Part 29 (2/2)

Headquarters, Middle Department, 8th Army Corps.

Baltimore, Mch. 12, 1865.

Major Wm. H. Wiegel, Actg. Provost Marshal.

Major.--I have the honor to report the arrest of Lewis Paine, a refugee from Fauquier County, Va.

He was arrested at the house of Miss Maggie Branson, No. 16 North Eutaw Street. She is a noted Rebel.

I was promised evidence to prove that he had been in Baltimore before, but the witnesses are not forthcoming, and I believe him innocent of that charge, but I think it would be well to remove him from that family. I would respectfully recommend his release.

Very respy. your obdt. servt., H. B. SMITH.

Lt. & Chief.

When I entered my office on Friday morning March 10, 1865, Captain Webb, my clerk, was trying to obtain from Paine some part of his pedigree, but was baffled by the prisoner's dumbness. Then I tried with the result as follows:

Baltimore, Md., March 10, 1865

Lewis Paine, refugee from Fauquier County, Virginia, my parents reside near Orleans, in that County. I am eighteen and a half years old. I have not been out of Virginia since the war commenced, until this time.

I was never in the Rebel army. Mosby used to stay at the house of Joe Blackwell, until his house was burned.

Willie Tung, of Warrenton.

Daniel Moffit, of Fauquier County, members of Mosby's command.

Miss Maggie Branson, with whom I was stopping, is related to me by marriage.

[Ill.u.s.tration: LEWIS PAINE]

I bought the coat and vest of grey cloth in this city, since I came here; my pants of grey I bought in Was.h.i.+ngton.

I don't remember of hearing any disloyal remarks from any of the boarders at the house No. 16 North Eutaw Street. I whipped a colored woman at that house on Monday last, because she insulted me; her name is Annie.

(Signed) L. PAINE.

Sworn and subscribed to, before me, this 10th day of March, 1865.

H. B. SMITH, Lt. & Chief.

Paine was a sullen, dumb looking, overgrown young person. To get anything out of him I alternately prodded and fondled; he was a cross between a big b.o.o.by and a sullen animal.

His statement is disjointed. Between the joints you must imagine my questions, eliciting his words; for instance, ”I am eighteen and a half years old,” was in reply to my query about his pretensions to never having been in the army. To my remarks about his new grey clothes, certainly pointing their use, where grey was worn, he tried to explain his innocence, etc, etc.

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