Humorous stories, American; United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Fiction; War stories, American
He began to cry hard, and tried to beg off from answering. He said he
would be killed if he told. I threatened to put him in the dark cell and
lock him up if he did not come out with the information. At the same
time I promised to protect him from all harm if he made a clean breast.
For all answer, he closed his mouth firmly and put on a stubborn air
which I could not bring him out of. At last I started with him; but a
single glance into the dark cell converted him. He broke into a passion
of weeping and supplicating, and declared he would tell everything.
So I brought him back, and he named the “Colonel,” and described him
particularly. Said he would be found at the principal hotel in the town,
in citizen’s dress. I had to threaten him again, before he would
describe and name the “Master.” Said the Master would be found at No. 15
Bond Street, New York, passing under the name of R. F. Gaylord. I
telegraphed name and description to the chief of police of the
metropolis, and asked that Gaylord be arrested and held till I could
send for him.
“Now,” said I, “it seems that there are several of the conspirators
‘outside,’ presumably in New London. Name and describe them.”
He named and described three men and two women,—all stopping at the
principal hotel. I sent out quietly, and had them and the “Colonel”
arrested and confined in the fort.
“Next, I want to know all about your three fellow-conspirators who are
here in the fort.”
He was about to dodge me with a falsehood, I thought; but I produced the
mysterious bits of paper which had been found upon two of them, and this
had a salutary effect upon him. I said we had possession of two of the
men, and he must point out the third. This frightened him badly, and he
cried out,—
“Oh, please don’t make me; he would kill me on the spot!”
I said that that was all nonsense; I would have somebody near by to
protect him, and, besides, the men should be assembled without arms. I
ordered all the raw recruits to be mustered, and then the poor trembling
little wretch went out and stepped along down the line, trying to look
as indifferent as possible. Finally he spoke a single word to one of the
men, and before he had gone five steps the man was under arrest.
As soon as Wicklow was with us again, I had those three men brought in.
I made one of them stand forward, and said,—
“Now, Wicklow, mind, not a shade’s divergence from the exact truth. Who
is this man, and what do you know about him?”
Being “in for it,” he cast consequences aside, fastened his eyes on the
man’s face, and spoke straight along without hesitation,—to the
following effect.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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