Archibald Johnson
Cincinnati Daily Enquirer, 23 November 1867, page 3
NEWPORT
HABEAS CORPUS CASE-Mrs. Jane Johnson applied to Mayor Buchanan,
on Thursday afternoon, for a writ of habeas corpus for the discharge of her son
Archibald Johnson, who she was claimed, was illegally held in custody by the
commanding officer at Newport Barracks as an enlisted soldier, he being but
seventeen years of age.
The Mayor issued a writ and Marshal Fowler served it on General Woods at the Barracks. That officer, after reading the document, remarked to the Marshal that he had turned over the command of the garrison to Captain Farrand, temporarily and that he had better see the latter. He thereupon threw the writ down upon the ground, and a boy picked it up and ran away. Subsequently, Archibald Johnson appeared before the Mayor in proper person and after an examination of the case, he was remanded to the custody of his mother.
Before he got out of the city, however, he was arrested by order of the commander at the Barracks and placed in the guard house. The Mayor hearing of this, issued another writ, directed to Captain Farrand, commanding him to produce the body of Johnson before him on Friday morning at half-past seven o'clock, and show cause whey he illegally deprived said Johnson of his liberty.
Captain F made return on the writ yesterday morning, in which he claimed that Johnson was regularly enlisted and as such held as a soldier of the United States. He also denied the jurisdiction of the Mayor's court or any State Court, in the matter. Mayor Buchanan thereupon issued an attachment against the Captain for contempt of Court. The Marshal had not succeeded in finding him up to twelve o'clock.