The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1865-05-13
Harris. Trial.

Harris Trial.
WAsnrNsTo>, NJ 6 Tie rial of & II
iamin q Harris Was Ge>usn.d TINS NY RI
.}rg bersra = -ourt rravt'nl OF whtci, Major
General Foster is cna,rnlaa.
Judge Crane of Baltimore appeared AS
counsel for Mr.. Aarris.
Sersean! r. b. Stuart, ofCo. b, l0ti. Vet
erau Reserve Corps, was sworn, and tesli-
tilted that on the 9Th of April last he was
ON duty in IseonardtOwn, Nd, and was
ordered by Captain Willough to proceed to
the residence of Benjamin G. Harris and
arrest him. He effected the arrest, and then
took charge OF Mr.. Harris and remained
alone with him for couple OF hours. Dur
ing that time the witness had converse
ton with Mr.. Harris, and the latter made
.statements with regard to Chapman and
Read, the paroled rebel soldiers who had
visited his lHarris') home on the previous
. evening. The accused said two men cameto
his house and enquired the way to Leon
ar(itown, and about the distance. They
further stated that they wished to get back
to Baltimore rs quickly AS possible and
take tie oath of allegiance. The accused
told witness that he said ~ the men that
they could go 10 Baltimore, but the FEEDER
AIS could not compel them 10 take the oa: b
& Of allegiance on account of the agre eme,lt
that had been entered into between laener-
(
then gave the men oi.e dollar each ;,nt their
aupper Iha accused also said the n.en
wished ~ stay over night at His house, bat
he tod them they could not CO see as the
people about there knew hi, political syu.-
path;os too well.
Upon his cross examination aud upon
questions put by the accused, the witness
testified no did no: recotlect the accused
telling him, witness, that he, Harris, had
no wrong motive in giving Chapman and
Read the money, nor did tho witness un-
derstand the accused 10 say he thought it
Was proper to give to karoled prisoners to
help them along on their way home. The
versation he had with the accused, relative
TO the conversation between the accused
and Chapman aud Read. Witness replied
BY saying that in the conversation after
the giving OF the money had been spoken
Of, the accused said that all the trouble was
the fault Of the damned abolitionists; that
II the abOlitiOnists had stayed away 1t
would have been all right-the accused
also eaid that the idea OF a few people in
Washington interfering with affairs after
Gen. Grant aud Gen. Lee had made an
agreement. was damned piece Of humbuy
that the Republicans would not rule long,
but by God they would he shown SOON who
would rule. Witness did not recolleet that
che accused said that he never did any
thing more tnnocently Than he did when
he gave the men the money to help them
along. When this conversation took place
40 one Vas present but witness aud the &C.
oueed
Mr.. Maddox was not present at that con-
veIsAtion but he was there at some other
conversation. The accused told Mr. Mad
dox that lac did not know what in hi be
Was arrested for, and Maddox replied that
twas understood that Chapman aud Reed
had reported him. To this the accused an
awered tia; hs did not know what III the
devil the parties had reported hin ior.--
Tue Judge Advocate hers closed his case,
fceerving tho right to Gail Sergt. Swan, he
witness fos whom they had b<.eu waiting
When he Should be in attendance. The
Judge Advocate Withdrew his offer to
prove the disloyalty uf .ae accused, by
agreement between the Judge Advocate
and the accused. The terms Of capitulN-
ton between Gen. Grant and Gen. Lee
were put in evidence. Tse Judge Advo-
cate should Lave to correct the record and
Mr.. Chapman was called To settle a point
In his testimony which was upon the rec
ord, that Chapman testified that Reed re-
marked that it WAS too late then to kill the
President. The testimony. by his recol
lection Of it was, that it was Mr.. Harris.
and NOT Read who made the remark. The
court then adjourned till Monday, " ben
the accused will commence his defence.
WASHINGTON. May s.-The Harris court
important witnesses adjourned Ill! TO- NOR
row.
WASHINGTON, May s-The trial Of Benz.
G. Harris. member of Congress from
Southern Maryland, was resumed to day
=. II o,c!eok, before the court martial, Of
specially organized for tue purpose. aud Of
which Major Winthrop is Judge Advocate.
The court having been called TO order by
the President, the accused read the follow
ing paper which he asked the court to file:
Dir. President of the Commission: The
undersigned respectfully states tn the
Commission here, that he has been advis
ID by counsel since the commencement Of
this trial, and since he plead to the charge
and specifications, that he ought TO have
made formal exception to the jurisIic.
ton of this tribunal to take cognizance Of
the charge made against him, aud which
he has been required to answer here, aud
he respectfully further suggests that
whilst be could hardly hope 10y any views
be might be able to present IN support
OF this exception 10 induce this Honorable
Court to sustain the same in the teeth ofthe
various decisions in support of the juris-
dictiOn Of similar tribunals III like cases,
and to which decisions in support OF the
Jurisdiction OF similar tribunals, would
naturally accord the highest and indeed
CONTROLLING respect. Yet he is advised that
the suggestion OF want Of want of jurisdic.
ton, made nj any time in any manner,
however informal, will, for all Interior pur-
poses. be equally available as If the same
bad been made by formal plea or in some
'0'hsr apt mode.
The undersigned. therefore, respectfully
asks the benefit Of the exception, which h..
desires to be made part of the record taken
BY hun to the juris 9.ction OF this tribunal.
The Undersigned respectfully further
states that be- has h,n adv isetl, and that
1e respectfully .nggests thH. the two sgeci-
acsiions :otbe c,iasao against him does
Ofaced within either clause OF the 56th ar
0cle Of var. NO such facts are alleged as
would or could, ii proved, amount to such
onenss, or any such 0ffense, as il made
punishable by or under said article, and he
hopes he may have al the benefits Of I'LL
Exceptions to said specifications, as If he