Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-06-07
THIRD EDITION.
6 O'CLOCK r. M.
6 O'CLOCK p. M.
THE CONSPIRACY TRIALS.
Proceedings This Evening.
THE CIPHER LETTER.

i AAVSSSNAn6S AAAS C1AAhSs
THE CIPHER LETTER
| At two o'clock the Commission reassembled
when there was a large crowd present the
majority being ladies. Miss Surratt was again
In Court to. day, sitting near her mother
TESTIMONY OF JOHN w. WHARTON.
| {For the Defense.)
| Witness resides In Baltimore, and is in bust.
| ness at Fortress Monroe. Witness knew Ar.
| mold, who was in witness employ from April
ID to the Eth. Witness received letter from
| Arnold.
Mr.. Ewing asked the nature of the letter, to
| which Judge Advocate Bingham objected and
| the objection was sustained.
| Mr.. Ewing moved that the cipher letter, Of
| fered in evidence June 5th, 1865, be stricken
| from the record. He stated that he was not
| present when the letter was offered in evil
| dence, or he would have objected at the time
| His reasons were two fold fer this motion; one
that he believed it to be fictitious, and the other
that it was wholly inadmissable, as the hand
| writing was not proved nor that it was ad-
dressed to any one of the prisoners on trial, nor
| that 1t was written by any one on trial.
| Judge Bingham stated that the introduction
| Of the letter did not affect the counsel, Mr.
| Ewing, and he argued that it was admissible
| as connecting link. 1t had been proved that
| Booth was in Canada in October, 1864, plotting
this assasslHatonj that b3otn also was con-
| lot had fallen on one TO go Baltimore and the
other to go to Newberr, near which place the
|
| MT Cox stated that the counsel thought when
the letter was introduced that it related to the
Vaccinations of the rebel agents in Canada,
| and they were takenby surprise, when they
| ascertained its contents. 1t bears marks
| Of q fabrication-not having been blurred by
the water-perhaps it had been dropped in the
| water that it might be picked up by a Gov.
| eminent official, and be used as evidence.
| The counsel for defence further commented
upon the nature Of the letter contending that
| there was internal evidence that it was not
| written at the time or place it was dated or by
| any of the prisoners. ~
Judge Bingham said that there was no rule
| of evidence by which this letter was to be
| thrown out, because the hand writing was not
| proven. 1t was no matter who wrote It, 1t
was not very fine literary production, but it
| was sufficient to show the purposes of the par
| ties concerned; and the fact of having such a
| letter in ones possession, would be suffi cient
to impllcate the party as one of the conspir-
| the letter, sentence by sentence, showing that
| all the internal evidence sustained the as 4.
| sumption that it was genuine letter, written
at the time indicated april 15) by one of the
Consplrators
MI Cox contended that the letter had ap.
| parently been dropped in the water q short
| time after 1t was written by some person hav-
| ing knowledge of the facts in the case. 1t was
| not shown to have ever been in the hands of
any or the prisoners.
| be properly introduced as a link in the chain
| OF evidence.
The court overruled the application to have
tuG lttttI tulO"n Cut.
TESTIMONY OF MISS MINNIE POLE
(For the Accused.)
Witness lives near Hookstown; is acquainted
| with Sam1 Arnold, and saw him on the 26th
| 9th and 2sth Of March LAST the first day he
| came out from Baltimore with witness, the
| second time she saw him at his uncies near
| Hookstown, and on the last day at his resi-
denee on his way to Baltimore and has not
seen him since.
TESTIMONY OF JOHN RYAN E'7t
(For the Government.)
Witness knows Lewis J. Wiechman, and as
| Tar as witness knowledge extends he has al.
ways borne a good character for morality and
truth and witness would not hesitate to be-
M IieEe him ON his oath or without his oath
ton with Wiechman after the fall of Rich.
mond, and Wiechman then reieiced at the
news.
BY Mr.. Aigen Witness has known him
from meeting him casually on the street Wit
ness had not heard any thing said within a
month detIim entail to his (Weichrnan's) char
he was confidential agent of the War De-
|! partment. .E--E
TESTIMONY OF PRANK T. sTITT
(For the Covernment.)
Witness is acquainted intimately with Lewis
J.. W eichman. Witness never heard his hon.
esty or truthfulnesS questioned
BY Mr.. Aiken:-Witness made his acq uaint-
aDce with Weichman from being in the same
office. Weichman belonged to q military Or
ganisation and frequently wore his Uniform
pants.
= TESTIMONY OF JAMES 2. YOUNG.
(For the Conveniently
Witness has known Weichman since 1855 and
knows that he has an excellent character He
is regarded as loyal man and has always
been ortspoken in his sentiments.
By Mr.. Aiken:-Weichman did not express,
in the school at Philadelphia, desire to be
minister. Witness knows that Weichman is
member Of the Union League, ana had seen
him in the League Rooms. Weichman gave
witness unmistakable evidenee-sgrs.
MIR. Aiken asked what thoss-signs were.
Mr. Bingham objected, and tl.e objection was
sustained
TESTIMONY OF P T. RAMFpRT
For the Government
Witness has known Lewis J. Weichman
since September last, and considers his char
acter good for morality and tsath telling.
BY Mr.. Aiken witness dihpnot know much
about his loyalty; had had lia1e|oT NO CONVEX
sation on that subject with him.
TESTIMONY oP JOHN T. HoLLCHAN.
For the GoyernuIeht)
Witness commenced to bos-d st Mrs. Sur
ratt's on the 18th or FEBRUARY and LETT on the
Saturday after the assassinatiOn- Witness
saw Payne there once at breakfast aao Aver.
oGt several times at meals. Payne ad the time
saw John Surratt with Payne. Witness never
knew of Mrs Surrett having weak eyssight or
of her failing TO recognize her friends.
Witness saw Booth in the parlor frequently;
never saw Herold at the house, but knew him.
Witness saw woman, Mrs. 81 ateF, getting
into q carriage about two weeks before the as
sassination. Mrs. Su rratt and John Surratt
were on the pavement. Witness saw John
Surratt on the Sd of April. Witness is conf
dent that hstwas correct in the time, as that
was the day the news OF the surrender OF
Richmond was received. Witness exchanged
money with Surratt. giving Surratt 500 in
Treasury notes, and recsiving $40 in gold.
Surratt said he was going to Nav York.
By MI Aiken witness don't know who
AtZerodt called for when he came to the house.
/ Witness docs not know that Weichman asked
Mrs. Surratt to let Payne remain. there all
night. Witness never heard of plan 70 cap.
ture the President, and would have given such
information to the Government Witness saw
|: Weichman early in the morning follow the
assassination.
THE NATIONAL; MILITARY AND NAVAL
ASYLUM.
A meeting of the corporators of the National
Military and Naval Asylum for the relief of
the totally disabled officers and men OF the
l. volunteer forces of the United States, which