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The following abstracts are from The Richmond Daily Dispatch. This gives a different picture of Richmond as some of us know it.
June 13, 1863
Yankee clothing.
Whilst executing a search warrant yesterday at a clothing store on Broad street, officer Perrin discovered seven Yankee uniform coats and nine pairs of pants that had been improperly disposed of. The Mayor will probably investigate the matter, and endeavor to ascertain how these goods found their way into a clothing store.
Dec. 17,1863
Yankee clothing.
Some ten days since the C. S. officers having charge of the Federal goods received by our Government for distribution among the Yankee prisoners, were informed that several boxes, containing overcoats, shirts, etc., had been broken into and robbed of their contents. By whom, or at what particular time the robbery had been committed, the officers could not tell; but, with the hope of recovering the goods, Maj. Turner gave such information as he had to Capt. McCubbin, of the detective force, and that officer started his aids in search of the goods.
On Friday morning last a member of the City Battalion, then doing street duty saw John B. Henderson at the First Market wearing a blue overcoat, and proposed to purchase it. Henderson directed Hollins to call at Mrs. Riley's, where be bought two overcoats--one for himself and one for his brother. Capt. McCubbin, on seeing these coats, took charge of them, and that night sent two men to Henderson to purchase all he had. The men found Henderson, who carried them to Frank Gilday's, on Main street, near 21st, where they were shown seventeen overcoats, believed to be Yankee, and agreed to buy. Just then officers McCubbin and Moore made their appearance, took charge of the coats, and lodged Henderson and Gilday in Castle Thunder. The next morning Gilday's house was searched, and several pairs of drawers, socks, and shirts were found. From this point other houses were visited, and a large number of shoes, socks, pants, etc, were seized.
As the parties found in the possession of these goods were civilians, they were turned over to the Mayor for trial, and yesterday morning several hours were spent in their investigation.
The first point necessary for the Commonwealth to establish was, that a larceny had been committed. Neither Capt. McCubbin nor his men had any legal knowledge of the theft. They only knew what Maj. Turner had said. Maj. Turner, when called, could only state what had been reported to him by Capt. Self; and when Capt, Self was sworn he had no knowledge of the theft, or the character of the goods said to have been stolen, save from the report made by Capt. Monroe, his assistant. Owing to the absence of Capt. Monroe, the investigation, was adjourned until this morning.
Dec. 18, 1863
Yankee clothing.
John B. Henderson and Frank Gilday, charged with receiving Yankee overcoats, shoes, etc., stolen from the C. S. authorities, knowing the same to have been stolen, were again before the Mayor yesterday for examination; but owing to the absence of the soldiers who were on guard when the clothing was stolen, the investigation was adjourned.
Yesterday was one of the dullest, gloomiest days of the season. Incessant rain, cold winds, and dark clouds were its component parts. Confederate Detectives, however skillful as police, and active in the discharge of their duties, often damage their usefulness by forgetting for the moment that martial law is not in force — that Virginia is a sovereign State--and that all citizens are amenable to her laws, and can only be punished by her officers under them. For two or three days past much or the time of the Mayor has been occupied in the trial of offences against the Confederate Government, and His Honor has suffered no little embarrassment from the fact that the detectives have acted unwisely in working up the cases.
When a theft has been committed on the Confederate Government, and a civilian is suspected of being concerned in it, a warrant from some Justice of the Peace should first be obtained to search his premises, and when the search is made and the goods are found, then the party ought to he taken before a Justice for examination. Neither detectives nor other police officers have the right to enter and search private houses, at their pleasure; and by doing so not only lay themselves liable to prosecution for trespass, but if the parties upon whom they trespass, were to resist their search by force and kill them, no jury would ever find a verdict of guilty against the party thus shedding blood in defence of his private rights.
Within the past week, several stores have been entered by detectives and goods taken off, without the slightest legal authority on the part of the officers. Fortunately no resistance has been made to these acts, and no evil consequences have resulted, but would it not have been an in a legal way, and had the authority of the State for their acts!
When offences are committed by soldiers the military authorities have the means of trying them; but civilians stand upon a different footing, and can only be punished by State Courts, as the laws of the State direct.
The Mayor yesterday morning informed the detectives that he was always willing and ready to aid the Confederate authorities by every legal means within his power; and as we are quite sure that the Confederate officers wish nothing done illegally, there is no reason why the two forces may not operate harmoniously, and thus ensure the good of both Governments and the enforcement of justice.
Dec.21,1863
The Yankee clothing,
stolen from the Libby prison on the 6th inst., has given the Mayor no little trouble and the C. S. Detectives a vast deal of annoyance. On Saturday last John B. Henderson and Frank Gilday were before the Mayor to answer the charge of receiving seventeen Yankee overcoats and a number of shirts and socks, stolen from the Yankee prisoners, knowing the same to have been stolen.
From the evidence, it seems that Henderson sold a soldier two Yankee overcoats, which put the detectives upon his track, and induced them to go to Gilday's house, where a number of the overcoats were discovered concealed under a bed. Henderson declares that he purchased the clothes without knowing that they were stolen, and was anxious to exonerate Gilday from all connection with the transaction, but was not admitted to the witness stand.
The Mayor gave the parties accused ample time to prove their honest possession, but as they failed to do so, he could not shut his eyes to the fact that a larceny had been committed on alien prisoners, and that the act was none the less aggravated because of their being enemies, thirsting for our blood. He therefore remanded them for a further hearing before the Hustings Court, and admitted them to ball in $1,000 each.
[Were our people disposed to retaliate upon these prisoners for their brutal inhumanity exhibited towards our men in Northern bastiles, they would seize upon and destroy every comfort and luxury furnished them; but they are more humane. Our Government, many of them think, should never have permitted these goods to touch Southern soil, but after the permit was ranted, and the goods received, there was no alternative left but to distribute them as agreed upon.]
Jan. 6, 1864
Entering a storehouse.
Joseph Johnson and John Shinn, charged with breaking and entering a C. S. storehouse, near Castle Thunder, with the intention of stealing Yankee clothing, were before the Mayor yesterday for examination. The sentinel on duty at the storehouse heard a noise inside between 4 and 5 o'clock in the morning, and, reporting the fact to the Sergeant of the post, the room was entered by the guard, who found the prisoners in the immediate vicinity of several boxes which had been broken open. They also discovered that a bar to one of the windows had been removed, making an entrance sufficiently large for the prisoners to pass through. The prisoners proved by one of the sentinels that they were both very drunk a few hours before their arrest, leaving it to be inferred that they entered the warehouse without knowing where they were. After hearing the witnesses and remarks of counsel, the prisoners were remanded for a further hearing before the Hustings Court.
Jan. 11,1864
Charged with stealing Yankee clothing
A negro man, named Peter, was arrested on Friday, by one of Gen. Winder's detectives, for having in his possession fifteen overcoats, three pea jackets, and two pairs of pants, all of Yankee texture. The detective, learning that these articles were in the possession of this negro, and believing that they were a part of a large lot of ← Yankee clothing which had been stolen from the Libby prison, reported the case to Gen. Winder, by whom he had been directed to seize on to them and to hand the negro over to the Mayor. It was proven that the negro was in the employ of a Mr. Stebbins, and that the clothing had been deposited with him by different parties, who showed a clear title to their ownership. By orders from Stebbins, Peter was taking them to Mr. O. H. Dennis's dyeing establishment, to have them dyed. At this stage of the case the Mayor directed that the negro should be discharged and the clothing delivered to Mr. Stebbins. He also took occasion to give the Government officers a little wholesome advice and admonition. Whenever any theft or other violation of law was perpetrated, he would, at all hours of the day or night, cheerfully issue a warrant for the arrest of the parties; but the practice of entering people's houses or forcibly taking possession of certain things upon more suspicion, and without proper authority of law, would not be countenanced. As the Chief Magistrate of the city of Richmond he should at all times maintain the laws of the Commonwealth, and would insist upon a proper observance of the rights and privileges of every citizen in it, so far as he had the power to do so.
Enjoy,
June 13, 1863
Yankee clothing.
Whilst executing a search warrant yesterday at a clothing store on Broad street, officer Perrin discovered seven Yankee uniform coats and nine pairs of pants that had been improperly disposed of. The Mayor will probably investigate the matter, and endeavor to ascertain how these goods found their way into a clothing store.
Dec. 17,1863
Yankee clothing.
Some ten days since the C. S. officers having charge of the Federal goods received by our Government for distribution among the Yankee prisoners, were informed that several boxes, containing overcoats, shirts, etc., had been broken into and robbed of their contents. By whom, or at what particular time the robbery had been committed, the officers could not tell; but, with the hope of recovering the goods, Maj. Turner gave such information as he had to Capt. McCubbin, of the detective force, and that officer started his aids in search of the goods.
On Friday morning last a member of the City Battalion, then doing street duty saw John B. Henderson at the First Market wearing a blue overcoat, and proposed to purchase it. Henderson directed Hollins to call at Mrs. Riley's, where be bought two overcoats--one for himself and one for his brother. Capt. McCubbin, on seeing these coats, took charge of them, and that night sent two men to Henderson to purchase all he had. The men found Henderson, who carried them to Frank Gilday's, on Main street, near 21st, where they were shown seventeen overcoats, believed to be Yankee, and agreed to buy. Just then officers McCubbin and Moore made their appearance, took charge of the coats, and lodged Henderson and Gilday in Castle Thunder. The next morning Gilday's house was searched, and several pairs of drawers, socks, and shirts were found. From this point other houses were visited, and a large number of shoes, socks, pants, etc, were seized.
As the parties found in the possession of these goods were civilians, they were turned over to the Mayor for trial, and yesterday morning several hours were spent in their investigation.
The first point necessary for the Commonwealth to establish was, that a larceny had been committed. Neither Capt. McCubbin nor his men had any legal knowledge of the theft. They only knew what Maj. Turner had said. Maj. Turner, when called, could only state what had been reported to him by Capt. Self; and when Capt, Self was sworn he had no knowledge of the theft, or the character of the goods said to have been stolen, save from the report made by Capt. Monroe, his assistant. Owing to the absence of Capt. Monroe, the investigation, was adjourned until this morning.
Dec. 18, 1863
Yankee clothing.
John B. Henderson and Frank Gilday, charged with receiving Yankee overcoats, shoes, etc., stolen from the C. S. authorities, knowing the same to have been stolen, were again before the Mayor yesterday for examination; but owing to the absence of the soldiers who were on guard when the clothing was stolen, the investigation was adjourned.
Yesterday was one of the dullest, gloomiest days of the season. Incessant rain, cold winds, and dark clouds were its component parts. Confederate Detectives, however skillful as police, and active in the discharge of their duties, often damage their usefulness by forgetting for the moment that martial law is not in force — that Virginia is a sovereign State--and that all citizens are amenable to her laws, and can only be punished by her officers under them. For two or three days past much or the time of the Mayor has been occupied in the trial of offences against the Confederate Government, and His Honor has suffered no little embarrassment from the fact that the detectives have acted unwisely in working up the cases.
When a theft has been committed on the Confederate Government, and a civilian is suspected of being concerned in it, a warrant from some Justice of the Peace should first be obtained to search his premises, and when the search is made and the goods are found, then the party ought to he taken before a Justice for examination. Neither detectives nor other police officers have the right to enter and search private houses, at their pleasure; and by doing so not only lay themselves liable to prosecution for trespass, but if the parties upon whom they trespass, were to resist their search by force and kill them, no jury would ever find a verdict of guilty against the party thus shedding blood in defence of his private rights.
Within the past week, several stores have been entered by detectives and goods taken off, without the slightest legal authority on the part of the officers. Fortunately no resistance has been made to these acts, and no evil consequences have resulted, but would it not have been an in a legal way, and had the authority of the State for their acts!
When offences are committed by soldiers the military authorities have the means of trying them; but civilians stand upon a different footing, and can only be punished by State Courts, as the laws of the State direct.
The Mayor yesterday morning informed the detectives that he was always willing and ready to aid the Confederate authorities by every legal means within his power; and as we are quite sure that the Confederate officers wish nothing done illegally, there is no reason why the two forces may not operate harmoniously, and thus ensure the good of both Governments and the enforcement of justice.
Dec.21,1863
The Yankee clothing,
stolen from the Libby prison on the 6th inst., has given the Mayor no little trouble and the C. S. Detectives a vast deal of annoyance. On Saturday last John B. Henderson and Frank Gilday were before the Mayor to answer the charge of receiving seventeen Yankee overcoats and a number of shirts and socks, stolen from the Yankee prisoners, knowing the same to have been stolen.
From the evidence, it seems that Henderson sold a soldier two Yankee overcoats, which put the detectives upon his track, and induced them to go to Gilday's house, where a number of the overcoats were discovered concealed under a bed. Henderson declares that he purchased the clothes without knowing that they were stolen, and was anxious to exonerate Gilday from all connection with the transaction, but was not admitted to the witness stand.
The Mayor gave the parties accused ample time to prove their honest possession, but as they failed to do so, he could not shut his eyes to the fact that a larceny had been committed on alien prisoners, and that the act was none the less aggravated because of their being enemies, thirsting for our blood. He therefore remanded them for a further hearing before the Hustings Court, and admitted them to ball in $1,000 each.
[Were our people disposed to retaliate upon these prisoners for their brutal inhumanity exhibited towards our men in Northern bastiles, they would seize upon and destroy every comfort and luxury furnished them; but they are more humane. Our Government, many of them think, should never have permitted these goods to touch Southern soil, but after the permit was ranted, and the goods received, there was no alternative left but to distribute them as agreed upon.]
Jan. 6, 1864
Entering a storehouse.
Joseph Johnson and John Shinn, charged with breaking and entering a C. S. storehouse, near Castle Thunder, with the intention of stealing Yankee clothing, were before the Mayor yesterday for examination. The sentinel on duty at the storehouse heard a noise inside between 4 and 5 o'clock in the morning, and, reporting the fact to the Sergeant of the post, the room was entered by the guard, who found the prisoners in the immediate vicinity of several boxes which had been broken open. They also discovered that a bar to one of the windows had been removed, making an entrance sufficiently large for the prisoners to pass through. The prisoners proved by one of the sentinels that they were both very drunk a few hours before their arrest, leaving it to be inferred that they entered the warehouse without knowing where they were. After hearing the witnesses and remarks of counsel, the prisoners were remanded for a further hearing before the Hustings Court.
Jan. 11,1864
Charged with stealing Yankee clothing
A negro man, named Peter, was arrested on Friday, by one of Gen. Winder's detectives, for having in his possession fifteen overcoats, three pea jackets, and two pairs of pants, all of Yankee texture. The detective, learning that these articles were in the possession of this negro, and believing that they were a part of a large lot of ← Yankee clothing which had been stolen from the Libby prison, reported the case to Gen. Winder, by whom he had been directed to seize on to them and to hand the negro over to the Mayor. It was proven that the negro was in the employ of a Mr. Stebbins, and that the clothing had been deposited with him by different parties, who showed a clear title to their ownership. By orders from Stebbins, Peter was taking them to Mr. O. H. Dennis's dyeing establishment, to have them dyed. At this stage of the case the Mayor directed that the negro should be discharged and the clothing delivered to Mr. Stebbins. He also took occasion to give the Government officers a little wholesome advice and admonition. Whenever any theft or other violation of law was perpetrated, he would, at all hours of the day or night, cheerfully issue a warrant for the arrest of the parties; but the practice of entering people's houses or forcibly taking possession of certain things upon more suspicion, and without proper authority of law, would not be countenanced. As the Chief Magistrate of the city of Richmond he should at all times maintain the laws of the Commonwealth, and would insist upon a proper observance of the rights and privileges of every citizen in it, so far as he had the power to do so.
Enjoy,
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