The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-05-08
FROM WASHINGTON.
The Trial of B. G.. Harris.
Examination of Serg't Stuart.
Confirmation Of the Trial Of Benj. q.
Harris. ,rs.'.-
[Press Dispatch.

press Dispatcb.l ,.-..-
WasbINarnN. Nav 6.-The Trial OF
Beni. G. Harris Was resumed this hlnri,
ing before a Court Martial, of which
Major General Porter is President. -
Judge Crane, of Baltimore, appeared as
counsel for Mr.. Harris.
Sergt. r. b. Stuart, of Co. G, lth Reg
Vet. Reserve Corps, was sworn and testi-
fed that on the 9th of April last he VAS
OH duty at Leonardstown, Md, and was
ordered by Capt. Willoughby to proceed
| to the residence of BENZ. q. Harris and
arrest him., He effected the arrest and
| then took charge of Mr. Harris and re,
mained alone with him for couple OF
hours. During that time the witness
had a conversation with MIR. Harris, and
the latter made certain statements with
regard to Chapman and Reed, the pa
rolled soldiers, who had visited his fiar-
ris) house on the previous evening"
The accused said the two men came to
his house and enquired the way to Leon
ardstown, and also the distance, and they
further stated that they wished to get to
Baltimore as quickly as possible and
take the oath of allegiance. The ac-
cused told witness that he said to the
men that they could go to Baltimore,
but the Federals could not compel them
to take the oath on account of the agree
ment that had been entered into be-
tween General Grant and General Lee.
The accused then gave the men one dol
lar each and also their supper The ac-
cused also said the men wished to stay
over night at his house, but he told them
they could not do so as the people about
there knew his political sympathies too
well.
Upon his cross examination and upon
questions put by the accused, the Wit
ness testified he did not recollect the ac
cused telling him (witness) that he Har-
ris) had no wrong motive in giving Chap
man and Read the money, nor did wit
ness understand the accused to say he
thought it was proper to give to paroled
prisoners to help them along on their
way home. The witness was asked to
state the whole conversation he had with
the accused relative to the conversation
between the accused and Chapman and
Read. Witness replied by saying that
in the conversation, after the giving of
money had been spoken of, the accused
said that all the trouble was the fault OF
damned Abolitionists; that if Abolition
lists had stayed-away it would have been
all right. The accused also said that the
idea of few people in Washington in-
terfering in affairs after Gen Grant and
Gen. Lee had made an agreement, was
damned piece of humbug; that the Re
publicans would not rule long, but by
God they would soon be shown who
would rule.
Witness did not recollect that the ac-
cused said that he never did anything
more innocently than he did when he
gave the men money to help them along
When this conversation took place no
one was present but witness and the ac-
cused.
Mr.. Maddox was not present at that
conversation, but he was there at some
other conversations. The accused told
Mr.. Maddox that he did not know what
in hell he was arrested for and Maddox re-
piled that it was said in Lemardstown
that Chapman and Read had reported him.
To this the accused replied that he could
not see what in the devil they had re-
ported him for
The Judge Advocate here closed his
case, reserving the right to call Sergeant
Swan, the witness for whom they have
been waiting, when he should be in at
tendance. The Judge Advocate with,
drew his offer to prove the disloyalty OF
the accused.
By agreement between the Judge Ad-
yocate and the accused, the terms of ca
pitulation between General Grant and
Lee were hut in evidence. The Judge
Advocate also asked leave to correct the
record, and Mr.. Chapman was called to
settle a point in his testimony. 1t APP
peared upon the record that chapman
testified that Read remarked HAT it was
too late then to kill the President. Wit
ness recollection of it was that it was
Mr.. Harris and not Read that made the
remark
| The court then adjourned until Mon
day, when the accused will commence his
defence.