The tri-weekly news. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1865-1876, 1865-06-10
The Trial at Washington.

sN-t ~ PStooiiSS fSbt'i SoSN ttAesA etaS
assassination Of President LINCOLN,
LEWIS z, Bates of Charlotte, testified
asfollows:
BY Judge Advocate Holt--Q. State
where you reside A.. I Charlotte, N.
IC.
O. How long have youresided there
a. A little over four years.
@. In'what business have you been
engaged there during the past year ?
a. l have been engaged as Superin.
tendent of the Southern Express Com.
pany for the State of North Carolina.
Q. State whether or not you saw JEFF.
ferson Davis recently at Charlotte, N.
O., and under what circumstances. A.
He stopped at my house on the leth of
April last.
Q. Did he make an address to the
people on that occasion. A.. He did, on
the, steps ofmy house.
Q. State whether or not in the course
Of that address, or towards the close of
it, telegram was received by him an
nouncing the ASSASSINATION of the Presi.
dent of the United States. A. 1t was.
Q. From whom. A. From John G.
Breckenridge.
Q. Did he or did he not read the tele.
gram to the crowd. A. He did.
Q. Look at that exhibiting to wit.
ness a telegram and see whether it is
the same dispatch A. l should say
that it was.
The despatch was then read as fol.
lows: ~
GREENSBORO, April l9, 1865.
His Excellency President Davis:
President Lincoln was assassinated in
the theatre ip Washington, on the night
of the l4th inst. Stewards house was
entered on the same night, and he was
repeatedly stabbed, and, possibly, NOR
tally wounded.
JOHN G. BRaoKINRIpGE.
Q. State what JEFF. Davis said .>fter
reading this despatch to the crowd, and
endeavor to recollect his precise Ian.
guage. A. Upon the conclusion of his,
speech to the people he read this des-
patch aloud, and made this remark. "If
it were to be done, it were better that it
were well done"
Q. You are sure those are the Words
A. Those are the words.
Q. State whether or not in day or
two afterwards jeff. Davis, John c..
breckenridge, and others were present
at your house in Charlotte? "A. They
were.
q. And the assassination Of President
Lincoln was the subject of conversational
A. A day or two afterwards that was
the subject of their conversation.
O. Can you remember what John G.
Breckenridge said 2 A. In speaking of
the assassination of President Lincoln
he remarked to Davis that "he regretted
it very much; that it was unfortunate
for the people of the South at that time"
Davis replied, "wen, General, don't
know; if it were to be done at all, it
were better it were well done; and if
the same were done to Andy johnson,
the beast, and to Secretary stanton, the
job would then be complete"
Q. You feel confdentthat you recol.
lcet his words2 A. Those are the words
used.
Q. State whether or not the regret
which John G, Breckenridge expressed
at the assassination was because of its
criminally or simply because it was un.
fortunate for the people of the South at
that time? A. / drew that conclusion.
Q. Was there any remark made as to
the criminality ofthe act A. No sir
he simply remarked that he regretted it
as being unfortunate for the South.
Q. Ofwhat State are you you na.
tiye2 A. ofMassachusetts.
/ Upon which the Charlotte IN. C1|
Democrat comments as follows:
( Incorrect E0Saeneo.--In the N. Y.
Herald of May 3lst we indawhat is re.
porred to be the evidence of T.. F. Bates,
ofthis place, (Superintendent Of the Ex-
press Company,) at the assassination
trlai IN Woqhin o,to,, o;f,, Nj. D..