Colonel:
I have had a full explanatory conversation with your Chief of Detectives in reference to forgeries lately perpetrated upon the Government and have given him every clue in my possession, to the perpetrators.
The name and recent address of the party who escaped from your office has also been obtained by me. I have therefore to request that you give him every facility he may desire in visiting both Philadelphia and New York, and that you will instruct the calling to his a.s.sistance experienced detectives.
I have ordered my orderly to report to him as he is acquainted with this Deegan. The case is one of importance and no delay should occur in ferreting it out.
Very respy. Colonel, your obdt. servant., FRANK M. ETTING, Chief Paymaster.
To Lt. Col. Woolley, Provost Marshal, 8th Army Corps.
Headquarters, Middle Department, 8th Army Corps.
Baltimore, Nov. 9, 1864.
Special Order No. 164.
Lt. H. B. Smith, 5th N. Y. H. Arty. and two men will proceed without delay to the cities of Philadelphia and New York, for the purpose of arresting certain persons engaged in manufacturing forged Discharge papers. Having accomplished this duty, Lieut. Smith and his guard will return and report at this office.
The Quartermaster"s Department will furnish the necessary transportation.
By command of Major General Lew Wallace.
WM. H. WIEGEL, Capt. & a.s.st. Provost Marshal.
We had in custody one of Deegan"s pals, John Battell. To save his scalp, I forced him to write a letter (copy below), that I might use with Deegan.
Deegan"s Philadelphia address was a saloon, kept by d.i.c.k Callery, at 126 Callowhill Street. The letter reads:
Havre de Grace, Nov. 8th.
Wm. Deegan.
I am under arrest on my way to Baltimore under arrest I have just time through the goodness of a guard to send you this as we delayed here one hour waiting for another train to pa.s.s it will go hard with me I suppose.
Yours, JOHN BATTELL.
The above is a literal copy of Battell"s letter, it is in his hand writing and is addressed to:
Wm. Deegan, 11th Ward Hotel, Callowhill St., Philadelphia, Pa.
Private.
We were attired suitably for the occasion, velveteen caps, paper collars, colored shirts, etc., a good "jumper"s" toggery.
Jumpers, or bounty jumpers, were a very distinct cla.s.s of patriots (?) in war days. They were so patriotic they would enlist many, many times, and draw a large bounty each time. When they enlisted they doffed their clothes and put on the uniform. As soon as they could evade or "jump"
the guards conducting them, they would shed the uniform and buy a cheap suit, such a one as I have described, and reappear at their old haunts, ready to "jump" another bounty, under the skillful management of a bounty broker. An observing person could pick out a "jumper" on sight.
We put in twenty-four lively hours with the "jumpers" and thieves at Callery"s. One may wonder how a decent man could a.s.sociate with such characters and not betray himself. It is a wonder, but somehow I managed to fit the niche under any circ.u.mstances.
Learning that Deegan had gone to New York and would probably be at his brother John"s saloon in East 38th Street, I proceeded there.
I used the names "George Comings" or "I. K. Shaffer" usually, and they became familiar to me. In this case I was "George Comings."
To have something to recommend me to John Deegan, I wired to myself from Philadelphia to New York, using "R. Callery"s" name (without permission), I have the telegram, which was done by the House Printing Telegraph (in type on long strips, or tape, much like the present ticker tape). It reads:
Phil Nov XIth
Geo Comings. Wm Deegan is at John Deegans Thirty Eighth Street Second and Third Avenues. Please take that note to him (Battell"s note.)
Hund wenty six Callowhill St.
We a.s.sociated with the "jumpers" who hung out at John Deegan"s to accomplish our purposes. Wm. Deegan had gone to Boston.
Bounty jumpers in New York were on every corner. The city was infested with them. Our appearance and conduct secured us recognition by them, so much so that my men became anxious on account of our popularity.
I made arrangements with Major Leslie, the Chief Paymaster in New York, for the capture of Deegan, which was accomplished shortly afterwards.
When I called on Major Leslie at his residence in 9th Street, I was somewhat shocked at first at his incivility. I had overlooked the fact that my personal appearance (my clothes, etc.) did not merit confidence.
However, as soon as I made him know me everything went on all right. I must certainly have looked tough.
Headquarters, Middle Department, 8th Army Corps.
Baltimore, Nov. 15, 1864.
Lt. Col. Woolley, Provost Marshal.
Colonel.--I have the honor to submit the following report of my trip to Philadelphia and New York, in search of William Deegan and others charged with forgeries.
Among other steps that Major Elting took, previous to giving the matter into my hands, was to telegraph the Provost Marshal at Philadelphia to visit certain places and arrest, if found, William Deegan.
I arrived in Philadelphia on Thursday morning and immediately called on the Provost Marshal to ascertain what steps he had taken, and I requested him to withdraw his men from the job.
I ascertained to a certainty that Deegan had gone to New York, and also that the officers from the Provost Marshal"s office went there (to the haunt of Deegan), dressed in uniform, stating they were connected with the Quartermasters" Office, and wanted to see Deegan. This was sufficient to scare any guilty man out of the country; accordingly I left for New York, where I visited Deegan"s haunts. On Friday evening there, I ascertained that Deegan and his pigeons were gone, either to New Jersey or Boston.
On Sat.u.r.day I visited Major Leslie, Chief Paymaster at New York, and posted him as to the actions of Deegan and his a.s.sociates, and recommended that if discharges purporting to come from the 6th United States Cavalry were presented it would be well to detain the parties presenting such discharges and final statements until he could ascertain if they were genuine; and would then probably be able to catch some of the pigeons, and perhaps Deegan. I also requested him to telegraph to Chief Paymaster at Boston, which he promised to do.
Deegan"s forgeries seem to be confined to the 6th U. S.
Cavalry; he was formerly a member of that Regiment. He operates with "jumpers."
I think this job was spoiled by the actions of the Officers in Philadelphia. I am quite positive we were not suspected, as we were at all times current with these "jumpers," that infested Deegan"s haunts.
I visited these places until yesterday, when I became satisfied that Deegan is too badly scared to remain about.