THE roiagg.
pUBLISHED DAILY (gIINDAY2S EXCIEPTE9)
1132 JOHN W. NORNEY.
07110110. 111 SMITE Forman sTIMIT.
THE DAILY PRESS,
To City Subscribers, is TEN DOLLARS PRE
AR
to
Munro; DT TR-VITT DENTS ROST WEER, parable to th e
Carrier. Idsllsd to Sobscribers ontor the city, DINS
POLL/LitS PEE ANNYD: FOOS DOLLARS AND FIFTY DENIS
lON Ifosraa: TWO DOLLAItif AND YWISATY- siva
CENTS ma TARES MONTHS. IETIIIEII Tto adsuuses for
the time ordered.
gar Adverttsemente Warted It the usual rates.
TUE TRI•WIEILLY pg,6:ss.
sfaiiod to BabscriPSTS, FIVE DOLLAR! PER, exam. IA
advance.
Ett Vrtss.
TUESDAY, JUNE 6, 1865.
'The Suppressed Testimony.
The portion of the suppressed evidence
before the Military Commission, which we
publish this morning, will fully justify to
the American people and to the most skep
tical critics of the Old World the procla
/nation which arraigned DA-cis and his
agents In Canada for complicity With the
assassination plot. Three different witnesses
'confirm?, in the most absolute and conclusive
Manner,_ the general statement that BOOTH
.and his confederates were directly incited to
their heinous crimes by TwontrsoN, &Or
ients, TucKER, a*: Co., after due consultation
with DAVIS. They were paid with Confede
rate money, and were to be protected with
Confederate commissions. Two of the wit
nesses bad gained the full confidence of the
conspirators by long and arduous service
in their behalf, although secretly devoted
to the loyal cause; a third witness ( Mxtt
num) does nut clearly explain how he
became their confidant, but he gives a
proof of his good faith and truthfulness
by the statement that he disclosed the main
facts detailed before the Commission, on
the 10th of April, to a Justice of the Peace
named DAVIDSON, who, after the assassina
tion, communicated them to our Govern
ment.
The insolent letters of THOMPSON, SAN
DERS, and TUCKER, are of course flatly
contradicted, and their guilt clearly es
tablished by this distinct and well-corrobo
rated evidence.
Incidentally, the wisdom of the tem
porary suppression of it has been shown
in a very unfortunate way for Mr- Cox
rovsn, the witness who gave the fullest
details of their villainy, has mysteriously
disappeared, and there are serious appre
hensions that he has been murdered as a
punishment for his exposure of this vile
band of American Thugs.
The conclusion is irresistible that either
the evidence of which we speak is totally
false, or that the high dignitaries of the
exploded Confederacy are the real assassins
of .ABRAHAM Lamour. There is no good
reason to doubt the truthfulness of the tes
timony. It is the duty of the Government
to unravel the secret history of that crime,
but it can have no desire to fasten false im
putations upon any of the leaders whom it
has conquered in honorable warfare. The
disgraced and dishonored position they are
destined to occupy before all mankind in
this and. coming ages, is only one of the
legitimate punishments of their guilt.
LETTER FROM 46 OCCASIONAL.”
WASHINGTON, Jane 5, 1855
Every day some prominent Southern
man reaches Washington, either by per
mission or by order. The delegation from
Texas, headed by Andrew Jackson Etamil
ton—the stern patriot who has steadily sus
tained the Government throughout the re
bellion—is understood to favor President
Johnson's plan, foreshadowed in. his late
proclamation. They do not hesitate to
look upon the -colored element as an im
portant contingent means of protecting
them against the impenitent and pestilent
traitors, who coolly take the oath of alle
giance and amnesty with the deliberate
purpose of violating it. All such demon
strations of bad faith and scoundrelism—
to use a strong but just word in this con
nection—as have taken place in the border
counties of Virginia in the late elections
for the Legislature, and as are undoubtedly
contemplated in other States by the return
ing rebels, will only make more sure the
giving of the right of suffrage to the co
lored men. For, talk as we may of the
prejudices that exist among the Whites
against the.blacks—prejudices which even
the philanthropist, as he labors to avoid
them, commits the folly of ignoring—there
are othet and still stronger prejudices. One
is the profound and ineradicable horror of
treason prevailing among the men of
the Southern States who have so
dreadfully suffered for their patriotism.
This is an overmastering sentiment. It
exists in greater intensity in Mary
land, Tennessee West Virginia, the Dis
trict of Columbia, Louisiana, and Ken
tucky, than in any portion of the North.
We oink we have a proper estimate of the
wicked men who lave followed the fOr
tuxes of Jefferson Davis ; but when we
Iwo a Southern Unionist speak we soon
galize that we are moderate and lenient
in comparison. The persons who should
act upon it, and be warned by this fact,
are the returning rebels themselves. If
they desire to live in peace, it must
be by obedience to the laws, and
by carefully avoiding the slightest in
terference in politics. Should they
refuse to take this course, their retribu
tion will be terrible. Not only will they
be punished for their contempt of the
oaths they have taken, but they may be
the victims of a turbulence which they
cannot resist, because they will have auda
ciously provoked it. It is somewhat dis
couraging to note the ingratitude and inso
lence of these returning rebels. Good
men in the free States find themselves
checked in their humane and forgiving
efforts, and the bitterest passions are
stirred up, and the extremest measures
demanded by the people in consequence.
Yet there is the cheerful recollection that the
power to right all these wrongs is with the
Federal Government—that the Executive
can punish as :well as forgive. Even as
he enunciates a settled purpose to respect
great principles, and to adhere to constitu
tional landmarks, he will not tolerate
treachery and the neglect of manly instincts
on the part of those who accept his offers
of amnesty only the more easily to weaken
his power and to renew old strifes. The
barbarities of the rebels will never be for
given. Those who have hunted the pa.
triots of • the - Southern States, those who
have maltreated our Union prisoners, those
Who have led the rebel armies, those who
have spent their money to encourage the
rebellion, are not only excepted by the
President •in his amnesty proclamation,
but will be tainted through all their ins
terity, and will be pointed at and execrated
.wherever they dare to show their heads.
OCCASIONAL. •
WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON. June 5,1886.
ZFDedat Despatches to The Press.)
CASE •OF HARBIN OF MARYLAND.
The remission by President JOHNSON of the sen
tence in the case of Hann's, member of Congress
IDDIN Maryland, atter the finding of the court mar
tial declaring him guilty, and sentencing him to
three yearS , tram's:mutat MAWS Penitentiary st Al
bany, end to be fOMVerdleaualifted from holding any
oSice under the United States Government, which
had been approved by the President, creates great
dissuasion. lam able, however, to state that subs'•
Trent testimony, not known or presented to the
overt, wasso favorable to the accused, that the Presi
dent eoulddo no lees than he did. ANDREW SoanSON
has no sympathy with traitors. The National In,
telligencer says: n Since the close of the proceed
;sego M. Ms vatic, overwhelming evidence has been
furnished impeaching the character . of the witnesses'
von whore testimony the prosecution relied; and so
,Nrelngly the president has remitted the sentence:,
BR VIEW OF TIM FIRST COUPS
General Comacma. announces a full review of the
tat Arroy Coriw for tomorrow afternoon, at Damp
Stcntnianl at ty welook. It will be a bri ll iant
affair.
CIRCULAR FROM SECRETARY WELLES.
The Stcretary of the Navy has loaned a Mettler
directing that In the employment of mechanics and
.ethers in navy yards, at naval Stations, or elsewhere
In the BOIVICO Of the Navy Department, preference
be given to Filch as have been honorably 411"1"28"
from the navy and Marine Oorpe, and especially to
these who have been wounded or disabled, provided
May ere capable of performing Entn i " t ° l/17 the
duties required of theta.
•- •
° l 'd • ;.
- ,
Iti • ",.;:•.7'""•-•
• „
r d'itt
II •
' 4 4 4: 4 . • „-- - - ;
•• " f
ter+
- I PIM
-=-'• • • 01111 11 NR : r
'7lll- "
~I l
h 1400 601111 N ,
42"
'7l
e 4
•z•-: -
•_. •
_i503106.:t.
____ _ _
•
-
,
•
•
•
VOL. 8.-NO. 2€.
By Associated Press.]
REBEL PRISONERS TO BE TAICEN TO TEEM
The War Department has Jett Mined an 'War, dl.
noting the Quartermaster's Department to furnish
all prisoners of war and °Ulm prisoners who have
been, or may be, released from Confinement by !Ca
llon of taking the oath of allegiance, with transpor
tation to their homes, or to the nearest point thereto
which may be practicable to reach by the usual
routes of water and railroad transportation. •
A CONSULAR APPOINTMENT.
Hon. A. W. CLARK, of New York, some Urns ago
appointed United States consul at Valparaiso, has
accepted the position and will at once proceed to
his peat.
RBIZASE OF PRISONERS OF WAR
An order for the release of all prisoners of war
under the rank of major 141 soon be honed. COM.
mitsioned ofiloere will be required to give DURO for
the faithful oosereance of the oath.
THE ILEILLTII OR SECRETARY SEWARD.
Secretary SIMARD was at the State Department
for over lour Miura today, attending to his
despatches for the foreign male. Fattosatcw
Snivenn is steadily improving in health.
ISTJETRBIP.O OPT OP NEW YORE TROOPS
The troupe of the eournern part of Now York WEI
rendezvoue at Hart Island until paid off. The btli
New 'York Regiment, numbering 735 men, loft for
that place yesterday.
REDUCTION OF THE NAVY.
The timber of vessels in oommission on the At
lantio seaboard of all deacriptiona is ordered to be
rec used from abut six hundred to ninety. The
W est Gat-Squadron is to be reduced to twenty, and
the Meshsippi Squadron to fifteen vessels.
THREATS AGAINST PRESIDENT JOHNSON.
The President of the TJoited States has, within
the pea low days, received a violently threatening
letter, which has been placed la the haudS of the
proper authorltieti for investigation. The letter was
mailedin thle City, and wee signed " Grape vine."
Personal.
Theo Potter was at Rio de Janeiro, en route
to California, on the 22d of April, much improved
in health. His flock will be glal to read this an
non cement.
-- Albert Edward, the Prince otWales, does not
seem to have much favor for our Sanitary Commis
sions or the fairs for their benefit.. lie was written
to for a contribution to the Chicago Fair, and re
plied, saving "he did not feel himself at liberty to
&Cowie to the request!,
General Sherman has been visiting New Yo rh,
and has been received with the greatest favor on all
sidts. lie has not enjoyed the exceedingly men
jo)able "hospitalities of the city," as he declined
to accept the invitation of the Councils.
A Fortress Monroe despatch, printed this
morning, announces the arrival of Ex-Governor
Magrath, of South Carolina, at Fortress Monroe.
His arrival caused much excitement. The (Mum
ble Nitrate, edited by W. Sullivan 5112121 n, says;
" TWIe such an arrest should take plane in the cap!.
tat of South Carolina, and in the ease of its Erenu•
live, should be conolrialVe an to the complete moral
and phlsiCal prostration of the Country."
CALIFORNIA.
Important Case bechled—AgriCaltaral
d Financial News—The Emigration
kicheinc at an End—Sympathy with
Mexico—Trade with Salt Lake.
ScA FRAI9OI6OO, May Va.—Judge Field, of the
United States Circuit Court, has refused the appeal
to act Supra= Oonrt In the ease of San Francisco
agoinat thli United States. The ease involves the
this to a large portion of land within the oity limlts,
and was decided in favor of the City by the crimit
°curt some time ago.
The mining share market continueo very much
depressed, and the whole list of mining stooks IS
lower.
The Custom-Uwe receipts since Sammy let
amount to $2,5C0,000 In gold. -
The steamer Sierra Nevada has arrived, bringing
e 140.000 in gold from Portland, Oregon.
Tte prospects of the Crops In California continue
good. The jobbing trade with the Interior and
WHEhOe le brisker.
San Faancisee, May SO.—The charter of the
bark Brontes has been revoked, and the Mexican
emigration scheme Is at an end for the present.
'Williams and other leaders of the expedition have
keen held to answer before the United States
Grand Jury for an attempted violation of the neu
trality laws.
Ihe Panama pirate case was closed to•day. On
next Friday the counsel will sum up for the do.
fence.
A meeting wail held Mt evening to encourage
the opening Of bads with Bait Lelia' vie the Cole.
redo river from the head of navigation. A good
wagon road la to be opened this year to Mound
city.
Slaty thortgand sores of land will soon be &dyer-
Used for sale-by the Central Peolfie Railleaq Qom.
rimy. These lands lie 'along the first thirty miles
of road.
Settlers In posreasion will have the privilege of
ostinassissuat f. arriving regularly,
making through trips from Now York le twenty
six days. -
A public meeting of flympmhzzers - With .Tusres
and the Liberals of Mak% in their efforts to mistake
the Mexican Republio, is called for tomorrow.
Considerable feeling exists on the subject, and the
community sustains the authorities in their efforts
to maintain neutrality, so long as that is the policy
of the Government.
MOBILE.
Full Particulars of the Terrible Explo
sion in that Eity—General eraugers
Order.
AS. terrible powder explosion occurred on May 25,
at the corner of Lipscomb and , Commerce syreets.
SnhldingsloT Several blocks around ware levelled,
the earth shook like an earthquake, and all the
bullothas in Mobile trembled like an aspen, at least
one•half of the panes of glue In the windows beteg
shattered by the concussion. The explosion was
heard for stores of =leg around.
TNSBIBLB LOSS OF LIPS AND PROPENTY.
Marshall's warehouse had been used lately as a
Storehouse for powder and fixed ammunition.
At tom there were nearly two hundred tons of
fixed ammunition and forty tons of powder in the
building ; and two bourn later this exploded, laying
eight seuareein ruins in the vicinity, and filling the
city with dust and smoke. Such a scene was per.
haps never before witnessed. Buildings swayed to
and fro, and either fell or were fearfully shattered.
The concussion overturned horses and wagons, and
men and women walking in the streets a Mader
ails distance cif were thrown to the earth. Several
buildings caught fire, and amidst the ruins which
Aso around the City were portions Of human bodies.
Nearly three hundred lives are supposed to be lost,
and twice that number of persons injured.
In the Marshall warehouse were five white Men
belonging to the ordnance %department, thirty
colored soldiers, and a commissioned officer. All
were killed.
The steamers Kate Dale and Col. Cowles caught
fire and were entirely destroyed. Ten thousand
bales of cotton were burned. Several persons were
killed or badly injured by being struck. by (rag
mente. The followlng_erder has been promulgated :
iluanqUansmas UNITED STATOR FORCISEI.
May 2S-3 P. AL
- A sad calamity has overtaken us at an unexpect
ed moment ' resulting in the loss of many valuable
lives and agreat destruction or property, from the
explosion of the main ordnance depot in this city, at
Marshall's warehouse. Whether this fearful Wain!.
ty was the work of foul incendiaries, or the remit of
carelessnese,lS for us to determine. 'Stringent meln•
cures will at men be taken to fix the responsibility
upon the guilty parties, and bring them to summary
punishment.
Brigadier Gen. Dennis will Immediately place
guards to insure safety to both citizens and soldiers,
and all persons are ordered to remain quietly at
home until no further danger is apprehended.
O. Gad:ROBB, Major Gen. Commanding.
The lees to estimated at from seven to eight
lions of dollars. The cause of the explosion is un
known, and will probably remain so, as all in the
building were killed.
Garibaldi on America and England.
The following is the translation of the letter
which Garibaldi had addressed to the editor 01 the
Los don Public Opinion on the relations between
England and America:
Sin: I always considered from the beginning that
the American question was One which concerned all
humanity and the whole world, and I was grieved
to see that a part of the Eoglishpublic were opposed
to the restoration Of union in the great republic,
Which arose, It Is well known, from causes of ran
ceur which pre•exltted between England and Amer
ica) but it win a sad thing that the good sense of
the people who first eStablished the principle of the
emancipation of the slave did not manifest itself in
applause to the North Americans, who showed
themselves to be the Instruments of ProvidenOe In
Canting out that sublime Idea.
real there lords of the ocean agree, then, for the
good of oppressed humanity. Sons of the same
mother, may they see that their noble race IS nowa
days the bulwark of the rights of nations, and that
despotism foments diseelffilon between them because
It tears them, and ben** it knows that If they
were on gocd terms it would be Impossible for it to
execute us dealsne, which are fatal to liberty every-
Whore. Yours, &e., G GARIBALDI.
CAPARRA, May, 1865.
A N .- 2w THEORY IN REGARD TO THE ISSORIY*
TION ON A. PANE OF GLASS AT MEADVILLN.—There
kas been a good deal said about an inscription,
scratched with a diamond, on ik_pane of glaie in the
tlcHenry House, l 3
Meadville, a., to this effect:
"Abraham Linooln departed this life August 13,
IS6I, by the effects of poison." It was attributed to
Booth, who was in the oil region at that time. A
few days ago, however, a gentleman, stopping at
the McHenry Bonn, and seeing the glass, made a
meat, which, if true, Clears up all mystery regard
glt " You will remember that on the 12th or 14th
A.ugoat of last year, a report nine Oyer the wires
that ED attempt had been made to poison the Pres!.
dent, and a report came to rThadvUte that the at
tempt had been BROOEEETRI. This gentleman states
that on that day , he and a friend occupied room No.
22. and his friend, after hearing the report, Scratched
the words ern the glass, supposing them to be tree.
—Cincinnati Commercial.
A Titormv.—We were shown yesterday afternoon
the identical gun that brought Jeff Delia to a halt
him celebrated and anal hoop.thirt aot ln Georgia.
It is a Spencer repeating carbine a. sevemshomer.
muck so is carried by our cavalry. 'A
Sadler, named
Locke ood s had. It in his postnatal and, passed
through Troy on friend broughtx ()minty. While
bore,
S.
Bath*, athe weapon to the
rimer; office, and kindly gave us an opportunity to
impect it. There 18 no doubt. of the authenticity
of the relic, which will have an enduring value for
all time to come. Jell may well have trembled
and wisely surrendered at the sight of the glitter
tag barrel.— Troy Times, 24
Trns iTyntarral. Ravenna Fnatrns.—lll a ease Of
a Boston distiller, who removed liquor from Ids die
tliery without paylag axone dots - , government has
inund the amnunt of fraud to be ill 000, and has lan ,
posed sa ad.:lnv:Dal penalty of 30 000. making 150 000
In all In a Dubuque ease, the amount of fraud has
been bud at 0000.000, and a penalty of another
tsf9 000 bas been imposed, milling for the PitimoPt
0 , 11 000,000. In a Peoria oase, the frauds will be
me hnr. (Inds of thoueanes, and an equal PeMeliB
affixed.—Pero York Herald.
THE TRIAL.
Important Suppressed Testimony.
THE OFFICIAL AND CORRECT TRANS
CRIPT OF IT.
Dow harder, Starvation, and General Northern
Distress were Planned by the
Rebel Government.
The Complicity of the Rebel Govern
ment and its Agents in the
•
Assassination.
THE DEVELOPMENTS OF THE TESTI
MONY OF YESTERDAY.
The following testimony in secret session of the
court has been obligingly furnished for publioatton.
That of Sandford Conover has heretofore been sur
reptitiously printed in a mutilated form, and hence
the necessity of now publishing it entire.
Bietard Montgomery, witnese *Riled for the
prosecution, bolus - duty sworn, testified as follows:
By the Judge Advocate : Q. Are you a citizen Of
New York t A. Yes; sir.
Q State whether or not you visited Canada In
the Summer of 18641 A. I did.
Q. How lung did you, remain therel A. I re•
maimed there , going back and forth ever Bitten, until
within about a week and a half or two woeiro , time.
Q. Did lon or not know in Washington Olty
Jacob Thompson, formerly Secretary of the Inte
rior,. and element C. Clay, formerly of the United
Stales Senate 1 A. I did.
_ _
Q. Will you state whether_you met those persons
in Canada and where A. I met them in Canada
at 'Niagara Fails, at Toronto, at St. Catharine's,
and at Montreal, a number or times, and very Ire
quently sinee'the summer of 1864 up to this time.
Q. Did you or not meet Geo. N. Senders I A. I
did.
Q. And a man by the name of J. P. Holcomb I
A. Yee, sir, Professor BoleoMb.
0,. Can you name any other rebel liaisons itt
Canada, of note, that you matt A. Yes, sir, I met
Beverly Tucker, N. C. Eleory, (I think those are
the Initials,) and a great many othors,Under heel
thins names ; there was another one by the name of
Barrington; those are the ones teat I principally
had communication with; I met another one by tee
name of Clay, not Clement 0. Clay; I met one
Ricks up there, also.
Q. 'Under how many different names did Jacob
Thompson pass in Canada, do you know? A. It
would be Impossible tor me to tell you; I knew UM
Uhler three or lour, and others knew alai under
other names; his principal name was Carilin
Q Do you know under what name Clement C.
Clay peered I A. Yes, sir; one of them was Hope ;
another, T. E Lacy ; I have forgotten the WWII
of his name tie 'Hope ; T. E. Lacy was the principal
one • another one was Tracy.
Q. State any conversation you may have had
with Jacob Thompson in Canada, in the summer of
1564, in regaid to parting tne President of the
United States out of the way, or assassinating him.
A. During a conversation In 1864, Jacob Thompson
said to me that he had his Dienes (Confederates)
all over the Northern States, who were ready and
willing to go any length for the good of the cause of
the South, and he could at any time have the tyrant
Lincoln, and any others of hie advisers that he
oboe% put out of the way; that he would but have
to point out the man that he considered in 1 / 1 8.mq,
and his friends, as he termed them, would put him
out of it, and not let him know anything about It If
necessary; and that they would not consider It a
crime when done for the cause of the Confederacy.
Q Did yen or not see Thompson some time In the
Month of January, 1865, and where I A. Teat was
In Canada, In Montreal.
Q. Will you state what he then said. to you, if
anything, in regard to a proposition which had been
made to him to rid the world of the tyrant
Lincoltd A. Re said a proposition had been
made to him to rid the world of the tyrant
Lincoln, Stanton, Grant, and some others; that
he knew the men who had made the provii
-5100 Were bold, daring men, and able to ere.
cute anything that they would underaiiiis without
regard to the Mit; that he himself was in
favor of the propthltion, but had determined to da-'
ler his answer until he had consulted his Govera
meet at Richmond, and that ho was then only
awaiting their approval; he said that he thought it
South . t ould be a o
have thos blessing e
to men 'people, both North and
Q. That was in January I A. That was in Sant•
ary last.
Q. What time in the month was it? A. It was
Wield the middle of the morith ; I saw him a num.
ber of times LI could not give the exact date of that
donveraatica.
Q. Was It about that time that you Sevr Clement
0. my, eocl had a conversation with him I A, No,
siti in the summer of 1804, immediately after tin
Thompson bud told me what he was able to do, I re•
pentad the etuversation to Mr. Clay, and he said
"that Is so ; we are all devoted to oar cause, and
reran , to go any length, to do anything under the
sun," was his expression, I remember, "to serve
their cause."
Q. Look at those prlsonerlt Id the - bar, and see if
you recognize any of them as having boon seen by
you in Canada, and under what circumstances. A.
I have seen that one without his coat, there (point-
Lag to Lewis Payne, one of the acculled)Ll
Q. WM you state when, and under what dream
stances you NM him I AL. I have seen him a num.
bar of times in Canada ; I saw him about the Falls
in the summer of Int, and I saw him again, I guess
It was the last time. and had some words with
him, at the Queen's Hotel, Toronto City, Canada
West.
Q. State all that occurred at that time 'I A. Ihad
had an interview of some time with Mr. Thompson ;
several others bad sought an interview while I was
closeted with him, and had been refused admittance;
alter I was through with Mr. Thompson, and in
leaving the room I saw tide man, Payne, in the pas
sage way, near his door;
Mr. Clement 0. Clay, .jr.,
was talking with him at the time'; Air. Clay
stopped me and hen rayhands,flidedng a conversa
tion in an undertone with MIS man, and when he
left me for a moment he Said; "wait for me, I will
return ;" he then went and spoke to some other
gentlemen who were entering Mr. Thompson's
door, and he came back and bid me good-bye, ask
ing me where he could see me in half an hour,
and
I told him, and made an appointment to meet Mr.
Clay ; while Mr. Clay was away from me, I spoke
to this man and asked him who he was; i com
menced talking about soma of the topic/8 that were
the usual topics of conversation among the men
there, and he rather hesitated telling who he was ;
he (Payne) raid, "Oh, I am a Canadian," giving
me to understand that I was not to ask any more.
Q. Did you not ask Thompson or Clay who he
was i A. Yea, sir, I made some mention in regard
to this man to Mr. Clay in the interview I had with
him about half an hour alter I saw him standing to
the passageway, and he said, " What did he say 1"
said I, " He said he was a Canadian," and he said,
"1 bat is so, he is a Canadian," and laughed.
Q. Did he say he was one of their friends, or make
any remark of that sort! A. He said, "We trust
him."
What Whe the idea conveyed by the term
" Canedian , ' with his laugh 1 A. That was a Very
common expression among the Mends of theirs that
were in the habit of visiting the States, and gave
me to understand that I was not to ask any more
questions 5.` that their intercourse waif of a very con
talent's! nature, and that their business was, also
of a very confidential nature.
Q Baca you been in Canada since the assassina
tion of the President 1 A. Yee, sir.
Q. State whether you met any of these men of
whom you have spoken on your return to Canada,
and if so, what oonversation you had with them
there in regard to. the assassination of the Presl
detti A. I met Beverly Tacker, a few days after
the assassination, three or four or Ave times.
Q. Where 1 A. At Montreal.
Q. What conversation had-you A. He said a
great deal in conversation about the wrongs that
the South had received from the hands of Mr. Lin.
coin, and that he deserved his death long ago 5 that
It was a pity that he did not have it long ago, and
that it was too bad the boys had not Wen allowed
to act as they wanted to.
Q. Do you mean by the boys the men who were to
assassinate him'? A. Yes, sir; tho Confederate sot
there who were up there, who had been engaged in
their raids; they used the expression "their boys"
In regard to their soldiers and the men in their em
ploy ; it is common among them.
Q. Did you meet with Booth therel A. NO, sir;
I never saw Booth hi Canada.
Q. Did any of those men of whom you have
wimp, say that Booth was one of the men referred
to by Jacob ThOMpSOII who was willing to assassi
nate the President) A. Yes, sir'; W. H. Cleary
told me; I related to him the conversation I had
had, or a portion of it, withers. Thompson in Jana,
ary, and he said that Booth was one of the parties
to whom Thompson had reference.
Q. Did he say in that connection any thing fur
ther in regard to html A. No, sir; ho said in re
gard to the assassination that it was too bail that
the whole work had not been done.
Q. What did you understand by that expression,
"The whole work I" A. I inferred that they in
tended to assassinate a greater number than they
succeeded In trying to do.
- Q. Do you know What relation this man Cleary
sustained to Thompson l A. Mr. Uoloomb told me
I would dud Mr. Cleary to be the confidential, a
sort of secretary to Oar. Thompson; Mr. Thompson
told me he was pented upon all his a ff airs, and that
if I sought him at any time that he might be away
I could state my business to Mr. Cleary, and it
would be all the same; that I Could have perfect con
fidence in him; that he was a very olosectouthed
Man. ,
Q. DM Cleary make any remark when Speaking
of his regret that the wholework had not been done;
wataty threat made to the effect that it would be
yet done 7 A. Yes, sir; he said they had better
look out we are not done yet, and remarked that
they never wctild give up
Q. What statement did Cleary make to you, if
any, in regard to Booth's having visited Thompsont
A. 'hie said that he had been there twice In the
winter; that he thought the last time was in Dee
cember ; he had also been there in the summer ;. he
said he had been there before December ; he thought
that was the last Mogi
Q. On your return to Canada did you learn from
these parties that they supposed themselves to be
suspected of the assassination,and were they Wittig
any , steps to conceal the evidnce of their guilt 1 A.
Oh yes, sir; they knew a very few daps after the
assassination that they were suspected of it.
Q. What name did yOUsetillMein your intercourse
with them I A. I assumed as my proper name James
Thompson, and then leading them to suppose that
that was my right name, and that I wished to con
ceal it there, so as not to be identlded by the Fede
ral spies, I adopted Miler names at any hotel I
might bel 'I glittered Thompson on
moping ; GT TO
the boob; I led them to suppose that I wished to
conceal t iat name ; but James Thompson was the
name that they had supposed was my proper name.
Q. Your Whole object in all this was, simply to
ascertain their plans against the Government of
the United States? A. Yee, sir, that was my whole
&Meet.
What did you learn they were doing, if any
l • A. They wore destroying a great many , pa
pert' ; they also knew that they were going to be in.
aioted in Canada for violation of the neutrality
laws a number of days before they were indicted.
Q. Bow did you learn they were destroying pa
yers about that time 1 A. They told me.
Q. Which ens of them I A. Each of them made
Mention of that ; Tucker and Cleary both said they
were destroying their papers.
Q. Have you stated what Tucker said to you
when you had an interview with him after yon re
twine 1 A. Ile Selti It was too bad that they had
I hotibeen allowed to act where they wanted to.
on look at thts, and state if you
r Q. (Submitting to witness a paper containing a
Cipher used
by the cowed.,
am feadliar with hen of
r E a r tee r g at e
tytribp,:hrirerrilthawl &Ili:
them. The paper containing the Whet "fa' hire
timed In condone°.
PHILADELPHIA, TUESDAY, RINE 6, 1865.
Q. Do you recognise that as ourof the orphan In
Use among the Confederates? A. Yes, elf.
Q. During your stay in Canada were yon or not
In the service of the Government, and seeking to
acquire for it useful information in regard to the
plane and purposes of the rebels, who Were known
to be asSeMbled there? A. i was.
Q. To enable you ti do tide did yen or not *OM
it proper and necessary that you should mamma a
different name tram your real name and that under
which you now appear before this Court? A. Yes,
sir. I did.
Q. Will you state how you became acgaalnted
withthlecypher which has been just show [Lyon/ A.
I saw this cypher in Mr. Clay's house, the private
house in which be was stopping in
S in he
Q. When was that? A. That was in the summer
of 1864.
Q. Have you not also been the bearer of despateh
ee for these personal A. Yes, sir; I was entrusted
with despatches to carry from Canada, to Rich
mond.
Did yOrt, Carry them I. A. I earrled some to
Gordonsville, with intittuatione that I Was to Send
them from there.
Q Did yon receive despatches in reply? A. Once
I did.
Q. Were they carried bark I A. Yes, sir ; they
were carried back. •
Q. Dld you come through Washington ; did you
make them known to the Government? A. Yes,
sir; each time I delivered the despatches, always to
the Government of the United States ; I passed no.
thltg that I took, except by their perudad.m.
Q. Ftom whom were the deep itched received at
Gordonsville? A. Al gentleman who represented
himself to me as being in their State Depart
went, and mint with the answer by theft Secretary
of State.
Q. And you bore the despatches to whom—to
TuoropSOU or Clay A. I bore It back to Mr.
Thompson.
Q. All of these men, Thompson, Clay, and Cleary
represented themselves as being In the service of
the Confederate Government 1 A. Yee, sir.
Q. When was it that you received that dispatch
at tiordoneville I A. It was in the fall, I believe ; it
was In October.
Q. Did you ever hear the subject of these raids
from Canada upon our frontier, and of the burning'
Of our cities spoken of stung these conspirators I
A. Yee, sir ; many times.
Q. Sy Thomuson, Clay, Merry, Tacker, Sanders,
AM time meal . A. 'Yes. sir ;-L know bin. Clay was.
one of the prime movers in the Matter !More the
raids were started.
. . „
Q. You understood in your conversations with
them that all these men folly approved of these en.
terprises I A. Yes, sir ; the removed. the direst in
dorsement of Mr. Clement G. Clay, Jr. ; he repre
sented himself to me as being a sort of representa
tive or the War Department:
Q. Do you not considee that you enjoyed fully the
cobtldetice of those men, an that they freely commu
nicated to you? A. I do ; Ilia not think they would
have entrusted those despatches to me anion they
bad the fullest Confidence in me.
Q, DM they or not. at all times repreient
them
selves as acting under the motion of their Govern
went at Richmond V A: They represented them
selves as having full power to act without reference
to them ; they repeatedly told me, both : Mr. Clay
tied Thompson, that they had full power to act by
their Government. In anything they deemed expo
dient, and for the bandit of their cause.
Q. Were you in Canada at the time the 'fitteMpt '
was made to fire the city of New York I A. Yee, sir.
Q. Was that the subject of much oonversation
among these people 1' A. I left Canada with the
news two days before the altempt was made to bring
it to the Department at Washington.
Q. That Such a project was contemplated 1 A.
Yes, sir. -
Q. You know that it originated there, and had
the full sanction of these merit A. Yes, sir,
Q. Do you mean to say the same in regard to the
St. Albans raid i A. Yes, sir ; I did not know the
point where that raid was to he made, but I told the
Government at Washington that they were about
to set Out on a raid of that kind before the St.
Albans raid; I also told them of •the intended raid
into Buffalo and Roeheaterj'and by that means pre
vented those raids.
Q. Captain Beale, who was sinliSequently hanged
at New York, was known there as leading in this
enterprise, was he not I ' Ai I did not know him by
that name.
Q Was he spoken of among those men I A. I
never heard him spoken of; they were in the habit
of Wing their fictitious name in conversation with
seen other. . •
Q. You say that you do not know anything about
Beale? A. No, air; I knew that the object of his
mission was contemplated; I -did not know who
were to be the immediate executors of 'the plot; I
knew of the plan at the time, and reported it.
Q. Did yeti hear the subject of the funds by
wnloh all these enterprises were carried on Spoken
of among these conspirators as to who had the
funds, or the amount they had, or anything of that
sort? A. Yes, sir; in regard• to the raiding, Mr.
()lay bad funds.
Q. Did you ever hear the probable amount spoken
of by any of them I A. No, sir ;he represented to
me that he always had plenty of money to pay for
anything that was worth paying for; he told me he
had money.
Q. Do you know In what bank in Montreal these
rebels keep their account and funds I A. No, sir, I
do not.
Q. You know that there was a Bank of Ontario
In Montreal'? A. - Yee, sir" know that there is
such a bank ; I know that they deposited in several
Influent banks ; they transacted a good deal of en-
Oben In what I think is called the Niagara Dis
trict Bank ; It is almost opposite where Mr. Olavoa
residence was in St. Catnerine's ; during the sum
mer they transacted a great deal of bruilaess at that
bank.
Q. What seemed to be George N. Sanders* posi
tion there, if he had a defined position? A. Mr.
Clay told me that I had better not tell him the
thinks that I was bent upon nor the things that
they entrusted to me; that he was a very good man
to do their dirty work; that is just what Kr. Clay
told me.
4. Be was then doing their work, but it was
dir t y work; A. Mr. (hay said he associated with
wen that they could not associate with; that he Was
very useful in that way ; a very Wend man to them
indeed.
Cross-examined by Mr. Aiken: Q. Where are yea
from I A. New York city, originally.
4. What time in the year was it that you said
Mr. Thompson told you a proposition had been
made to him A. In the early part of the year..- .__ _
Q. In January I A. In
'er - lina r trettiltryl
A. - No, sir, I did eot.
Q. When did you see Ur. Clay'? . Immediately
after the conversation in the summer. A.
Q. The summer of 1864? A. Yes, sir; in which he
spoke Of "Thompson" being able to pat the Presi
dent out of the way whenever he was ready.
D. Did you ever hear anything In , Jaeada of Mr.
Suratt as being connected with the plot I A. I did
not.
Q. Did you receive any pay from the Confederate
Government for going to Gordonsville with de
spatches 1 A. I received for the services, to defray
relined expenses, the equivalent of one hundred
and fifty dollars in greenbacks ; it was not one hun
dred and fifty dollars in greenbacks ; it Wit 4 (I have
forgotten the amount) in Canada money ; gold was
about WO at the time; I have forgotten-what it was;
I received that, and reported the fact of having re
otived it to the War Department at Washington,
and applied it on ley OXIMMiII aoooisnt as having
been received from the Government. -
Q. On your return with tee Gordonsville de
spatches for the rebels In Canada did you leave a
copy of those despatches here? A. I handed the
original despatches over to the authorities, and
• those of them that they selected to go ahead, I
carried on, and those they did not, they retained.
By the Court : Q. I want to ask.an explanation of
an answer you made ; I understood you in your tes
timony to say that after the assassioetion of the Pre
sident sense of those who had been engaged in it had
returned to Canada, and you said taey expressed
regret that they bad not been allowed to proceed
earlier / A. Yen mieunderstood me; I did not say
that any of those who had Dren engaged In the at
tempt at assassination or in the saimesinatien had
returned to Canada.
Q. But those who directed it from Canada ex
pressed regret that they had not been allowed to
proceed sooner? A. One of the parties, the one who
represented himself as being a commercial agent,
Mr. Beverly Tucker said teat it was a pity that
the boys had not been allowed- to act when they
first wanted to.
Q. Did you understand why they were preVelited
in not proceeding sooner I A. I did not; I Inferred,
though, from what Iliad heard from Mr. Thompson
before, that he had detained them in order that he
might choose a fitting Oneonta:My.
Q. Your impression was that they were detained
up - to that time by Mr. Jacob Thompson A. I in
ferred so, because when he spoke of the matter to
me in his conversation of January, 1805, he said he
was in favor of the proposition that had been made
to him to pat the President, Mr. Stanton, General
Grant, and others out of the way, bat had deferred
giving his answer until he had consulted his GO
yen:anent at Richmond, and was then only waiting
their approval.
Q. Did you gi till ven de t ra t tiliti e
di d te t e lgt o te f is ol
answer, and b lo thd win r g• ec l i a v". t t A te .
I never understood so ; I never asked the question
or received that reply.
Q. What was your impression I A. My impres
sion was that he bad received the answer; I inferred
tbat he had received that approval, and that they
had been detained for that, front What Beverly
Tricker said.
4. I understood you to mention the name of Prof.
Holcomb In connection with that Of Sanders, Clay,
arid others. I would like to know how far you can
Identify him in these movements, plans, and opera
tions of these men I A. I made a proposition to Mr.
Clay to carry despatches for them, and to do their
work, as a means of getting into itheir • madden°. ;
and Mr. Cleary told me, before Mr. Holcomb, that
he had authority to sign his ([?lay's) name by power
of attorney, and his own, both of them being repre
sentatives of tne Confederate States government,
as they called it.
•
Testimony of 3,1111:461 B. Merritt.
James B. Merritt awitnees called for tne prose:lu-
Hon, being duly sworn, testified as follows
By the Judge Advocate : Q. Of what State are
you a native I__A. I do not know whether I ,am a
native of Ifew York or. Canada, bat have always
hailed from New York.
Q. What is your profession I A. Physician.
Q. Nave.. you been. residing or not for BOMel time
in Canada, and, Use, In what part of Canada 1 A..
I have been in Comte, about a year, or nearly a
year, part of the time at Windsor, par t the time
at North Dumfries, Waterloo county.
Q. Were you or not in the month of October or
November last in Toronto, Canada 1 A. I was.
Q. State whether you met there a man by the
name of Young 3 A. I met George Young there.
Q. Did Young.profess to be from Kentucky? A.
I believe that he-did ; I believe he wawformerly of
Illorgan , acommand, Kentucky.
Q. Did you meet a man named Ford, also of Ken
tucky. a deserter A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did yea moot a man named Graves, from
Louisville? , A. Yee, sir.
Q. Did you have any convareatta with Young,
in regard to public' affairs of ttutt,:ime 1 A. Yee,
sir, soma
Q. Will you state what he WO to you, if any
thing, in.regard to some very important matters
being on the tapie in the interestof the rebellion I
another term if be is sleeted V' Sanders Said
"he would have to keep himeelf,sery close, if he did
serve another term."
Q. Did Sanders say that at the same time that
Steele said the - old tyrattit never should serve
another term I A. Yes, sir.
Q. Ware you afterwards bi Montreal, In the
month of February last? A, I was.
Q. Did you not hear among the rebels there the
subject of the assassination, of the rzoOldentr freely
opolees of I A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did yon Of not tem}ineritioned the names of
persona who were williisa to assassinate him I A. I
heard Mr. Sanders name over a number of persona
that were ready and veSUlig, as no said, to engage
in the underttfking to, relieve the President, Vice
President, Cabinet, and some of the leading ge.
male.
Q. What, if anyiatair, did Georges W. Sanders
say in relation to Opts having plenty of money to
accomplish these assassinations i A. Mr. Sanders
said that there teas say amount of,money to aeoom.
pbsh the plirpOSA .1 I thing that WM the expreielon
used.
Q. That 11335 the sasaminatiew I A. Yee ele ; he
read a letter leak%
he said he bad received item the
President of the Confedinatis States.
Q. Illeamhig - Jett D 817131 A. Yes, sir; which
ter untitled Lint in making any arrangemente that
he could to accomplish the object.
Q. Was there not a meeting of those rebels at
that Mins is Mcntreal, where Sanders was, and
where yon were also Z A. Yes, air.
Q Was it at this meeting that Sandersmad this
letter from Jeff Davis 1 A. Yes, sir.
Q. Will Sou state some Of the language Of that
letter ; the strong language which he used, if the
Be asked me If I had seen Colonel Steele before
I left Windsor.
Q. W lice was Colonel Steele? A. Colonel Steele,
I helleeet la a KantuatilaU f nit his won name Is
I dO nOt lillOW;
Q. Was he a rebel, In the rebel service? A. lie
hod been, as I understood, a rebel In the service.
Q. Proceed with what Young told yon? A. He
asked me if Colonel Steele had said anything to me
in relation to the Peesidential election; I told him
that he bad not ; then he said we have something
on the tapis of much more importance than any
751(1 that we have made Or can make, or something
Of that nheraoter.
Q. Did be proceed Bo state what it waS 1 A, I
naked him what It wen- he said it was determined
that" Old Abe" Should never be Inaugurated; If I
understood right that was his expresdon; I asked
him bow be knew ; he eaddhe knew that he would
not be inaugurated ; they had plenty or Meads, I
think he said In Washington. and he spoke in rola.
tion to Mr. Lincoln. and used some ungentlemanly
worde ; called him a . -- old tyrant, or something like
that,
Q. That was Young t A. Yes, str.
Q. Did Ton afterwards see Steele and Senders to
? A. Yes, sir.
Q. Yon mean George N: Sanders t A. Ido ; I
was intSOMMed to George N. Sunders by ()down
Steele,
Q. Will you state what, if anything, was Wain
relation to the same matter by either of them on
that Oadadell ? A. I asked Colonel Motile whet was
going to he done, or now he -Mired the proapaots of
the Preridential ' eleation ; ColOnof gteeie , s exprege
elan was, 6 ' the -- old tyrant never wilt serve
tyranny of Mr. Lincoln wee submitted to 1 A. Ido
not know that I can use the exact language.
Q. The substance of it ? A. The latter 'Min sub
stance that if the people in Canada, and the South
erners in the State, were willin' to submit to De
governed by such e tyrant as Litman, he did not
wish to recognize them as Wanda-or immolates, or
something like that.
Q And you Bay that in that letter be =pressed
Ida approbation of Whatever Meaguttrg they might
take to accomplish this object? at. Yes, sir.
Q. Was that letter read openly in this meeting
by eanders 1 A. Yes, air.
Q. After it was read was it or not handed to.merer
bars of the meeting and read by Clonal one after
another? Col. Steele read it, I think; Capt. Soott
read it and Young and Hill.
Q. These were all known as rebels, were-they not?
A. I believe they were.
Q. Did they or did they not all acquiesea, after
reading it, in the correctness with welch Sanders
had read it openly to the meeting? 'A. There was
no remark made as to any misstatement of the
letter, by Sanders. •
Q. As far as you Mild judge, did it seem to be,
Since that meeting, that It was proper to two this
object aocomplisktell 4 A. I did not hear any objee•
tam rattled. •
Q. You said that was in the month of February;
can you say at what Aline of the month thatmeeting
was beldt A. I should think it was somewhere
abeatthe middle of February.
- Q. Jiy whom were you invited to attend the
meeting I A. Captain Scott invited me to attend
the meeting.
Q. Was it on that occasion or some other that
Sanders named over the persons who were waidng
to accem pitch this assassination 1 A. At that time.
Q. namedou state whether among the persons
thus John Wilkes Booth was mentionpd I
Booties name was mentioned ; I do nJt remember
that the John Wileas was >filled CO it.
Q. Did you See Booth yourself in Canada 1 A. Not
then; 1 saw Booth 14 October, net..
Q. Van you recall now other names that were men.
honed besides Booth's? A. Yea, sir; George Harper
was one, Charlie ualaweil, One ktandati, and Dar-
Den.
Q. Did you hear the person, Harrison, spoken of
by any other name h e ard you hoar the name Sur=
mentlonedl A. I Suratt's name mentioned.
Q. Do you know whethe it was the same person
or Lot T I do not think Wee.
. .
Q. Hie name ni John Mariam Suratti A. Sa
rettle name was mentior ed.
Q.• Did you see the prisoner, Harold. In Canada
at mutt time?. A. I say_ I saw 'Harold ; I saw the
One called EarttBonln Toronto.
Q. Would you recognize him ; took at these prise.
ners cad see If you recogr!ze hiMl A. alter Wok
ing at the priaoreeni I should think that taird one
on the bench there was the man, (pointing to Ilar
old).
Q. Be was spoken of as one who was ready to Rd
domplish arrasslnation I A. I understood Dir.
Senders to say be was ready to sooomplish It, or as
alit in it ;,Ms name wad mentioned in connection
with otLers, by others ; he went there by the name
01 Harrison.
Q. Look- at the remainder of the prisoners, and
• see if you recognize any of them • do you remember
having Seen the prisoner Payne 'in Canada.? A. I
do not ; I ehould rot recognize as ever having met
'in Canada any except Harold.
Q. Did I understand you to say that in the eon
versation Occurring between these rebels and their
illenda there wasmoreeetwe at all in discussing the
question of the assassination of the President and
his Cabinet'? ' A. /els) not think you understood me
correctly, ti you understood me that thefe was no
reserve; there was not merest amount of reserve.
Q. It was • discussed freely among themselves,
Men 1 A. Yes, sir.
Q. Among the persona named there was not one
who bore the nick name, probably it was " Plug To.
bacon," or "Port Tobacco?" A. "Plug Urbanite ;"
I never saw him that I. know of, but I heard the
name.
Q. Wee he on this list that Sanders Spoke oft A.
1 am not positivesehether Sanders sited his name Or
not, but I think he did.
Q. Do yen remember Sanders in Speaking. of
Booth as one Who was to assassinate the
President and Cabinet, mentioned as among the
reasons ; for it was relatetato Beets who had been
recently hanged in New- York? A. He said that
Booth was heart and soul In this matter, and felt as
much as ley person could feel, for the reanelethat
he was a cousin to Beale who was tong In New
Ycrk ; whether he was a cousin or not, I do not
know.
Q. What did be say, if anything, in regard to the
assassination of the Vice President, now President,
of the /felted States I A. He said that If they
,could dispose of Mr. Lincoln- It would be an easy
matter to dispose of Mr. animism, as he was steak a
drunken sot in would be en easy matter to dispose
of him in some of his drunken revelries.
Q. Did he say anything in regard to Mr. Seward,
the Secretary of State? A. When he read the
letter he spoke of Mr. Seward, and I Inferred
that that was partially the language of the
letter ; I think it was that if these parties, the
President, the Vice President, and Cabinet, or Mr.
_l'Pellard.aellal ,1 1... , ..dpctt-ossmithsterfaty find -
?rinds in the North, and that a retie could be ob
tained on better terms than it could otherwise be
obtained ; that they, the rebels, would, endeavor to
bring about a- war between the United States and
England, and that Mr. Seward, through his energy
and sagacity, had thwarted all their efforts.
Q. That was suggested as one Of the reasons for
getting rid of him? A. Yes, sir; for removing him.
Q. At a later period, say early in Aprll, del you
meet any of these parties? A. Yes, sir.
Q. State who they were and what conversation
occurred between you and them? A. I was in To
ronto on Wednesday and Thursday, the sth and 6th
of April last, and in the evening of Wednesday I
was on my way going to the theatre when I met
Harper and Fore ; they asked me to go with them
and speed the evening, end I declined, as I was go-
Mg to the theatre ; the next morningl was armed
by the Queen's Hotel, and I saw Harper, Caldwell,
Randall, Ford, and one Charles Halt.
Q. Did you see a man called Texas A. Yea,
sir. _
Q. state the conversation which oritirred' : than
between you? A. Harper said that they wore geleg
to the States, and they were going to, kink up tee
damnedit row that had ever been heard of yet ;
there was some other conversation passed among
us ; I do not now remember what It Was I nothing of
any importance, till in,the course of an hoar or two
afterwards I met Harper, and he acid if I did not
bear of the death of old Abe, Or the Vise President ;
and of General Dix, in less than ton days, I m'ght
put him down as a damned fool ; the sth, as I find
on looking at my visiting list, and this was Oa
ths 4th.
Q. Did Harper, at the time or not, speak of Booth •
inn Suratt as being at Washington? A. I think
that Booth's name was mentioned as being in
Washington, but I do not remember Surati's at that. .
time.
Q. Was anything said In regard to their having
friends in Washington 1 'A. they said they had
plenty of friends here, and that there were some
nfteen or twenty going to Washington.
Q. -Did you or not call afterwards and ascertain
that Harper had in fact left on the eighth of April •
A. On the Saturday afterwards I WaB at Galt ; Har
per's mother is living sumo four or five nines from
Galt, between that and Paris ; I ascertained then
that he had been to the pines where he had been
stopping, and Caldwell, too, and had started for the
States.
Q. After you had ascertained this information
that they had left for Washington probably for the
purpose of assassinating the President, whatateas,
If any, did you take in the matter? • A.. 1 went.to a
justice of the peace for the purpose Of giving infor
mation to have them stopped ; his name wee Dam!.
Q. State What occurred on your application? A.
When I pave the information he said that the thing
was too ridloolonely absurd, or supremely aboard to
take any notice of ; it would only make ms appear
very foolish to give men information and -cause
arrests to be insole on those grounds, es it was so •
inconsistent that no person would bailer* it.
4. And therefore did he or not decline issuing,
any process? A. He declined to inane process.
Q. Do you or not know at what time this man
Harper returned from the States to Canada ?
have no personal knowledge that he returned at
4. What knowled_ge haveyon on the subject A.
I was in Galt on Friday. again, and; found those,
from Mr. Ford. that heliad been home on Thursday,
and bad started to go back to the States again ;
that was the Thursday after the assassination.
Q. Did you Meow while there one Colonel Ashley,
a rebel officer 1 , A. I did not know that he was-a
rebel cater; / knew
tha_t
he was a rebel sympathi
zer; be was &broker at Windsor, opposite Detroit.
Q. Did you ever see a letter from Jacob TAMP.
ElOn, formerly Secretary of the Interior, to him A.
Sometime last fall, I eannottell exact ly what. time,
Col. Ashley handed me a letter, which he said he
had received Mom Jacob Thompson, asking him for
lairds for the Unseat of the rebels to carry onto their
objects in Canada, and. he salted Me it could not
contribute ; : he read me the latter.
Q. What did you understandlioni hiMoWel from
that letter to be those objectsa , A. My understand
ing was that the purpose was to ratite Masai; to pay
the expenses of those who were unable to pay their
own exposes to go to the States and mains raids; I
so understood the meaning oftha letter ;, I nusyhave
misinterpreted it.
Q. Did you- have- any Conversation with Jacob
Thompson or element C. Clay 1 , A. 1 had a con
versation with Mr. Clay.
Q. At.what time?, A. In February.
Q State what it was. A. I spoke to him in To
ronto abort -the letter that Mr. Sanders had ex
hibited in Montreal-athe letter of Jefferson Davis.
Q. Did you state to him what that letter was I A.
Be seemed to understand the nature and character
01 the letter perfectly 3 I asked him what he thought
abort it. and be said he thought trig , end would jug
' tity the means;. that wan his expression. •
Q. Justify the assassination I A. That the end
would justify the means.
• 4. Yon say that when you mentioned to him thao
• letter Irma Jefferson Davis approving of this plan,
of assassination, he seemed to understand it perreot..
le 1 A. Yea, sir ?he seemed to underetand it.
Q. You spoke of having heard the name Surett
do you remember that he was at any time pointe d.
out to you while you were in Canada? A. Hawes
pointed out to me once.
Q. At what time was that, and where f A, It
l i
was In February, apd, I think, in Toronto.
Q. With whom was he there, did you observe
A. I did not see him with any one ; he was walking
on
weeth Other NO Of the street, and. was pointed out:
to as being Surat% end lam Waited t o think it
. was Scott who pointed him out ; and when he Was,
pointed out Scott, Ford, and myself weusetanding
on the sidewalk.
Q. How often did you see Booth there.? A. low
Booth there two or three times.
Q. With whom did you generally see himaseta
elating? A. Ido zot know that I °bald tell I, iteat
at the table with him once at the. St Lawrence;
Sandere was at the same table, and,Soott and,Steole
and yse
Q e m Did you cos Sanders and Beath toaetheel A.
I do not know that I did anymore than se eke table ;
they were move/ 813 :W With Via . other at the table;
we all drank some wine at Ms. Sandeoe expense.
Q. Wan not Booth recognized by them
their friend, and as fully permitted to any enter
prise they were sugagalin A. I Cannot answer
that question, for I do not know.
Q. Did you hear what Sanders said of Booth
A. / know what was said in the meeting ; outside et
that I did not hear any person *oak partionlanY
le relation to Booth.,
Q. Did you have personal acquaintance with
Booth yourself t A. No, sir ; I had seen him a goo 4
many times on the stage , and knew him Very well
by sight. •
Q. (Exhibiting to.the witness the photograph or
a. - Wilkes Booth- exhibit Na. Li Is that a correct
rePreeelWOOD 911111 E 1 A, / elionl4 Vitals UM was
the Iles
Q. What is the full Mae of Earper of whom you
ha o v r e z po s.a k x e m o ul l G by eo: riur ae . E s t o rP n e e r;
Q,. Did you see
the man who was calico . Ifarrieon, and whom you
now think le Harold, moo NY than once in Canada 1
A. I think I saw him two swam times.
Q. At what time did you Ow himl A. In Febru
ary.
Q. What time in February?". A. About the mid.
Ole, or eeraewnere about the lath Or 20th Of the
mono.
Q. Did gm make hie acquatiltanoe T A. I did
not.
Q. Do you remember who polotec l him Out to you 1
A. I think that it was a Mr. pro itu.l, and Ford and
Halt were together.
Q. Was it tn, a street 1 A. Ina sadelon.
Q. Night or day 1 A. In theaveninge
Q. Did you notice him more partioulaff, than the
generality of persons in the saloon 1 A. I noticed
him a little more particularly on mount of tits.
Game having being mentioned in oonneatiols with
others at Montreal.
Q. Was this in Dlontreall A. No, this was In
Toronto.
Q. Wee Booth in the Moon, A. No
Q. fter he was pointed outou saw him ons or
twice, A
and th en he went by th e
name of Harri e on,
Ton my 1 A..lt illly iMpreethnk that he went b y
that Maine 3 Ido not remember having heard the
name of lisrold mentioned at all.
Q. Did you see him alter that at any time till
newt A. No, sir. I did not.
Q. And you saw him to-day for the first time
shoe tbatl A. Yes, sir.
Q. Ilow was he greased then, do you remember
A. I do not know that I do.
Q. I mean the general style of the dress; was he
&tined well or not I A. I did not see anythlog
about his dress that particularly &dueled my at
tention. •
Q. I do not menu the color of the etothes, but was
he genteelly °retard I A. I thonid. think he was
eeraloitably dressed ; some people's ideas of Mal.
lity differ from those of others.
The hour fixed by the rules for that purpose hay
ir g arrived. the COLIMISASOII took a roma till 12
o'clock P. X.
Court room, Washington, D. C., Friday, May 12,
ISM 2 o'clock, P. 111. James J. Murphy, Edward
V. Murphy and Robert ()engages were drily sworn
by the Jucgo Advocate as reporters to tho-Coilielid-
MOD, In the presence of the Court.
Cress-examination of JemeS B Merritt.
Continued by Mr. Aiken Q. Where Wore you
born t A. I was born In Canada.
. .
a.llyols
alUeo d a r d t lAT rfrgionaxuelme:Y:be lugAvooete WS
what State are you a native of; my Meteor was that
I could not tell; I can explain that; my people
lived ID Rome, Oneida, county, New York; father
and mother were in Canada visiting and taking
care of acme of their friends at the time I was born ;
the question was raised the first time I offered my
vote whether T wee a native of New York or Can
ada, and was undecided.
By the Judge Advocate: Q. That was what you
meant by your answer 7 A. Yes, sir.
By Mr. Aiken: Q. What is your age A. Nearly
forty. 411
Q. How often did you visit Maeda last summer
and fall A. I have been there all the time since
May last,pretty moot:, with the exception of a tow
days in December, and at that time I moselOnally
went back and forth to Detroit.
. .
Q. What was your business in Canada? A. Free
tieing medicine.
Q. When did you Bret meet any Of the parties you
have named in Canada'} A, Some of them I met
the first day I was there.
Q. You went In May? A. Yes, Sir, I Weld In
May.
Q. Where were they? A. Ford was there la May.
Q. By whom were you introduced to taose par
ties ? A Some of them introduced themselves.
Q. Were you introduced to any of them 1 A. Then
I was Introduced afterwards to some; Colonel
Ashley introduced me to Mr. Clay.
Q- Was that the first introduction you had to
three parties 1 A. TM was the first introduction
I bad to Mr. Clay.
Q To any Of them 1 A. Oh. no I I think ()clonal
Ashley Introduced me to two or three others; there,
.among_the test, was Captain Scott.
Q. How was it that you were on ErtiCh ernatientlal
terms with these gentlemen 1 A. Because I was a
good Stmtherner, andrepresented myself aa such.
that the reason why you were asked to con
tribute 1 A. Yee, sir.
Q. On account of your known status there as a
Southerner ? A. They supposed I was a good
Southerner, and I presume that was the reason Mr.
Ashley asked me to contribute.
Q. You spoke of drinking wine with Mr. Sanders;
Was that before or atter the num:Aug at which the
letter was read to which you referred 1 A. That
was after the Interview we had in October, but be
lore the meeting at which the letter of Davis was
read.
Q. Where was that meeting held? A. In Mr.
Sanders' room.
Q. Who invited you to be present at that meat-
Mg I A. Captain Scott.
Q. Is It possible that a portion of that letter has
been misapprehended? I would like to have you
state the main potato in it again. A. Wir. Sanders
read the letter aloud ; I did not read the letter my- I
self ; I think that I stated that In the commence.
meet ; the purport of the letter was that Mr. Dives
did not wish to recognize any portions as his friends
who were willing to submit to be governed by Mr.
Lincoln, conveying the sentiment the language
Might be varied a good deal, and that the President
end Vies President. and imme of the Cabinet, and
the lending generals could he disposed or, it would
satisfy. the people of the North that they, "the
rebels," had friends here.
Qi .That was stated in the letter? A. That was
dated in the letter, I think ; that was the meaning
or the letter, the phraseology 1, perhaps, do not
exactly remember.
Q:-We want to know what was actually said in
the letter! A. I say that that was the substance, I
do not say that was the exact phraseology.
Q. Was there anything more in the letter I A.
There was considerable; it was quite a lengthy
letter.
Q: Did you make any expresslone at the time in
the meeting 7 A. No, Or.
4: Did you see•theyustiee of the peace to whom
you referred immediately after that riseett"ll I It--
No, dr.
Q. Dow long was it afterwards 1 A. It was over
a month.
Q. What time was theletter read? A. The letter
repuresteep.4zajeautrir—and _Lmonti, omtiesftts.et..
Q. Afterthe justice of the peace roused to accede
to your request, what did you then do 7 A. I then
called upon a Judge of the Court of Aesizes ; made
my atatement to kiln, make said I should have to
go to the grand jury. • '
Q. What did yon do then? A. I did not do any
thing ,• I went home. •••*."
Q. When did yeti. firet'communicate to the Go
vestment this iniormation teat you have detailed
here? A. I think it was two weeks ago to-day.
• Q. Since the assassination of the Fruition; I A.
Yea, air.
Q. What was your object in keeping this informa
tion so long to yourself! A. There was no authority
to communicate it to.
Q. But as a good citizen you were bound to
he nom
placelt ;
n why die you not do it I A. In the H
e I was ot re where I could comatunioste est
am a practicing physician la North Du mtries dO.
nada; it is some five hundred or six hundred Miles
from here.
Q. There is also* office at Dumfries ? A. Yee,
sir; there is one. .
Q. There's one atiTOrallto and one at Montreal!
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Is that the only reason that you have? A.
No, sir; I cannot assign any particular reasons why
I did not communicate it ; the Government though
Was in possession of the information without sty
communicating it Lunderstand.,
Q. Was it not owing to the fact that you are a
Southerner in your feelings and affiliations I A.
No, sir.
Q. Where were you when Mr. Suratt was pointed
out to you as you state? A. In Toronto, I think.
• Q. At what time-of the year was that! A. That
was in February.
Q.,ln February,. Mal A. Yea, sir; . last Feb
ruary.
D id
you have a good view of the gentleman I
A. I saw him on tbe street.
Q. Were you on this same side of the-street with
him, or , across! . A. On the Sane aide; he Was •
pointed out coming towards me, and on the opposite
side ; ho crowed on the aame .orolsiug, and passed
down by Me.
Q. What sort oe a looking man was he 1 A. I
never Saw hid ; but- he is a man I should think, as
tall as / am, nearly the feet six Inches or seven or
eight inches, rather slim, and he WOre a mous
tache.
. Q. What was the color of that moustache ? A.
Berk. .
Q. What was the color of his hair? A. I did not
notice his hair particularly; I noticed that he had a
'moustache. •
• Q. What was the color of hit eyes 1 A. Ido
not know that I notated. •
Q. How was he dressed 'I A. Dressed. in ordinary
clothes, like any gentleman would be.
Q. Dark colored olothest A. I should think they
• were, but I might be mistaken.
Q. Are you pretty positive that they were dark
' colored Clothes 7 , A i would not be positive that
they were ; I we/ad not be positive that it Was
Suratt, either, bemuse I do not know the man.
Q. What day.of the month was that as near as
you can recolteott A. I should think it was some
where in the neighborhood of the 20th, perhaps; it
was after the muddle, I should judge.
Q. Who was the American consul at Toronto.? A.
I do not know;. I do not know an American !sonata
in the province.
of Q. Did you ever meet him 1 A. Not that I know
Q. There was one there! A. Ido not know that
I ever met hint.
Q. When ionisers drinking wine at Mr. Sanders'
expense and in convivial conversation with him did
he disclose to. you freely any of the plans and pur
poses of the Southern men in Canada! A. Not at
the table.
Q. Did ha pritately in his room A. I had no
conversation with Mr. Sanders, except what I had
at those interviews In relation to any conduce of the
Southerners in Canada; that was in his room, at
the time Lwas introduced to him by Clem Steele.
Q. To go back again—under what eircamstanoes
was the gentleman whom you think , was Saratt
pointed out to you ? ,A. I do not know , that it was
under any particular oiroumstances ; a man by the
name of Bord, who Doc ren at the meeting held
in Montrea add : tor, that's Saratt."
Q. Was Suratt mentioned 1n the meeting', A.
Suratt's name wee.
. 4. Ware you talking with Ford at that time In
regard to any of the plans and purposes divniged in
that meeting 1 A. Yea, sir.
Q. Was that the ocoaelonl A. That ie hOW he
happened to speak of this man.
Q. You think he was a man Mang five feet six
bons. high? A. Five feet six on eight Inches, I
should jadge.
Your impression is that, he was dressed in
dark clothes I A. I could not otty what his clothes
were ;be might have been dreaced. In dark clothes,
ox dark gray, or gray ; I could not now tell for the
life of We what he was aroused, in.
1111 Q. You think he had a dark moustache I A. I
It Ink his moustache wise duke; it was not red; a;
Mast I think It was not.
By the Judge Advocate : I understand you to
say that the occasion of Sur,attia being pointed out
. to. you was because he ara4 QUO of the men spoken
of. In this meeting who were willing to aodomplish
the assassination of the Htesideatt A. He was one
of the men spoken of by Mr. Sanders ; Me. Ford
Was present at the tlma,.ildr. Sanders mentioned it.
Dow many wercepresent at that meeting I A.
I should think there ware ton or fifteen.
• Q. How many eau: yeti,
Sannam many ail
yo can? A. Theto.wais Mr. ders, Cc i. Steele,
Capt. Scott, George. Harper Caldwell I Ford, Kirk,
Benedict, eleorge.ygoes, and Syron MW.
q. Do you know whether this Harper was or was
not from. mamma. Vleginlai A. I believe that
Harper and Caldwell were both residents of Ride
I mond, Va. ; at least they represented themselves as
such.
Q. Did they represent themselves to have been
In the rebel! sersioal A. I believe they had been,
I think they said they had been in the rebel service;
whether they were eoutudealoned or prlvatea Lean.'
hot say.
Q The Clay of whom you have spoken, Is Ole
meht C. Clay, of Alabama, formerly of tto: United
States Septets, la it not! A- Yes, ; C.
a tall slim man.
By Mr. Aiken : Q. nem what pettat did you.
communicate this information to the Government I
A. In the War Department.
' Q. Did you come inkwells' here? A. Yes, ear ; I
have in my pocket a letter frog the Provost Mar
shal General, stating that he had received a letter
which proved to have been Mitten by Sofro Davi
son, giving Information of my visit to Min when I
wished to have Harper and Caldwell arrested, and
when, on the receipt of that letter, they sent to
caned& for me ; if you with to lee the letter I oan
Iproduce it. •
By the Judge Advocate : Q.- By whom was that
letter written Adv ocaa t s
without
The Judge objection, oterod
letter lit tvicienuo. it le MI follows
FOUR CENTS.
" , Wan DarAItTIESUT,
/ 1 1t0,01ST BURSHAL GisSurnexts Bunsen,
" Weal" oTON, D. U., April 20, MIS.
"To fir. J. B. Merrill, Agent, Canada West:
/ have been informed that you possess In
formatidn &meted with a plot to assassinate the
President 006 Vnited States and other prominent
heats of this Government. The bearer has been
sent to present this letter to you, and to•aocompavy
you to this city, if yeu will come. The Secretary of
War authorlthf me to pledge yeti pintetition and
security, and to rely all expenses connected with
you journey both wept, and, in addition, to promise
a suitable rowas.d if useful information is far.
Dished, Independent of these conahlerationt,
it is hoped that the cradle of humanity and
justice will ineuow you to act promptly in dl.
',tilting any thing yen' may know connected with
the recent tragedy in this oily, or with any other
plots yet In preparation: Tile bearer to directed to
pay all expetsee conneSted'witts your trip.
al am, in., vary respectfully,
" Your obeditulat servant,
...hams B. Fair,
. I Provost•Pdarshel General:* •
The original of the foregoing is annexed to this
record, and marked Exhibit IN. 6:
By the Judge Advocate: xt.: It was under that
lett,r you came? A. Yes, sir.
By the court: Q. The, Wltlfsts in giving the
reason for his admission to tlit:l)Atietlopt eels eon.
splinters In Cane da, Said it was helmet:he was a
good Southern man, and then in Wins a veaison for
not communicating this in format:an *to the Govern
ment, be said emphatically that halvati not a good
Southern man—how fa that diaerepetter erpbanea ?
A. I said they admitted me beemare I Was la good
Southern man, and I said it in sulk a Way . that I
thought it would be understood that led made
the impression on their minds that PteafFa, good
iSouthern mat, Grd knows I am not n Southern
man fn sentiment, beCanSe I have takemthe oath or
allegince too Men.
By Par. Aiken : Q Where were plume :Vie tae
Mr. Ashley toked you to contribute 7 A. In-Winti
sor, opposite. Detroit.
Q. You Staten that you did not contribute any.
tbir gat that time ? A. I did not.
Q. Did you ever contribute anything for thinly
ogle purpose 1 A. No, sir. •
Q. Either In money, or serving, or advice 'l' A.
No, sir
Q. When did you leavo New York 1 A. Four or
bye or eix years ago, more than that.
Q. When were you last In New York olty 1 Ar. I
bayonet been there, L think, eine* 1858 or 1859.
Q. Du? yon knossr anything of the plot to burn that
elti ? A. / Old.
Q. Did you communicate that to any one ? A. I
Mo.
Q. To whom 7 A. To Colonel fill, of Detroit.
Q. htow did you come to hod out anything about
that A. I heard it talked of at Windsor.
Q: DM 'you communtoste your knowledge before
or after the attempt to burn that city? A. Before
tte attempt.
Q. Aro you acquainted with Robert Kingball, of
Toronto 1 A. No, sir.
Q. Did you ever me him? A. Not that I
huow of.
Q. He Is the conenl there? . A. I do not know
htm.
Q. Who of the Southerners oommuntaated to
you their intention to burn Plow York city at Wind
our t A. Robert Drake, formerly of Morgan'e own.
mend.
Q. Was he the only one? A. Another, Of the
manse of smith ; Ido not know Smith's first name, but they were both of MOrgarthr command. and they
both bad been to Chicagoan litcoud the presidential
CeirVititiOn; they went there for tho purpose of _did.
turning tie public peace, and releasing the rebel
prieoners at ()amp Longleaf ; at least they told me
that Was their object in going, after they returned,
Q. After yon had been thus made aware of the
plot to burn the city of New York and commit that
depredation In Chicago, why did yon tontlaue pine
friendly relatiens with that class of men? A. ror
the y,nrense of giving Information when I rjhonid
find it cf importer. ce ; &natter thing, my practise
was mostly among that plats of men among South.
en era n Son go to Canada. you will find that nine.
tenths of the people are rank rebel sympathizers.
Q. Did you continue your friendly and (midden-
Dal relations with them atter that 7 A. I did.
. .
Q. By whom were you paid for cornMunteatthg
tile IlliOrina tiOn I A. I never have received a dol
lar ; the Government did advance me money, here
the other day, to pay my expenses ; I have proof in
n y poCket, which I can show if it is neoessary, from
the provost marshal at Detroit, that I farntaned
valuable information without any remuneration.
Q. Why, atter thie, and you were continuing your
relations with them, should they continue to think
yptt a good -iontherner I A. You must ask them
trey can give you more information on that point
than I can.
- -
Q. Did you Intentionally &peeve theme A. /Ay
intention wee to get all the falarmatiou I oouldfrom
*em.
Q.
A
tbe semi
time pretontlimg to be their
Mendel A. Yea, air.
Testimony of Sandford Conover.
Sandford Conover, a witness called for the prose
oution being duly sworn testified as follows
ByJudge Advocate Bingham Q. State your
full name and present place of residence I A. Sand.
ford Conover; Monti's], Canada.
Q. Bow long have you resided in Montreal I A.
Since October last. •
Q State where you resided previouetto going to
Cots da 1 A. I resided a short time in Bit/1120re.
Q. State whether you resided further South be
im(' that 1 A. Yea, sit; at Risnmond.
Q. Slate what you were &dog at Richmond'? A.
I was a olerk in the War Depwrtment for a Sine,
4. How long 1 A. U pwards of Ms menthe.
Q.
Do you mean the War Dapartment of the Con
feCtiate States Government, as it was called 1 A.
Yes, sir; In the rebel War Department.
4. Who was at that time Secretary of War for
that organization 1 A. Mr. James A. Sodden.
Q. Haw did you come to be In the rebel services')
A. I was conscripted, and detailed for a clerkship ;
was a cheap way of getting clerks.
Q. State to the court whether when you were In
Canada you made the acquaintance of any of the
persona connected with the Confederate organize ,
lion, at it was called ; rebels from the Southern
States '1 A. I did ; and have glace been quite Intl.
mutely areetniito with them.
4. State the names of thotil With whom yen were
so acquainted in Canidai • i _6- 1 -A.wwe IC Sanders *
Jacob Thompson,
William U. Olenry, Lewis Li c ame
am Magruder, and
a rcurelouriettaltSM4oll-,No t _,
Q. 1115 you know Clement O. Clay? A. I knew
hint ; I may also Include General Frost, of Missouri,
and General Carroll,of Tennessee.
4. Were you also acquainted with any persons
who occasionally visited the persons named In
Canada from the United States') A. I know some.
Q. What were their names T A. I knew Mr. Su
ndt ; I knew Booth.
Q. John Wilkes Boothe A. Yes, sir.
1 Q. State whether you saw either of those persons
alt named in Canada more than onset A. I. never
taw Booth more than once; I saw Stiratt On save.
ral Successive days.
Q. With whom did you see them when they were
there I A. I saw Suratt on a number of days in
April last; I saw him in Jacob Thompson's room,
sadPl
I also saw him in company with Mr. George N.
Sanders at two or three places.
Q. Did he pass by the name of John H. Surattl
A. Suratt ; I am not positive about his first name ;
I heard him called Jack by some.
By Mr. Castleman : Q, Describe the personal
appearance of this Mr. Swett . ] A. He Is a man
about 15 feet 9, JO, or 11 niches ; somewhere in that
neighborhood, S should judge; a spare Man, light
complexion, :twilight hair.
Q. You say you saw him in Montreal in April
last? 21: Yes. sir.
Q. About what time in April 1 A. It was within
a week before the President's assassination ; I think
about the 6th or 7th of April ; somewhere in that
vicinity.
Q. In whose company was he at the time you
saw him there T A. I saw him in Mr. Thompson's
company and in Mr. Sanders'.
ro t=
Q. ?
YoA.u s I
eay
aw yo him in Par u saw him
rin Mr.
Thompson's h oom pson's
..
Q. State whether he gave any communioation to
Mr. Thompson in his room in your presence, and
what that comment:334ton was I A. Cher/ was a
cemmunioation there at that time, from which it
appeared that Mr. Suratt had brong despatehee
from Richmond to Mr. Thompson ; these despatches
we re the subject of the conversation.
Q. From whom in Richmond were the despatches
brought 1 A. From Mr. Benjamin, I think ; there
was also a letter In cipher from Mr. Dena ; I am
not positive as to the latter, but there was a letter
whether it was In elpher or not.
Q. Do you mean Judah P. Benjamin, Sanatory
of State of the so-called Confederacy?—A. Yes,
sir.
Q. You say the despatoheti were the subject of
conversation ; what did they say was the substance
of the despa tches, or what did they pnrportto bat
Q. I had some conversation with Mr. Thompson
previously on the subject of a plot to assassinate
Mr. Lincoln and his Cabinet, of whisk I had in
formed the paper for widen I was correspondent,
anti I had been invited to participate in that enter
pries.
Q. By whom had you been so invited I A. By
Mr. Thompson; and on thin oCOallen he laid his
hand on the papers or despatches there, and said,
this makes the thing ail right," referring to the
assent of the rebel authorities.
Q. Q. Did they speak of the persona that the
rebel authorities had consented might be the vic
tims of this plot 1 A. Yes,Sir ; Mr. Lincoln, Mr.
Johnson, the Secretary of War, the Secretary of
State. and Judge Chase.
raleQ. ?
Did they d say anyth ing G about any, of the gene-
Q.. An General rant.
In that oenneotlon was anything said, and if
so, what was said by Thompson and Suratt, or either
of -them touching the eifeot the assassination of
these odors named would have upon the people of
the United States, and their power to elect a Peed
dent? A. Mr. Thompson said, on that ocoasion, I
think, I am not so positive that it was on that owls-
Mon, but he did say on the day before the interview
Of which I Speak', that it would leave. the Govern.
Men; entirely without a head; that there was no
provision in the Constitution of the 'UMW States:
by which they.oonld elect another President.
Q. It these men were put out of the way 1 A. If
these men were removed.
Q. State whetter any other member of the Oat&
net was named in that connection, tom:Wing the
despatches and the approval from Richmond', A.
No, sir no further than this ; My. Wallas was
named, b ut Mr. Thompson sai d ,
it was not worth
while to kill him ; he was of no.consequesoe ; that
was the remark made at the time.
Q. Ton stated mat there was a letter in cipher
from Davie, as well . as the &spate* of Secretary
Behjaroln i A. Yes, sir.
Q. Was the substance of this letter of Davis also
spoken of I A. Only generally.
Q. In connection with the aespatoh 1 A. Yes.
Q. Was any other subject; mentioned I A. Yet.;, :
if I may be allowed, I will atats my first Interview.
on that subject.
Q. When was your Brat interview with him an
that subject T A. In Fehznary last.
Q. About what time In, February 1 A. In the,
early 'Dart of February.
Q. That was wherel_A. 4 That was In Mr. Trtelpr
son's room, In the St, laWrenoe Hail flown.
Q. State, if you plows, what was said a's Ithat
time by Mr. Thomprap on that subject in yot4 pa&
setae. A. I-bad celled on Mr. Thompson is make
some inquiry abonhajaid which bad been.sostem.,
plated on Ogdenatiarik New York, which ted failed
because the United spates Governmenlk had re
calved some Intithetl4 of the intention of iliarobels,
and w ere prepared fora, and I called tosectiohat wea
to be done next, Weeklag items
. . for my
an-hwae a p aper,
and being summ wW yM d Th v m to n keoVit fßom
rebel, he said,
time, but we, will catch them sulleep,yaityst and ha
observed, sithein is a better euportunity—a
chance to irottiortalthe yourself and ease your
counter ;" li tomias I was ready tell% anything,to
.save the eallAtry, and asked what wait to be done ;
be said ewe Of, our boys are goinAta. play a wand
joke on abs and Andy; that was la
aYkpreSSlOnil this
ied to exolanitione, when he infonited melt was to
kill them, Ws rather to remove him from ogtee ; to
use his own expression,he said it was only lament
ws .
ing the fora office, iet the trilling a tgrant was
no murder.
Q. Sloth whether anything was said sir that lima
on the subject of commissions from the rebel att.
thoritles in his hands In Walsh I A, Re had eons
. ntissions, and oonfeived out On Booth,. t am not so
positive whether he had °enforced, on Booth or
' tot, but be told me either then or enesequentiv that
Booth bad been commissioned , and that everybody
engaged In the entergrise %%slid ha aomuxae d,
and, if tt succeeded or failed, and they esoaped to
Canada, they could not be intheaisfully Calmed on.
der the extradition treaty.
Q. State whether you have any pseeonal know.
ledge of then. hething these commissione in blank
trout the Oosiedetate States 1 A. yes, sir ; the
commission eon tarred oa Bennet H. young ; the
St. Albans raider was given to hl blank blank.
Q. By whom 1 A. It was a oomudesiee
Oiled up, and conferred by Mr. (Tay, .
Q,. W hat name was attached to it es it Game Into
the hands of the men from Richmond, if any I A.
JaPet 4. BeildeAs keitifeter, Qf War.
THE WAR
trugusatb
Tae Wan passe will be sant to ittlawrlben br
meu (per aunts" iriadvanoa) ..... If
Piss oarles •••• •-•••••••••••••••• •••.410
00
Tito •••• ....»+..-..•.»»6000
/Arm OM: that Ten Win bb Orarieti at the mum
rite. 4104 00 per copy,
The money must calottftc do 'odiltrans the order. a*d
in no instance can these term be deviated from, ag
m ew afford very WM mire tam alivet larva:an
,g- Postmasters are roxlawilisi to sot u unto f*
T E N Was Palma.
air To the getter•up of the Club Of too or &wean sit
ex t ra *off of the raper Will to. , etym.
E=s
ar it.:,oti.fisitt the Wert. whither you saw the Maw
mietionyonfeelf A. did.,
Q. At relen Metal:loe were yew called to lee It
A. Mr. Itherbioatn ' S•
Q. Mate wleeteler you Were asked to testify about
the gennittetleal of Seddian's signet:lre,, you having
been a clerk In tke Department" A. I was.
Q. *hem wineyout alkali? By Par: Thompson
and nir. Abbett Youngse in the 0180, and also
q. by Sandercand
seateweitheriten dhl testif y On the estimable
of the genuine/len Of the elgualure of Oedema ? A.
I dd.
Q. In that c linift, / A). I teetlded before' Yang,
--; the.elemseetre. Wo 4 Bantlit i e.
Q. Aro you seiltlairtted and familiar With the
hapdwriaing o."Jarata itleSedden, the rebel Stara
tory of war/ A) yes, sir.
Q. State now to - the mull, upon your Oath, here,
whether the sionsturelA teMkblanir commission you
Saw was his gem:die .elgusenee or not!' A. It Who
his genuine. eignaVero,
Q You say you bad a:se : Sequent conversation
with lhompeon elm the one rat have spoken of, al
early as February, elfore the Eine you met him with
Surat; • what thus 170 February :rail it that you had
that subsequent COM tnal:10112 1. I had converser
"ions with him from 01 to day almost every day
during the whole off Weary,
Q. On any one of thweroccasionTaid he offer yon
one of :Dego colomlssimatin tbe.worif of the assissit.
nation of the President At fiathiN farther Men
this, that he Sim geeted ?)tat '
,/ t immortalise
myself and save the eourzy, aod in that same 1:101t•
neation said th at Booth hn S heen commissioned, and
that every man who would szigagetin'the enterprise
would be.
Q. In these subsequent cilivarsarron state any
thing that was said about CM extenttto whtch thht
',tot was to be carried, wha ljangUage wad used,
etc. 1 A. At another time 1 IMO a conversation
with for. Wm. 0. Oleary the illy before or the day
of the aleasesnation.
Q. ' hare at I A. At St. toting° Hall I Wa
wele ey.eeking of the rejohlogs In the Stetee over
the surrender of Lee and Lice oar Vitt of RIOtLECIOud i
aid son , op, and Cleary 'Win %limo that th ey would
put the laugh on the other al de of Male months in a
Gay or two ; I think that Wee the &ay - .before the as
evaluation took place.
Q. Bow cid be say they would dolt? A. There
wan nothing further than that sate fit was known
thatl was in the secret of the oonsplreety, and that la
What we had reference to ; It was ;:diked about MI
commonly as we would speak 01 . tho weather.
Q. Did Ica have any conversation with Sanders,
about that time, about it A. 0, oe time before that.
1 bad a conversation with Sane lers, and he talked
me if I knew Booth very well; he expressed some
apprehension that ,130:41 would make a sizzle or its
that he Wag dissipated and roc* less, and he was
afraid she allele thing would prows a ffentlee.'
Q. What business were you onitaged Irvin fain,
During your stay is Oauttaa, while yea Ware Osten.
fibly a rebel l A. 1 WAS a OtlfreagOildialt of tile
Ni w York Trfbune.
q. stair to the court whether. bet ore the USN*
nation of the President, you commanfeated to any
pereon in the "Übited States the inforMatfon you
had received about their intended raid on Catena.
bore, or the 10138bsthation of the President? A.
did to the New York Tribune,and they declined to
publieh It, because they had boon isoostebd of pub.
Selling sensation stories of that kind before, and
they feared there might be nothing in It, and did
not wish to be mused. of publishing emotion
stories.
Q. State whether you mean to be understood - al
eaiiXg that you oommuuloated both the plot to
make a rola on Ogdensburg., semi the other in ?sold
otke what striation of the Pretatleilt, On only
A. Doth.
Q. Abort how long before the PresidOntte essassi.
Bawl) did you make the communication? A. Iditt
It in March last, and also In February, I think ; I
gage them a paragraph on the Stibleot before the
4th of Muth.
Q. In order tbat we may be certain about It, I ask
you again, 19Lhout indicating myself the date,
about what tine was it that you saw this Swett,.
whom you have described, in the room of Thompson
in Montreal as the bearer of despatches from Rich
mond 1 A. It was about the 7th or ath. of April last;
I could-not state It to a day ; it was within fottr
fire days preceding the aSheallilatio)l.
Q. State what was said by riuratt, i t anything;
Inchignlng his connection with the plot I A, There
was oonsfderabie convereatlon on the subject; I OM
unable to remember anything Surat sold in par.
but from the whole conversations inferred
that he was to take his part, whatever it might be.
Q. State whether the aubstanini of his converse.
Hon was that he was one of the parsons in the plot
to execute the conspiracy on the Preeldent and hie
Cabinet I A. That was the understanding.
Q. Was that the substance of hie conversation or
not I A. That Was the substance of the oonversa
tion.
Q. I should like to know whether anytldng"wall
said, in the several conversations yon had with
Thompson, Clay. and klanders, about the uae of
=irony in thin business or not I A. I de , not think
there was, bath was always well understood thaws
was plenty of money when there wiks anything to be
done •, I do not think 1 ever heard anything said
about money as a compensation at all.
Q. When yon say Wives always understood, do
you mean it was so stated in general terms by these
men or not I A. Ido not think there was anything
acid on the subject; there may have been; but In
my presence I think their was nothing said on the
subject of money.
Q. Did Suratt state at that time, at what timehe
had lea. Richmond lama.? A. Ido notramember that
he did ; but it was a vary few days before; I do not
know whether be stated it, or whether I understood
it from Mr. Thompson, or how; but the underetand.
it g was that It was a very Short time before; he wee
just from Richmond as I uudiretird it.
Cross-examined by Mr. Aiken ; Q. When did yore
leave Richmond to go North 1 A. In December,
1861.
Q. Did you go immediately to New York I A.
Yes, Mr.
Q Did yen, in New York, make an arrangement
to become the correspondent of the Tribune? A.
No, sir; I contributed articles wide* were pun.
Haled, and my arrangements were made in writing
afterwards; the lint article I contributed was from.
this city.
Q. Was the arrangement made in New York I
A. No, sir; it was Made by letter, -
""" — ingestion I I 0110 0 W ma
ewer to ht3f rlb ?Hat, tee editor of the NSW
letter forr` 6l . l. Tseb was put out, and I was A
gues telt fd - aiktinus my eorrespondemoe. and do
and received aotopeneation from time to time.
Q. What I want to get at le where yon were at
the time you were engaged as a correspondent Of
the Tribune; were. you in Washington at the time
Ton made a regular oormeotion with the Tribune ite
di correspondent? A. Yee, sir.
Q. Then how soon did you go to Canada I A. I
went to Canada last October.
Q. In addition to being a correspondent of the
Tribune were you in the service and pay of oar GOW
ernment ? A. No, air.
Q. Have you ever received compensation or pay
from gm Government for services rendered I A.
Not one cent nor mobiles.
Q. Did yon it give out while In Canada, or, was it
generally underetood, that yon were a correspondent
of the Tribune ? A. No, sir ; it was understood
that I was a rebel.
Q. When yen asked these gentlemen whom yam
have named, if they had items that would be fit ter
publication, what paper did they suppose you were
in correspondence with 1 A.. I never asked them
for any home; they never anoposed I was a cot.
respondent for any paper.
Q. Yon said something about items for a papert
A. I was stain iteme, - but I did not ask for them
what X, however, learned In onvereation, mat
learned from these parties, was because they ma
that I was a rebel and was in their confidence.
Q. Then they never bad any means of knowing
that you were a correspondent of the Tribune t A.
No. elr.
Q. Were you admitted freely to their Meetings t
A. Yes, air, quite so.
Q. At oto their confidence, tee i A. I think go,
ilr ; they may have ban secrete that ram not aware •
of, but 1 certainly knew of a great many of their
matters that they Intended to keep merit from teat
public.
Q. Wee the disclosure of the Intended raid on Og.
dinsburg published in tne Tribune ? A. I:think It
was ; I Contributed a letter with information of
thattind in it.
Q. Did I understand you as stating to the court
that you ales communicated to the Pribithe some*
thing of the plot about the assassination I A. Yes,
elr ; I wrote them on that enbjeot.
Q.
No on D e lbdu yo tuo
communicate
and
nidt
t m o
yaonw no family
e I
Q. What was your idea In not communicating
that itapOrtant Intsolligenoe at once to the Govern.
ment instead of to the rAbase t A. I silPPOftd that
in giving it to the rribune that it amounted to the
same thing as giving it to the Government; I sup.
posed that the relations between the editor and prep
pietas of the Tribune and the Government were
each that they would lose no time In glviag their
Information on the subject, and I did not Cheese te
have the information go to theGoverument directly
from me in regard to this as in regard to acme °thee'
secrets of the rebels In Canada that I have era
posed ; I requested Mr. Gay, of the, Tribune, to give
information to the Government, and I believe he
has formerly done so.
Q. Yon must have bier ftWSN', as a 'aewaPaPet
man, that if the fact was putdielind in the inewspao
pore, it would defeat the opporep city of daptaring
the parties 7r A. Certainly so, srs.
Q. How meny times did you see S . Aratt la Ca
nada. I A. I saw him for three or four Dines in Mine
cession, I think in April last.
Q. In wbose roost Ind you t nest idat? - A. I RAW
him In Mr. Jacob Thompsonie room; !ADO sawldm
in Mr. Sanders' room once.
Q. Had , . 3ou any conversation with, him Fenton,
&Dr! A. /had.
Q. What did he say to 'pont A. Nothing more
than speaking about Rime mond, and Wring him
how It looked, and what chr mges there were in
Q. never said anything to you personally
himself althea the intended astethaination I. A. No_ i
sir, only what was said in Mr. Thempeon's clam;
was c o dnoed ;to him 'by Mr. Samara ;that Wig
the first I had seen of hll Il.— •
Q. Mee you harried, of tea. alulasinflatiga
whom, did yon ooze= Monte yeur peaviaila ,_
ledgetof it t A. To the 3 , riburs,people.
Q. Did yon go la C anada iqt the nante Of Sand.
fort:CI:00110am' I A. No, sir.
nr 'What name df.d you go by there? A, James
Watson Wallace. •
th Yli the pre* , date, 14311,can. when yOu Met
Ms. Surat at Mr. "Chonepeeree r ooms 1 Ai.l maid
My within two or f.hree daa. ; I think it mighthave
been the 7th, or af.h, or ether April.
• On or Meat that tthee I At Yes sir, it was
near teat time.. -
"4. Did you Tiara abp,lllG , While in&Raab or
the attempt to tire the city o Neil sea.
sir I beard tin. matter Inoue/red.
Q. 1)14 you. oommucOate thattntoltheenoe to any
ores At I Wow nothMg of it tmUl after the at.
tempt had be en made, ,
Q. In representing yourself to • those parties as,
being a good rebel, and bring confidence, were
yon ever charged v:lth the; ekecaon of anYplot on
project of theirs A.]: No, sir.
Q. Yon never rockaived any pay from oar Govern
ment,orfrom the aat exiled Coreederatergovernmeet,
since you have bale th Canada 1 ,No, sir; front, no
ccdo eXtlePt the (few York T , 4 1211, n 0, •
y,ou Cgs your* no to the nOlOl6ll/I nil
Tribune that vino publishell A. No, sr.
Q. Gave ao.,argeatura 1 A. 'No, sir, pone at.all
It was not degrablo to ihr...publishers ,
gromexamined by M ' - I tioxe Did yqn has
dieoUBEid snOng these I. Midgets t isprojeet of ths
capture of thei Trealdra and conveying' hint ,ortto
Illohmoiad A. Yes ; pthink I heard that talked
of In Fetesory.
Q. Did yoo, ever attend a meeting of all those
persons—Thompsor,,Clay, and others , A, I have
been alth Messrs. Thompson., Sanders, Toner.
Oleary. and gimlet Carron at the same tide.
Q. Ins‘ve roil May attended a miatfog'for theism.
pose of considering plena, of hearing araong them.
selves any advises - trout stioLmon4 I, A. N,ot,foa the
purpose of eonthisrlag Any plons.
• Q. Were ran precept at any ampetits4 whi c h
letter from Vern was rand v, A . No, not WWI It
was read; those lettere Were all, In dipper, and I
merely heard.the ouboteuee of theta, repeated.
4. You spoke of Mr. Thouipsdive,laving k hand
upon acme letUir, and sasing,thatwade Mall right ?
A. That referred Walls alspanthin rrOta Richmond,
brought by SUMS.
4. That was la AnrU, was ltnot I A. Yes. sir; It
was In April; I had previously asked Mr. Thorny.
son, when he gret suggested that I should partici
pate fn this stratr, If it would meet the aro.
probation of the tiovernMent at itlotiraopii
be' said he thought It would, but he should
know Ina few days.
Q. I thought I uti4oratood yon to state that he
raid the authority was given In February I A. I , Toi
slr )An d pril, in SnraWs pnce.
4. he then - referred tothose papers as her-
Ins furnished the assent I A. Yes, sir.
4. The float otatement In February waa that he
was expecting despatches from Richmond, *ad *s
teeled thein In a few days I A. Yes; to know
whether the affair would receive the apprOblition
at the eoverntnent or not.
(Continued eafeteOperf)