Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-10-17
rom Edman SpangIer-EIe As
Ael'e[n His Entire InnOceIuce.

rom Edman S~pangIer-EIe As
&C., = His Entire Innocence.
Fopr Jr1 FERsoN, ToRTUGAs ISLAND, |
September Is, 1865 I
NV DEAR Fl M l take my pen IN
hand 70 rite 10 v, u these tieu lines to let
- INV tbot I a, n well and hope you
arc the same This is a pretty hard pIa, e to
live the sun is vervhot and whe haveh ard
grub salt horse and OnN piece of BE- lad
Whe sometimes gets soup mere Is son no
small fish in the break water that we "a Il
catch from our cell window but we hav e
no fish hooks small enough here qua have
no money to send for them, there is a SUI
Ter store you can get anything you WARN
if YOU have the money there is about sou
prisoners here, we have the privilege OF
going over the whole island, it is about Is
acres of sand and some feu trees l am AT
work at my trade. You have no doubt
been acquainted with the fact and circmn-
stances connected with my trial and Sc. n
tence and imprisonment. Nothing L ca u
saw or do can alter the opinion of the
world or the Publick. Before God and all
that is sacred 1 am perfectly innocent of
-, the charges and specifications brought
cain. me BY the prosecution. l had no
5~,aIo6o,4 or idea of eanything nor did l
M W. LID the villain or the assassin OF
AZ prns;Jsnt either before or after the as
snDo.ion yat know that l ives not more
;"t;nn"4o .Ion 1t, ,ers that around him not
annHoL = . soma o. them. He asked me
a. ino - %i. horses w,'ch l did he said that
" Td waGe me n handsome present,
m rb;cE no did six wears on the Hand OF
MN Tnrtugas I never enjoyed his
confidence or his favor except
occasionally when we met n "
taurant he would ask me to nave III
thing to drink. l had nothing to 40 WIN
him on the evening of the assassinatiIni
more thar any other man similarly sl'ua1
ted could have. He came to the theateI'
called me and asked if l could hold' ms
horse. which 1 declined for the reason L
had had NV work to attend to on tne
STAGE I called Peanut John to hold ms
horse. who held him until became out afier
numbering the President. Ibid not know
what had taken place until the deco mao
been committed and BoOthmade his escape
from the theatre, 1 never shut the door
after his escape, nor did L know or ha~
ANYTHING TO do with the mOrtice IN the
wall or boring hole or fixing OF the bar IN
the door. or Ioosipg the screws, OF all tins
| was charged as being Guilty or suspic-
toned of having doue, but before God VINO
know will hold me accountable If L hel
knew nothing or head nothing about the
existence of any such a thing until after
the assassination when 1 was asked con-
corning it; all the evidence in my case is
known 1 leave it to all honest and prudl-
cial people to judge of my innocence or
guilt Crate injustice has been lone me by
Some false witnesses from whom expresses
prior to nv trial 1 know acted by gain or
reward. 1 wish you would see-and
see whether he ever received my statement
that L sent him with a young man by the
name of welsh, and if he has to let me
know what he is a going to do with 1t
please and send me some small fish hooks
some 2 or three fly hooks on a litter and a
little o to buy postage stamps n
some paper, there is Il niger regiment
here to guard fireplace Give my love to en-
curing Friends and let me know what
thew think of. me l am here suffering here
which 1 am in~nocently.
yours Most Respectfully
EDMAN SPANGLER.