The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-05-10

being guilty Of participation in the burning Of the
Treasury Building the Sd March, 1888. de-
| clare, most solemny, my entire innocence Of the
crime, and challenge the semblance Of evidence TO
the contrary. 70 farther and assert that never was
said to be suspected, suspected of this
| crime, until my nomination. To prone ! never
| was suspected before is indeed difficult and will
hardly be exacted of me- But | do aver that al
| though lived in Washington at the time the lrea
sury was burnt never heard from any quarter aany
time, the slightest intimation, IN jest or IN earnest OF
suspicion from any one that was accessory to that
| deed of crime-and now proudly defy any credible
witness, any witness to say much more to prove, that
he ever heard such inmation till within three or
| four weeks Something however, more than mele
| denial can establish by nconesiable proof
| Some of the testimonials to which have alluded
| were given me after the burning of the Treasury
buildings. | received them to be used with the APP
pointing power Il conceivable will be believed
that if had then been suspected Of such crime,
could have obtained, could have dreamed of pre-
sening such papers to and from such persons 2 Let
me- however, subjon direct and conclusive evidence
in relation TO the subject.
WASHINGTON, April 49, lS42.
hereby certify that have been personally &C.
quainted with Alexander Powell for nine or ten years
last past; that saw and conversed with him on his
arrival i'm Washington city tine during the month
of July last and that he stated TO at that time his
object in coming here was TO obtain employment UNI
der the General Government and that he was then,
as had good reason to believe, in reduced crcun
stances
of any who could substantate any accusation of
crime Or dishonesty against the said Powell and
thai the only charge ever heard made against him
was the accusatonin a New York paper of his con-
nection with Monroe Edwards, which believe to be
most false and malicious. Ineyer saw him in compa-
ny with the said Edwards, or of any other disreputa-
BILE person. II he had been accustomed such asso
ciates, from my intimacy with him must have
known il.
further certify that was subpened by the Dis
trct Attorney of the United States for this District,
the trial, against White, for the burning Of the
Treasury building, in lS33-and that the name Of
Mr. Powell was not mentioned ny any witness, nor
was he in any way implicated in the proceedings
| also certify that during the whole period Of my
acquaintance with the said Powell, have ever found
in every transaction and all occasions honora
BILE, high minded gentleman
THO COOKENDORFER
DisrRIcT OF WAsHINGToN
County Of Washington, 10 toit:
This nineteenth day Of April, in the year of our
Lord thousand eight hundred and forty two, be-
said county, personally appeared Thomas Cooken-
dorfer, of the city of Washington and made oath on
the Holy Eyangelists of Almighty God that the state
ment contained in the foregoing certificate is true,
according to the best of his knowledge and belief.
HENRY HoWISoN, j. p
DisTRIcr OF COLUMBIA, SIS.
Personally appeared, J. II. Sherburne, before me,
who deposes on oath that he has for many years |
been acquainted with Alexander Powell and that he |
was at time attached to the same department |
with him at Washington that he was in Washington |
at the time of the burning Of the Treasury buildings,
and never heard an intimaton suspicion Of said
PowelPs being in the slightest degree implicated in |
the affair did he ever hear said Powell's name
mentioned in connection with the two Whites, who |
were accused of having set fire to said Treasury |
buildings. And the deponent further states that, at
the time of said Powelrs residence in this city, he,
the said Powell, ever associate of gentlemen
and most respectable families that he the said
Sherburne, has met the said Powell at New York |
and other cities within the two years last past and
always found him residing at the most respectable |
houses and associatng on terms of equality and mti-
macy with gentlemen of the highest responsibility.
And the said Sherburne, on his oath, further |
states that he never knew said Powell to be in any |
way any where connected with gamblers, or of his
ever being addicted to the habit Of gambling; nor has
said deponent ever met with individual whose as
sertion he could believe who ever accused said Pow
ell Of such crime.
And the said deponent states that, as far as his
knowledge and belief extend, said Powell has always
on every occasion when they have met together, and
at all times when he, the said Sherburne has heard
of him. conducted himself gentleman, in word
and in deed And the said Sherburne believes all the
charges made against said Powell to be equally false
and malicious.
Sworn to before the Undersigned this 9Th day of
April, 1912
HENRY HOWlSON, JP
(3.)
DIsTRIcT OF COLUMBIA,
Washington City IS.
On the 9Th day of April, ammo Domini one thousand
eight hundred and forty-two personally appeared
before me- Justice of the Peace in and for the
ty of Washington, Augustus Newton one of the pro-
pretors of the National Hotel, and made oath the
Holy Evangelists of Almighty God, that he is well
acquainted with Alexander Powell and that the said
Powell has boarded at the said National Hotel for T
the space of three months, from the last of Novem-
ber lS4l to the last of February, 1912 and that du
ring the whole of that time said Powell has, every
and all occasions conducted himself in gentlemany,
upright and exemplary manner and that he has ev-
cry reason believe said Powell to be entirely free
and innocent of any charge and accusation of any
crime alleged against him.
And the said Newton further deposes that he has
been acquainted with the said Powell for years, and
that till within the last three days he heard of
any accusation being preferred against ofhs the said
Powell's being concerned in the burning OF the Trea
sury; nor does he believe it now.
The said Newton also stated on oath that he the
last present the trial of WI te for he burn
ing the Treasury Buildings and that the said Pow
ell was not mentioned during the trial, in any
ner by any person whatsoever.
Sworn to, before the undersigned, this 9Th day of
April 1912.
HENRY HOWISON, j. T..
The next affidavit, applying directly to the charge
of having been accessory in the burning of the rea
sury | beg leave to submit to your Exceenty as con-