WILEY, Lansing, Michigan to D. Thurston, July 20, 1866

Mr. Wiley to Mr. Thurston

Dear Sir: I desire to call your attention to the case of a citizen of the United States now confined in jail at this place by the name of John Sheridan, charged with Fenianism. His father and brothers are citizens of the United States, and reside in Ingham county, in the State of Michigan. At the request of his father I came from Lansing, Michigan, to investigate the case, and find that the accused had been working on a railroad in Pennsylvania during last spring, and had just engaged to work upon a railroad in the State of Illinois as an overseer, and had made his preparations to enter upon the work, when a slight circumstance brought him in contact with the Canadian officials, and thus his arrest, which was as follows:

Some time previous to his arrest he had become acquainted with a young lady residing at or near Fort Erie by the name of Fowler, to whom he was engaged to be married; that, hearing of the Fenian raid at Fort Erie, he naturally felt concerned for the welfare of the young lady, and twice telegraphed to her at Fort Erie, inquiring after her welfare; but not hearing from her, he then telegraphed to a friend at Buffalo, but received no direct tidings from her. This, I think, was the 2d of June. He then came to Buffalo, and on the 5th of June procured a pass from the British consul to visit Fort Erie to see her. He then went over to Fort Erie; but, before he had been there one hour and a half, he was arrested and sent to this place, where he has been confined. He was arrested standing on the hotel steps, where he had gone to inquire for Miss Fowler. Unarmed, and quietly pursuing his own business, by the permit of the British consul, he was taken, and has since been confined as a prisoner.

The charge against him is by a detective, who says Sheridan identified himself with the Fenian movement in February last while at Fort Erie.

I have had a personal interview with him to-day, and he absolutely denies ever having been a Fenian, or having been in the least manner identified with the movement.

He has the pass from the British consul, and a pass on the railroad to take him to his place of employment in Illinois. He also has the telegram received from his friend at Buffalo, and the correspondence from Miss Fowler, all of which show conclusively that he had no part in the Fenian movement, and was in Canada for no other reason than as before stated.

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Yours respectfully,