, 1865-01-24
OUR CINCINNATI LETTER,
The Chicago Conspiracy
Case.
CONTINUATION OF TESTIMONY
Fer THE GOVERNMENT.
From Our Own Correspondent


suant to adjournment. Alp the members Of
the court, the Judge Advocate, his Associate
and Recorder were present, also the accused
and their counsel. After the reading and ap-
proval Of yesterdays record, Colonel Wise
well wished the members OF the Commission
to remember that the court met ut II O'Clock.
and not ha1f:past. It was necessary that ali
possible dispatch should be used in the pro.
ceedings of the tribunal.
Colonel SpooncE requested to correct an
Impression which seemed to hare gone
abroad, that he had been ordered By General
Hooker to report the cause Of bis absence on
Thursday. Such was not the case. The docu-
ment which had been read by the Judge Ad.
vocate was not special order, but o commu
nication to Major Burnett, asking him to re-
port the name and cause of absence Of tho ab-
sentee. He considered 1t uncourteous On the
part Of tue officer to have mado the matter so
public.
The Judge Advocate said that no one regret.
ted more t1lan he did, the occurrence spoken
of by Colonel Spooner. He had long known
the officer and well knew Ills honor and ya1or
and so1dierly qualities, but could not have
acted otherwise than he has done. This COM
munication Was addressed to him as mem-
bcr Of the Court, and was part OF the pro-
ceedings Of the Court.
Mr. Assay, on behalf of the accused, asked
that If after testimony is received, 1t be found
by the Court to be incompetent, have the
Court the power to strike it ont ofrecord. The
Judge Advocate replied III the negative, The
Court could consider or decline to consider
any portion Of the evidence, but all Of 1t must
be submitted to the reviewing officer for his
~ 4~%v Nt@$ &3- H. -1@3
be made by counsel at the time Of uttcsance.
The examination Of the witness, Mr.. John
T. Shnnks, was then continued as follows:
TIE TESTIMONY.
The conyersation between Fielding and myself
or tho evening OF November 9Th. was at my room,
subjecr Of conversation was The plan which should
be adopted In the atta1k on Camp Douglas. / did
rot know Fielding before that day, bat understood
he was Confederate officer under an assumed
Hynea should command Inc attacking party On the
west eide of the prisoners'e square.
Counsel Drodhead urged that the witness
had no right TO introduce names OF men. who
had not been proved to bo party to the con-
spiracy. II such evidence WAS allowed any
man could be crimlnated. He moved that
the Court instruct the witness to avoid thi.
evil.
The Judge Advocate ruled that If witness
undertakes to giTe one pnrt Of conversation
he must give the whole OF 1t and could not
have mis- mouth stopped BY ans one. It was
all henreay evidence tits true, but In con-
| spiracy tr1al such evidence was admissible.
The Court retired and after short consat-
tation oyerIuisd the objection Of the defense.
| Witness CoftiEutd-Captain I1yEcs was to com
rnand the attacking Ia.ty on the west siae Of the
prisoners EquaEe, Fielding to command The party
| on the east Gray IVES an escaped prisoner OF war
rin uih he cohisdelste army. When We parted We
t. MET r. aa P5t Is1
Chicago. 1t was unde1stoodth that next morning we
we're to deternine upon the faal routine.
two o'clock. he eaid be might return bcfn.e the
specified honr Of our next meeting, when he would
give peculiar knock for admission. | then se.
w1a &Woke and arrested. had conversations with
many parties that night on The sub1ect OF the plut
ons r. wno gsa to va. om MseS
60 MANY others Tho had enlisted in he causo o
the conspiracy; some were nom Canads and some
the same ooor-thc second, think. Gsenfcn .told
me, In reply to 3 question a. 10 the source which
would supply the men and money for the enter
{nrnish @ me means, besides Which hey had co-opera
ton with many influential citizens OF the North
AZ for the men, some would come from C1nata
DO not know Who tie Sons Of 1lberty art, e1cepi
courte, Ieuppoeed them to bs an organiEadon q
n
should be conducted IN low tone OF voice. He
thought Fielding and we're talking too loud
public Of out.iac Tic room. fhe signal to com
rnepce the attacE WIS to be ky rocket sent NJ
s esd # l. The se sP Bs Tasp IL,
Chicago snd on Camp Douglas. My men were t.
be tn front Of the gale on Tie Highway from the
Cottsge Grove IIoiel to the Nyrick House. Being
l = Yfr Tn NT
reyolvera. The otLers would have guns. The mcI
wese to rendezvous on the corner Of State md
s s4s aE e T sa e
OF the etll. Some, to avoid suspicion, would wall
live Or six hloeka and then gct aboard the hoEzt
dezyous: Colonel Grcniei Sas 10 ieaa the attack
on the city with 7oo to 500 men. FIVE hualse5
men were to arrive from Canada, SO Fielding toll
:. had escaped from variors camps ID tsc U1ltct
Ststcs. lie also told me tha! they could rely upor
1,ao men, most Of whom Mere coming from The
T. .R%s5 Rs5o1 q .q n9 s;a H1sy yyhsc
where was informed the con
55sss bad P5fsq Pas r. ss e he ms h isr a.ss G.
Communication with Nr, and Mrs. Norris and with
me parties IN Toronto, c. W, one ot whom
| whose name forget, was connected With b4nk
have alluded to, there was TO be reacrTe Of n tes
hundred and fifty men on the west nidc OF TIL
pri.oners .qu.re Tho we're to bs &C. commanded D.
i Il
! did not learn then who Walsh was, but Fielding
| spoke Of him as General, and At the SANE time
was under tho impression that he must be Con
he directions Of Colonel B. J. Sweet for the pur
pose Of discovering the extent Of the conspiracy
o. re rewssd, l nor 1 have been promised aay: 1ef
wards was allowed to take tho oath Of allegiance
to the U. 5. After the prisoners were Ieleaset
the depot. ind sack the place. other camps;
Camp Morton at indianapolis. and John.on'
Island we're to be STACKED atthe same time. AL th
released prisoners from the three places we're t
make junction at some place not thea designated
on The Ohio River, and then marching onKaf'
were to connect With the Confederate army In hen
. The money received from Mrs. Morri
on the evening Of Nov. sd, gave the same nigh
TO Colonel Sweet marked each 6in With =
The bills handed me now " thc sudae Aufoeat
arc the s1nc ones.
The Judge Advocate here remarked TIM
, for the present he had nothing further to as
, The witness. He had sent to Chicago for
plan Of Camp Douelas. and when It arrive
would ask Sir. shanks to e1hioit to u
i Court the mode Of attack determined upor
! II the defense would therefore allow him t
then recall tue witness, they could immed
a,ely commence their examination.
CROSS ExAMISAT1oS.
The cross-cxaminaton was conducted #
/ the defense by Judge r. s. Wilson, Of Chtc'
70. The course he pursued was not so mnc
70 adducc any legal points Or defects, as by
! system Of roW-beatfng" by quick, SOM
! times irrelevant aud contradictory question
g to attempt to confuse the witness and NAL
. him contradict himself. Such intention
= however, has 80 far perfectly failed Of success
G Cross s-Eraminafion.- Was born and raised
t Texae, and an now thiEfy-tareo yea5s q age.
yate. t 1t Anatin, Il % texas, Texas whefe was nen temp
n , va. CAPT. sam Richardson, 81 Harrison count
pslt Of The ststs, md enlisted 1t the soltcitat
q ST Can't. Richsrdson. al It passed through Anati
/. nus ! volunteer, bns through necessity, hasi1
afsn peee.9 gsG9 s
- Issued proclamation, ordering thai ~ Unit
Q men, or men who we're thought 70 be inttnieal
t EN-. or Ike he o,th Of allegiance to tho COME
Y erste State., or be enrolled In the Confedcra
t Mmy.- knew the last wss the mort practical
could d. bnt On snlsng nlsa m pffo'f fu
B. 1s6I, when vas appointed Lieutenant S n Hen
Mscgllosaa m 5sesnsnm sen metaochs s It f
% Smith, Arkansas, where entered az esq :
Il before the battle q Elk HoEn an5 q q r.
It 1aary Or early IL March, 1862, wss appointed
u The command Of my company on ne Ies'fna Ea
caPs5n T1s ;pRotatsa pRxsxs 4 gopn eonmn.si
r. from the Government until the lapss ,, Of !, Z
t. weeks. Was commissioned tn April when !,
It sworn II - N onleer yefo.h prn ~ tod
te Of the protest had fled on enlssting oas Dc y
itwoufd not compromise me. Tbs oat9 =, VI "ss,
OBEY all sups1of 70 e1'dS of e..
glance. The only oath o. The nd xa1nntts nqa I
bsioEs va when %'f ensnant sWatn because
be cuiloch. cti This appointment of officer. with.