like romance than history;
Ut, calling to mind what a good man once mended him to join thc organization.
dloc, "Write the truU, ; let people fc'ety "ecded recruits and m.t.a
hkhouic, ..nu. v.. ii . r j received the new member
doubt it if they will' I ehall narrate uc,
There is nothing remarkable in the np-j
pearanccof this young man. Ncaily six
feet high, he has an erect military cariage, uau a rcauy.a ameu tu a P"T
,r . . a , :i. ment" of villany. lie learned enough,
'rank, manly face, ana iook, ...vu
loldicr such a soldier as would stand up all .
11
dav in a souare hand-to-hond fight with an
open enemy; but the keenest eye would dc-'
lectin him no indication of the crafty ge -
fliUS WJllCh aeilguw u iv..v
tr wickedness when burrowing in the
dark,
u... :i . t.. i, nr n Vidoca. he is ccr-,
y alio nmn, tor, in a sect,on .hen.
Me men are as plenty as apple-blossoms
in June, he was chosen to represent his
district in the "State Senate, and, enter-
ing Uic army as a subaltern officer, rose,
before the battle of Perry ville, to the com-
. . .,. . , ..i
ui ii nut a i uuunv v i
tnand of a regiment. AT mat name : xv.
manu oi a ivkiiucuu v".v
bullet entered his shoulder and crushed the
tuiiei enertu ui& buuui
oraiel eniereu u. u v.
WofHisrigMelbow
fnr fiold dritv. and so it came auoui mat uu
. . .. ,. ,i r.l ,n.,e r,Ar,
j ,
the second day of May, 1864, succeeded a into August, and
Gen. Orme in command of the military post Commondant g0t a letter giyiug his
t ri.;.n v:w nf ti,P 8tate of things to his Com-
atChicago. JPUlf.H.rhnfi fallen
When fairly settled m
toly which stands, a sort ot mute bejr,
ovcrL front gateway of Camp Doug la,
new commandant, as was natural; look -
, ed about him. He found the camp about
sixty acres of flat, sandy soil, inclosed by a
'
uKm uuaiu "-me, an men LinuK ana iour-
it r .... .. . . .
morgan wild, recKlcss characters, fonder
of a fight than a dinner, and rendu fnr nnv
'enterprise, however desocrate. that hnld nut!
' j v
'the smallest prospect offreedom. To add to'
!. : : i ...
Ti'. ,?7 m'.
"""i- " P" -
xu. a ?ul rall0ns ana distributed
.,..au, uuun out am-,
6u, mm even Kept uiu
TreCOrds In lhe uartcrs of ,he Commandant
! In faCl' thc Prison was in charffG of thc P"5"
m nmrtnn 4a tKn 1 .J 1 i. it
oi me prisoners in cnar;e 01 tne pns-
Oil
This state of things underwent
a sud-
CllflngC
VVith the exception of a very
I I
few, whose character recommeded them to'dajs beforo the assembling of the Chicago
peculiar confidence, all were at once placed Convention, the Commandant had become
where they belonged on the inner side of convinced that mail-bags were safer vehi
the prison fence. clesof communication than telegrap-wires;
A nst nfflf" tviic nrmnnntnA ?tii f ?,o nnmn '
and this next received thc Commandant's!
. , . '
attention. Everything about it appeared ,
10 uc TCSUi. a vast numoeror letters.
ca,neand went, but they all passed unsealed, ;
an" seemed to contain nothing contraband,
lUany 01 incm "owever, were snort epistles
on long pieces of paper, a curious circuni'
circum-
slance an,0ff correspondents with whom sta.
Lioncrv was Kcarrifi anrt rrrnr'nh.Tnirs nnt -ovnr
- - - 7 - 1
l,,um- Euur' U!li 1,1 Junc uie nm"
nwndant built a fire, and gave these letters a
lJlacKer ",an mc Iluia uiat wrote uicin
Corporal Snooks whispered to his wife, away
own ni Texas, "The fourth of July is comin',
.1 a! fl 1 -1 . A
Sukey 50 bc a manJ fur 'm Swi,,c to ccIc
bratc' I'n gwine up loike a rocket, ef
dnjr rnnio down loike a stick." -And Sei
ecle
dosc conic uown ioikg a biiuh. juiu our-
i d iiKetoburn an aunred sight or powder,
ano 11 vou nein. ana uou is wiuinc. 1 snail
do it." Iii a similar strain wrote half a score
Such patriotism seemed altogether too
wordy to be genuine. It told nothing,
but darkly hinted at events to come.
The Commandant bethought him that
the Democratic Convention would asscm-
b, th 4th f Ju, thafc
"
a vast mul-
tjtude 0f ,ieoDle would
conjree:ate at
Chicago on that occasion ; and that,. in so
ereat a throng, it would be easy for the
Prison Square received a fresh installment
of prisoners. They were genuine "But-
ternuts. out at the toes, out at thc elb
ows, out everywhere, iu fact, and of every
thing but their senses. Those they had
snugly about them. They fraternized
with Corporal Snooks, Sergeant Blower,
and others of their comrades, and soon
learned that a grand pyrotechnic display
was arranged to come off on Independ
ence day. A huge boufire was to bc
-it out;;;j0
lutsido. and the nrisoncrs were to
ma uu u nv4n.i0.
jcertained that a singular organization cx-
'isted in Chicago. It was called "The
c iw i
Society of Illini, and its object, asset
h in intcd const;tutiou was thc
literary, scicntiGc, moral, physical, and
goc;ai "welfare of the conservative citizens
0f Chicago." The Commandaut knew a
conservative citizen whose development
was not altogether perfect, and he recom-
open arms. Soon he was deep iu
;thc outer secrets ot thc order; out he
could not penetrate its mner mysteries.
.Those were open to only au elect lew who
.f . dark h- fe thr0WQ
UUH.w, J -
h prisoners. Thc society num-
, , ihousauds of members,
all!
fujj . thorougly drilled, and im-1
,patiently waiting a signal to explode a
ili:m that in front of Peters-
1
burg
I . n ,f ri f1
dui tueassemunuii ui y. w'o"v.
But the assembling or me meagu vjuu-
- , OOil, of An.
vonuon wug, -
and tJc fL Wo,ks.
m Qomnjandant however, did not
. I(J kept his wits at work ;
" red flames still brought out the
black thoughts on the white letter paper.
xiT- tq rn.rnfnreed.
,Cly tnu B-- 'n
, uuh , o . . ,
quietly increased vigilance was enjoined
4 j fmnnui . as-
M. ' :;tinl, . d tlic trauanil, as-
St!? to told n.
n inu si;unuoo , j j
2d look of the Commanpant told no
that he was playing with hot coals on
-
QUO Uiat UC Vo
munng.uenera..
into my ..a. i - 7. f it
makes ht 1
! It lb dated iiuDubi. , ,
formal phrase customary among militarv
men. begins:
. u , fc
nic huiiui itj&ueewuiiv iu re-
lpposed orgaOiiSa
which was to
id combine, and
la qftnmnt ? n ,
,""'iuui n xcHuuu iuu Dnsoners or war ar
Camp Douglas, that there is an armed or-
ganization in this city of 5,000 men, and
that the rescue of ouJ prisoners would be
tne signal tor a general insurrection in
Indiana and Illinois.
i . - ------
"There is little, if any doubt that an
organizion hostile to the Government,
"u secret in its wormngs ana character.
I . 1 1
exists in the States of Indiana and Illinois
and thafc thig organiration ig st
( numbers. It would be easy, perhaps, at
any crisis in public affairs, to push this
organ zauon into acts ot open disloyalty,
if its leaden should to will
Lnff l i cases f considcrable cmer-
. . j " . e
J ' '""'" wmuiuuiwuuuo
? neaaquaters on tnis subject by
nA , . , L, .
I hOtn OTtrOnfo oHrt Mint nnnnntnxn
luJt o.vvv armed traitors were
5,000
then
?"ed in Chicago that they expected
w De joined Dy a oody ot the rebels from
Canada thafc Qh' of fcho combina.
t,0Q was ti,e rescuc 0f the nrisoners at
Camp Dougtas, and that success in that
enterprise would be the signal lor a gen-
u .u upubiug
throughout Indiana and
1 Tli:.,.,: n..i: 1..
J - '"wa. vjcitatuiy, ima wab uu mne
i knowledge to gain by two months' bur-
vAtri n it 111 f1i iln.l' T ? . . f . 1. n n r. C
" . - . 7 r
tors were not fools. They had necks
They
which they valued. They would not
plunge into open disloyalty until some
'crisis in public affair,
attention of the autl
should encraere the
thorides, nnd alFord a
rair cnance or success, would the as
sembling of thc Convention be such a
crisis ? was now the question.
This question was answered. About
j : una iiuiu jjiuui. jvi. x. ji. nin, conimana-
1 T ? 1 ' r flirt AllllfoT-fT l?e?f.?nf rF ArT.l.?v.in
' i : i : l n.i u it n:n j
ceived a missive from a person in Canada
who represented himself to be a Major in
the Confederate service. 'lie expressed
a readiness to disclose a dangerous plot
against the Government, provided he
were allowed to take the oath of allegi-
ance,
and rewarded according to the
vaIue ot 1113 miormation.
The Lieuteant
tossed it aside,
and went about his business. No good,
he had heard, ever came out of Nazareth.
Soon another missive of the same pur
port, and from the same person, came to
him. lie tossed this aside also, and went
again about his business. But the Major
was a Southern Yankee. the "custest"
sort of Yankee. He had something to
sell, and was bound to sell it eyeu if he
had to throw his neck into the bargain.
Taking his life in his hand, he crossed
the frontier ; and so it came about, that,
late one night, a tall man, in a slouched
1 L . L Z A I IT - - I 1
and rivers of loyal blood. So the Major
said, and so the Lieut-Colonel thought,
as coolly, with his cigar in his mouth,
and his legs over the arm of his chair,
. w
be drew thc important secrets from the
rebel oihecr. something good,
might
corae, after all out of Nazareth. The Lieut,
Colonel would trust the fellow trust him, ,
but pay him nothing, and send him back
to Toronto to worm out thc whole plan from ;
the rebel leaders, and to gather the whole
details of the projected expedition. But
thc Major knew with whom he was deal
ing- He bad faith in Uncle Sam, and
he was right in having it ; for, truth to
tell, if Uncle Sam docs not always pay,
he can always be trusted.
It was not long before thc Major reap
peared with his budget, which he duly o
nened to the Lieutenant-Colonel. Its
Icontcuts were interesting, and I will
mvc them to the reader as tne union or-
.facer gave i them to the uencrai command
,g the iNorthern jjepariment.
Ilia com-
munication is dated August
10th. It
says
"I have the honor to report that 1 had
another interview last evening with Ma-
1 T ,
i0r- Whose aisciosures in ruiuuuu
to a rebel plot for the release ot the pris
oners at Camp Douglas I gave you in mj
my
letter of the 8th iust
I have caused iu-
L...:.:, tn h J in flnnnd.-i nhnnt Ma-
IlUIllbO i.w
QT , and understand that he docs
iJ . . -n.i e i. i.i nn,.fa
nOSSCSS tUO UUUUUUUbC ui inu uiiw;
id tht hi. statements arc entitled to re-
speet.
"He now informs me that he proceeded
to Toronto, as he stated he would when
I lust saw him ; that about 200 picked
en, tfrebt
nacmhled in that place, who are armea
Z.ul nnd .nnnliod with funds
, ... ,
wlth revolvers
nnd transportai
and transportation tictots toumcago;
and that already 150 l,a,e proceeded to
tickets to Chicago ;
r . -
and t
Chic:
,
:ago.
rplmt tin r Aim nr.
-)
and
waiting lor
instruction from Capt. Hincs, who is the
commander of the P.;110 !
Hines left Toronto last Thursday lor K,ai
o.n. and at this time is doubtless at Nia-
Falls, making the final arrangements
ith thc chief rebel agents.
.fiethat Sanders, IM
, ,
nat, rusty regimentals, anu immense jacK- jjrst hostile gathering. liut there was
boots, was ushered into the private apart- i no gathering. Thc conspirators were
uieut of the Lieutenant-Colouel at Detroit, there, 2,000 strong, with 5,000 Illini to
It was the Major. He had brought his ( back them. From every point of the
wares with him. They had cost him compass from Canada, Missouri, South
nothing, except some small sacrifice of cra Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, New York,
such trival matters as honor, fraternal aDd even loyal Vermont, bloody minded
feeling, and good faith towards brother njCn had come to give the Peace candi
conspirators, whom they might send to ; date a red baptism. But "discretion is
the gallows ; but they were of immense the better part of valor." The conspira
value would save millions of money tors saw thc tircnaration and disbanded.
brook, aud Colonel Hicks were at Toron
to, while he was there, engaged in mat
mg perparations, &c. The general plan
is to accomplish the release of the pris
oners at Camp Douglas, and in doing so
they will be assisted by an armed organ
ization at Chicago. After being released,
the prisoners will be armed, and being
joined by the organizaiton in Chicago,
will be mounted and proceed to Camp
lUorton, at Indianapolis, and there ac
comphsh a similar object in releasing
prisoners. That for some months rebel
emissaries have been traveling through
the North West; that their arrangements
are fully matured, and that they expect
to receive large accessions of force from
Ohio, Indana and Illinois. They expect
to destroy the works at Morton.
"Major says further that he is in
hourly expectation of receiving instruc
tions to proceed to Chicago with the bal
ance of the party ; that he shall put up
at the City Hotel, corner of Lake and
State streets, and register his name as
George and that he will then
place himself in communication with Col.
Sweet, commanding at Chicago."
The Major did not "put up at the cor
ner of Lake aud State streets," and that
fact relieved the Government from the
trouble of estimating the value of his servi
ces, and what is more to be deplored, ren
dered it impossible for the commandant
to recognize and arrest the rebel leaders
during thc sitting of the Chicago Conven
tion. What became of the Major is not
known. He may have repented of his
good deeds, or his treachery may have
been detected and he put out of thc way
by his accomplices.
It will bc noticed how closely the rebel
officer's disclosures accorded with the in
formation gathered through indirect chan
nels by the astute Commandaut. When
the report-was conveyed to him, he may
have smiled at this proof of his own sa
gacity; but he made no change in his ar
rangements. Quietly and steadily he
went on strengtheing the camp, augmen
ting the garrison, and shadowiug thc
footsteps of all suspicious new-comers.
At last the loyal Democrats came to
gether to the great Convention, and with
them came Satan also. Bands of ill-favored
men, in bushy hair, bad whisky,
and seedy homespun, staggered from the
railway stations and hung about the street
corners. A reader of Danta or Swcdcn
burg would have taken them for the del
egates from the lower regions, had no.t
their clothing been plainly perishable, !
while devils, wear everlasting garments.
They had come they announced, to make
a Peace President, but they brandished
bowied-kuives, and bellowed for war in
the sacred precincts of the Peajce Conven
tion. But war or peace, the Commaud
ant was ready for it.
For days rc-euforcements poured into
camp, until it actually bristled with bay
onets. On every side it was guarded with
cannon, and day and night mounted men
patroled the avenues to give notice of the
. . . .
ft L
Not long afterwards one of thc leaders
said to me, "We had spies m every pub
lic place in thc telegraph office, thc
camp itself, and even close by thc Com
rnandau'ts headquarters, and knew hour-
lv all that was passing. From thc obscr-
vatory, opposite thc camp, I myself saw
the arrangements for our reception. Wc
outnumbered you two to one, but our force
Was badly disciplined. Success in such
circumstances was impossible ; and on thc
third day of thc Convention wc announ
ced from headquarters that an attack at
that time was impracticable. It would
have cost thc lifcs of hundreds of thc
prisouers, and perhaps the capture or de
struction of the whole of us." So the
storm blew over without thc leaden rain,
and without the accompaniment of thun
der and lightning.
A dead calm followed, during which
thc Illini slunk back to their holes ; the
prisoners took to honest ink ; 'the bogus
'Butternuts walked tne streets clad
like Christians, and the Commandant
went to sleep with only one eye open.
So the world rolled around into Novem
ber.
The Presidential election was near at
hand the great contest on which hung
the fate of the ltepublic. The Comman
dant was convinced of this, and wanted to
marshal his old constituents for thc final
strule between Freedom and Despotism.
He obtained a furlough to go home and
mount the stump for the Union. He was
about to set out, his private secretary was
ready, and the carriage waiting at the
gateway, when an indefinable feeling took
possession of him, holding him back, and
warning him of coming danger. It would
not be shaken off, and reluctantly he post
poned the journey until thc morrow. Be
fore the morrow facts were developed
which made his presence in Chicago essen
tial to the safety of the city and tho lives
of thc citizens. The snake was scotched,not
killed. It was preparing for another and
deadlier spring.
On thc 2d of November, a well-known
citizen of St. Louis, openly a secssionist,
hnfc Mnretl'v a loval man, acting as a de
tective for the Government, left that city
; iti.rMtif-. nf a criminal He followed
XU U - - -
him to Springfield, traced him from there
to Chicagoj and on the morning of No
vember 4th, about the hour the Comman
dant had the singular impression I have
spoken of, arrived in the latter city. He
soon learned that the bird had again
flown.
"While passing along the street," (I
now quote f rpm his report to the Provost
Marshal-General, of Missouri,) "and try-
ubbiuu nuat uuurse iu pursue j-iaauviue, OiUCKncr Upon JjOUISVIIIC,
whether to follow this man to New York, and Price upon St. Louis. Valiandig
or return to St. Lois I met an old ac- bam was to head the movement in OhioJ
quamtance, a member of the order of
"American Knights," who informed mo
that Marmaduke was in Chicago. After
conversing with him a while, I started up
the street, and about one block further
on met Dr. E. W. Edwards, a practicing
physician in Chicago, (another old ac
quaintance,) who asked me if I knew of
Southern soldiers being in town. I told
him I did ; that Marmaduke was there.
He seemed very much astonished, and
asked me how I knew. I told him. He
laughed, and then said that Marmaduke
was at his house, under the assumed name
of Burling, and mentioned as a good joke,
that he had a British passport, vised by
the United States consul under that name.
I gave Edwards my card to hand to Mar-
madude (who was another "old acquain
tance,") and told him that I was stopping
at the Briggs House.
"That same evening I again met Dr.
Edwards on the street, going to my hotel.
lie said luarmaduke desired to see me,
aud I accompanied him to his house."
There, in the course of a long conversa
tion, Marmaduke told me that lie and sev
eral llebcl officers were in Chicago to co
operate with other parties in releasing the
prisoners of Camp Douglas and other pris
oners, and inaugurating a rebellion at the
North. He said the movement was un
der the auspices of the "Order of Ameri
can Knights" (lo which order the society
of the Illini belonged,) and was to begin
operations by an attack on Camp Douglas
on election day."
The detective did not know the Com
mandant, but he soon made his acquain
tance and told lnra the story. "The
young man, he says,
"rested his head
upon his hand, and looked as if
he had
lost his mother." And well he might !
A mine has opened at his feet; with but
800 men in the garrison it was to be
sprung upon him. Only seventy hours
were left ! What would he give for twice
as many 1 Then he might secure rein
forcements. He walked the room for a
time in silence, then, turning to the de
tective, said, "Do you know where the
other leaders are V "I do not." "Can't
you find out from Marmaduke ?" "I
think not- He said what he did say vol
untarily. If I were to question him he
would suspect me." That was true and
Marmaduke was not of the stuff that be
trays a comrade on compulsion. His ar
rest, therefore, would profit nothing, and
might hasten the attack for which the
Commandant was so poorly prepared.
He sat down and wrote a hurried dispatch
to his General. Troops! troops! for God's
sake, troops !,was its burden. Sending it
off by a courier the telegraph told talcs
he rose, and again walked thc room in
silence. After awhile, with a heavy heart,
thc detective said "Good night and left
biro.
What passed with thc Commandant
during the next two hours I do not know.
He may have prayed he is a prayiug
man and there was need of prayer, for
the torch was ready to burn millious of
property, the knife whetted to take thou
sands of lives. At the end of the two
hours, a stranger was ushered into the a
partracnt where thc Commandant was still
pacing thc floor. From the lips and
pen of this stranger I have what followed
and I think it may be relied on.
lie was a slim, light haired young man
with fine, regular features and that inde
finable air which denotes good breeding,
llccognizing the Commandant by thc ea
gle on bis shoulder, he said, "Can I
see you alone sir '(" " Certainly' an
answered thc Uniou officer, motioning to
his secretary to leave the room. "I am
a Colonel in thc llebet army," said tho
stranger, "aud have put my life in your
bauds to warn you of the most hellish
plot in history." "Your life is safe, sir,"
replied the other, "if your visit is au hon
est one. 1 shall be glad to hear what you
have to say. Be seated."
Tho Rebel officer took the proffered
chair and sat there till far into the morn
ing. In thc limits of a magazine article
I cannot attempt to recount all that passed
between them. The written statement
the Colonel has sent to me covers four
teen pages of closely written foolscap ;
aud my interview with him on thc sub
ject lasted fivo hours, by a slow watch.
He disclosed all that Judge Ilolfc has
made public, and a great deal more.
Sixty days previously ho had left Bich-
Rebel Secretary of War to Jacob Thomp-
son, the Rebel agent in Canada. These
mono, whu veruui ui3pim"v'
disnatches had relation to a
vast piot,
designed to wrap thc West in flames", sev
er it from th'o East, and secure the inde
pendence of thc South. Months before,
the plot had been concocted by Jeff Da-
vis at Richmond, and in May previous,
s . : i:i 64n nnn ;.!
Stotad SloCant
fidn in superintend its execution. This
money was lodged in a bank at Montreal,
and had furnished thc funds which had
fitted out the abortive expeditions agaTust
.Tnlinsnn's Tslaud and Camp Douglas.
'The plot embraced tho order of "Ameri-
can Kuights." which was sprcau au uvui i
the West, and numbered 500,000 men
350,000 of whom were armed. A force
of 1,200 men Canadian refugees, and'
bushwhackers from Southern Illinois and
Missouri was to attack Camp Douglas
on Tuesday night, the 8th of November
liberate and arm the prisoners, and sack
Chicago. This was to be the signal for a
general uprising through the West, and
j for a simultaneous advance by Hood up-
Bowles in Indiana, and Walsh in Illinois.
The forces were to rendezvous at'Cincin-
nati and
xiayton m Ohio, jNew Albany
Indianapolis in Indiana, and Rock Island,"
Chicago and Springfield in Illinois; and
those gathered at the last named place
after seizing the arsenal, were to march
to aid Price in taking St. Souis. Pro
minent Union citizens and officers wero
ttf be seized and sent South, and the moro
obnoxious of them were to bc assassin
ated. All places taken were to be sacked
and destroyed, and a band of a hundred
desperate men was organized to burn tho
larger Northern cities not included in tho
field of operations. Two huudred Con
federate officers, who were to direct tho
military movements, had been in Canada,
but were then stationed throughout tho
West, at the various points to be attacked,
waiting the outbreak at Chicago. Cap
tain Hincs, who had won the confidence
of Thompson by his successful manage
ment of thc escape of John Morgan, had
control of the initial movement against
Camp Douglas ; But Coloned Grenfell, as
sisted by Colonel Marmaduke and a doz
en other Rebel officers, was to manage',
the military part of the operations. All of
these officers were at that moment in Chi
cago, waiting the arrival of the men, who'
were to come in small squads, over differ
ent roads, during the following three
days. The Rebel officer had known of
the polt for months, but its atrocious de
tails had come to his knowledge only
within a fortnight. They apprised him;'
aud though he was betraying his friends,
and the South which he loved, the hu
manity in him would not let him rest till
he had washed his hands of the horriblef
crime.
The Commandant listened with ner
vous interest to the whole of this recital ;
but when the Southern officer made tho'
last remark, he almost groaned out, .
"Why did you not come before ?"
"I could not. I gave Thompson my
opinion of this, and have watched. I
think they have tracked me here. My
iife on your streets Wouldn't be worth a'
bad half dollar."
"True ; but what must be done V
"Arrest thc 'Butternuts' as they come
into Chicago."
"That I can do ; but the leaders aro
here with five thousadd Illini to back
them. I must take them. Do you know
them ?"
"Yes ; but do not know where they aro'
quartered."
At two o'clock thc Commandant show
ed the Rebel officer to his bed, went back
himself, and paced the floor uutil sunrise.
In the morning his plan was formed. It
was a desperate plan ; but desperate cir
cumstances require desperate expedients.
In the prison was a young" Texan who
had served on Bragg's staff and under
Morgan in Kentucky, and was, therefore,
acquainted with Hines, Grcenfell,and tho
other rebel officers. He fully believed in
thc theory of State Rights, that is, that
a part is greater than the whole, but was
an honest man, whose word when given
could be trusted. One glance at his open
resolute face showed that he feared noth
ing: that he had, too, that rare
courage-
that delights in danger, and courts hero
ic enterprise from love of peril. Early
in the war he had encountered Colonel
DcLa'nd, a former commandant of the po3t
on the battle-field and taken him prison
er. A friendship then sprang up be
tween the two' which, when the tables'
were turned, and tho captor became tho
captive, was not forgotten. Colonel Do
Land made him his chief clerk in tho
medical department, and gave him every
possible freedom. At that time it was"
the custom to allow citizens free access
io the camp; and among the many good
men and women who came' to visit and
aid the prisoners was a young woman, tho1
daughter of a well-ktfown resident of Chi-
cago. She met the Texan, and a result'
as natural as ili(S Union of oxygen and
hydrogen followed, but sirrce Adam'
courted Eve, who ever heard of wooing
going on in a prison ? "It is not exact
ly thc thing," said Colonel DeLand; "had
you not better pay your addresses at tho
lady's house, like a gentleman V A guard
accompanied the prisoner; but it was'
shrewdly guessed that he stayed outside,
or p'aid Court io the girls iu thc kitchen;
This was the' state of things when tho'
present Commandant took charge of tho
-- i.i i .i i ii
camp, lie learned tne tacts, stuuiea tno
' prisoner's face and remembered that ho
too once went a courting As he walk.
J l.tr. lV. li'rillriv n!flK hf hfJ
thought him of the Texan. Did he lovo
his State better than he did his affianced
wife ? The Commandant would test him.
"But I shall betray my friends ! Car
, x u" . , i a . u
"Did yov ask that question wheu you
betrayed your eountry?" answered tt
Commandant.
"Let me go from camp for an hpur, -Then
I will give you my decision."
"Very well."
And, unattended, the Texau left the.
j P"son.
(to be continued.)