American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-05-17
Associated Press Dispatch.
WASHINGTON, May G.

Inc tfldi Ol Denldnln VI. ildTIiS Was
resumed This morning before court mar
tial of which Major General Foster is
President.
Judge Crane of Baltimore appeared as
counsel for Mr. Harris.
Sergeant H. b. Stuart of Co G., 1lth
Regiment, Veteran Reserve Corps, was
sworn, and testified that on the 9th Of
April last he was on duty Mt Leonard
town, Md, and was ordered by Captain
Willoughby to proceed to the residence
of Benjamin g. Harris and arrest him.
lie effected the arrest, and then took
charge Of Mr. Harris, and remained alone
with him for a couple of hours. During
that time he (witness) had conversation
with Mr.. Harris, and the latter made Ger.
tain statemente with regard to Chapman
and Reed, the paroled Rebel soldiers who
had visited his (Harris - house on the
previous evening. The accused said that
the two men came to his house and in
quirod the way to Leonardtown, and also
the distance, and they further stated that
they wished to 90 to Baltimore as quick
ly as possible and take the oath Of allegI-
ance. The accused told witness that he
said to the men that they could go to Bal
timore, but that the Unionists could not
compel them to take the oath on account
of the agreement that had been entered
into between Gen Grant and Gen. Lee.
The accused then gave the men 81 each
and also their supper. The accused also
said that the men wished to stay over
night at his house, but he told them they
could not do so as the people about there
knew his political sympathes too well.
Upon his cross-eXamination, and upon
questions put by the accused, the witness
testified that he did not recollect the ac-
cused telling him (witness) that he llar-
ris) had no wrong motive in giving Chap
man and Read the money, nor did wit
ness understand the accused to say that
he thought it was proper to give paroled
prisoners money to help them along on
their way home.
The witness was asked to state the
whole conversation he had with the ac-
cused relative to the conversation between
the accused and Chapman and Read
Witness replied by saying that iu the
conversation, after the giving Of the mon
oy had been spoken Of the accused said
that all the trouble was the fault of the
" damned Abolitiouists ;" that if the Alb
olitionists had stayed away it would have
been all right. The accused said that the
idea of a few people in Washington in
terleriug in affairs, after Gen. Grant and
Gen. Lee had made an agreement, was IA
damned piece Of humbug; that the Re-
publicaus would not rule long, but, by
God, they would soon be shown who would
rule.
Witness did not rccollect that the ac-
cused said that he never did anything
more innocently than he did when he
gave the men the money to help them
along.
When this conversation took place no
one was present but witness and the ac-
cused.
Mr. Maddox was not present at that
conversation; but he was there at some
other conversation.
The accused told Mr. Maddox that he
did not know what in he'll he was arrest
ed for, and Mr. Maddox replied that it
was said in Leonardtown that Chapman
and Read had reported him.
To this the accused replied that he
could not see what in the devil they had
reported him for
The Judge advocate here closed the
case, rescrving the right to examine Sergt
Swan, the witness for whom they had
been waiting, when he should be in attend
ance.
The Judge Advocate withdrew his
offer to prove the disloyalty of the ac-
cused
BY agreement between the Judge Ad-
vocate and the accused the terms of cap
itulation between Grant and Lee were put
in evidence
The Judge Advocate also asked leave
to correct the record and Mr.. Chapman
man was called to settle point in his tes-
timony.
1t appeared upon the record that Chap
man testified that Read remarked that it
was too late then to kill the President
Witnesses recollection of it was, that it
was Harris and not Read who made the
remark.
The court then adjourned until We'd
nesday, whom the accused will commence
his defense.