One morning, not long after this little episode, Webster left his hotel to walk down town, when he noticed that there was some unusual excitement on the streets. On every corner on Baltimore street, from the Exchange office, large numbers of men were standing in groups, evidently absorbed in some particular topic of conversation.
While wondering what all this meant, the detective was accosted by a man named Sam Sloan, one of the most faithful of his adherents.
"Webster, I was just going up to see you. Have you heard the news?"
"I have heard nothing, Sam," was the reply. "Is there a new sensation this morning?"
"Another of Lincoln's outrages," said Sloan, with an indignant oath. "Major Brown, Ross Winans, and several others were arrested last night, and taken to Fort McHenry."
"What for?"
"For no other purpose, I suppose, than to break up the election, which is to take place next month."
"But how can that interfere with the election?"
"By making us all afraid to go to the polls, or speak our minds."
The two walked down the street together, and dropped into a drug store, which was known as one of the resorts of the unterrified. There they found a number of men conversing somewhat excitedly. The proprietor, a Mr. Rogers, turned toward the new-comers and said: