The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-06-02

l
pitfalls and at Libby Prison They were told
BY Major Turner, the keeper of the Libby
Prison that the treatment was good enough
for Yankees. Nearly all the deaths among
| prisoners was owing to the bad character and
4 insuffciency of food. He was told that bad
treatment was in way of retaliation on the
ground that rebel prisoners had been treated
worse than Union prisoners.
Another witness testified that the Libby Pri-
son was mined, and that Major Turner inform.
ed him that he had seen Gen. Winder on the
subject. The fuse was ready for the mine at
the time of the Fitzpatrick raid.
Another witness, named MCGEE, was called.
when the Judge Advocate General asked him
whether Arnold was ever in the rebel service
Mr. Ewing objected to the question.
The Judge briefly argued that the interroga-
tory was pertinent, as history had proved the
| connection between treason and the assassina-
ton OF the President. The assassination was
| manifestly political offence, and was the con-
sequence of disloyalty.
| Mr.. Ewing responded, when the court de-
| cided that the question should be answered.
| The witness then replied that he saw Arnold
in the rebel uniform in the city of Richmond in
| the beginning of the war.
Three colOred persons testified as to their
| acquaintance with DR.. Mudd; said his conduct
showed him to be rebel sympathizer, and
| stated that he had assisted rebel soldiers
Ayoung man from Georgetown testified that
| the morning after the assassination he loaned
| Atzerot $40. The latter leaving with him q
| revolver as security. The pistol was produced
which the witness identified. Ithad been load.
| ed ever since.
At request of Mr.. Cox the record was cor
rected by excluding from evidence the oath of
allegiance purporting to be signed by O'Laugh.
lin, as witness could not swear positively to
| the signature.
Voltaire Randall testified that he searched
the prisoner Arnold; found in his carpet bag
some papers. letters, clothing, revolver and
| cartridges. The revolver was handed him.
Major Marsh testiied-was an officer in
Maryland regiment from 1861 to March 81,
1864 he was prisoner of war; and confined
| in Libby Prison from June Is, 1863, until March
81, 1864. (To Judge Advocate HolD-I was
detained when captured two weeks at Winches-
ter my health improving was compelled to
march to Stanton, and treated kindly on the
road by the escort. At first the rations at Libby
Prison were small, but tOlerably fair.
Benjamin Sweeney, formerly color sergeant
| In the army and prisoner of war for five months
| on Belle Isle in 1868, testified that there were
about ID, 900 prisoners there. 1t was in winter
About half had shelter. They had about half
enough food to live on. He had seen men
starved to death. The bodies of those who
died were allowed to lie eight or nine days in
| the trenches without being buried They
would not allow us to bury them. Witness
had asked special permission to do so. and had
been refused. He helped to carry out ten or
twelve per day. Saw men shot dead without
cause or provocation. His weight was reduced
| from 40 to 123 pounds. Did not think would
| have lived there month longer
VIM. Bull, who was prisoner at Anderson
vile for eleven months, testified that the treat
| ment was very poor. The men had no shell
ter, but were compelled to live in the swamp.
Their blankets, hats, caps, and their clothing
in general, and money, were taken from them.
The rations were about half a pint of corn
meal, two ounces of bacon, and half spoonful
| of salt, for twenty-four hours. The bacon was
alive Once in while we got hold of good
piece, but not very often. The treatment
killed the men Off The largest number of
deaths in a day to his recollection was 1873.
The enemy said they didn't care damn
whether the Yankees died or not. Howell
Cobb.made speech in February. His remarks
were very bitter. He said the treatment was
the best they could do; that if the authorities
looked after them little more probably thew
would fare better. He only said few words.
and did not seem to care much about the pris-
oners. The heat was very intense. The water
they had to drink had been made filthy by
garbage thrown into the creek. The reply to
the remonstrance was, they didn't care damn
for the Yankees. When witness went there
in June, as many as six or eight
were shot dead day. If a man got half a
foot over the dead line, or near it, he was shot.
1t was said they got furlough of thirty DAYS
for shooting Yankee. Cobb in his speech
said something about plan to burn and plum
| der the North. can't tell what were the
words used. Treatment of sick prisoners was
very poor. They got pitch pine pills for every
thing They got no regular medicine Not a
cent of the prisoners money was returned to
them. For nine months the witness had moth
| ing to wear but pair of drawers and shirt.
His plnfhaS had hQan talon
laid on the open ground for that time without
| bit of shelter. Thousands were in the same
| fix. A corpse of a man who died in the morn
| ing could not be approached by night within
| twenty feet, and pitchfOrks had to be used to
carry the body off to trenches. Clothing sent
there by our Government was taken by the
rebel captain in charge. Over half the deaths
were by starvation. The food was the cause
of their sickness, and after they got sick the
food was no better. He would not think of
eating such food now, bat might when in dan
| ger of starvation.
Layin s, Washington, sworn-sad she was
years ago. She said she heard Mudd saw the
summer before last that Lincoln would not
keep his seat long. Two or three men were
present at the time, dressed partly in black
and they slept in the pines. DR.. Mudd some,
times carried victuals to them.
Mary Milley, also slave of DR.. Mudd. was
sworn and testified that she left his house the
month before last Christmas She saw two or
three men sometimes In the house and some
times out In the woods where they had their
bed last summer. One of these men was John
Surratt. Witness heard Garner say to Mudd
"That old Abe Lincoln, the damned old son of
b-h ought to have been dead long ago. "
when DR.. Mudd replied he was much of the
same miRd. This was in tobacco planting
| time last year.
Several other colored witnesses testified as
to Mudd's and others conversation in praise
of the rebel government. Garner said to Mudd
that Stonewall was going to cross at Point
of Rocks, take Washington. and burn old Abe
Lincoln in his house. Mudd said he would
not be surprised.
l TESTIMONY FOR THE Defence.
The defence then opened. The Rev. Father
Wright testified he had been acquainted with
Mrs. Surratt for eight or nine years and al
ways heard her spoken well of and had never
heard anything that would detract from her
Christian character. -.
Rev. Fathers Boyle and stonestreet testified
to the same effect and had never heard her
utter q disloyal sentiment
Mrs. John Hallehan, who boarded with Mrs.