The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-06-05
THE TRIAL.
More Of the Reserved Evil
dence.
HIGHLY IMPORTANT TESTIMONY.
Implication of the Rebel Au-
thorities,
&c., &C.. &c.
lFrom the Cincinnati Commercial, June q

From the Cincinnati Commercial, June II
Authority has just been given for the publication of
additional nsalment Of that portion of the testimony
taken before the Military Commission engaged in Wash
ngton in trying the accomplces of Booth the assassin
which at first reserved II is OF very great interest
aud Importance
Testimony OF San ford COnOver.
Sanford Conover testified foliows:-I am native OF
New York have resided in Canada since October last
conscriped into the Confederate army aud detailed
the War Department OF the confederacy at
Richmond under James A. Seldom, Secretary of War;
while in Canada was intimately acquainted with G. N
Sanders, Jacob Thompson, DR.. Blackburn, Tucker VIM
Cleary. Captain Castlenan, Mr. Cameron, Porterhed
Captain Magruter, and others also knew Clement G..
Clay, and General Carroll, of Tennessee knew Mr..
Surratt, also, and J. W. Booth, and visited these
occasions last April, in Mr. Jacob Thompson's room
also in company with George n. Sanders and other
rebels in Canada; surra is about five feet nine or ten
inches high fair compexioned man, with light hair
saw him about the eth or 9TH OF April with Thompson,
Sanders and Booth at that time he delivered to Thomp-
son. in his room, in my presence dispatches from Rich
mond To Thompson from Benjamin and from Jefferson
Davis tho latter either cipher despatch letter;
previous TO this Thompson conversed with upon the
subject of plot to assassinate President Lincoln and his
Cabinet OF which gave notice before the assassination
in the New York Tribune, the paper for which cor
responded; had been invited by Mr.. Thompson to par
these dispatches from Davis Thompson laid his
hand upon the papers, and said, referring to
the assassination and to the assent of the rebel
authorities This makes the thing all right the
dispatches spoke Of the persons to be assassnacd Mr.
Lancoin MT Johnson the secretary oil war the Secre
tary OF state Judge Chase and General Grant. Mr.
Thompson said on that OCCASION the day before
that interview, that the assassination proposed would
so IN =. VI Tue neu s,acs eutIsiy VIM
ton OF the United States by which they could elect
sner rresldeht; Mr. Welies was also named but Dir.
of no consequence my first interview with Thompson
tnis subject OF was IN the early part oil last
Montreal; he then spoke of a rad Ogdensburg,
rev torK ~ Was aDandoneo ont that was because tne
tNsl inf rTnaltn nnfif
ne ssd nc would nave 10 drop Tor time, but added,
.oT, oaIu .ncil asleep YET, ano 10 me ne salu,
.u . S..so youi counly, inc"nnS the concu racy;
~. ad II va go, h W any i , 10 save s'c couh-
-! ar ho1s are aoin 10 , d I1, ~, -, sa'u 'os s
Indv - ,.hich he sai vos h" 1 n, than. III 1.,
,hn, go sn ,, h i i WIZ" , Muie
Of tyrant wa not mrder that he had cns s 9
~; 49,, ga ~. ii ,..i ~ S , @ ~.
Roo,% on could sr ono IN oo hd .d IN
~ I,,s...,a. ,un.a ~ @ 10y ~. -.
ss @ mv . oe ton,hssioneu, anu ~ .ley
,,rdar ,ho E~tra,;,;nn ;.o,,, 49,, ~ III, % 81
others held these comn,sons in h,.nL. they ,,n,wis
stoned I,ennett Young the 81 Ab,ns roidcr it WAS n
hIank coa ,t,tssinn all ~, an, aai ~ NJ c.,
ss - canc 10 .heu, from Rch,uond !, va onIu s;noed
0James A SedSo. secretarv Of war Mr. TIomnsoa
called ,,e no exsm,e ,hesc bIonts ~ hot ,nah, tes
tifv m tho ccnuincpce. or Seddnn,s si,na,uro
in tha c,so ~ penrc,, yo,nn hecoro I,s,o
Sn~arsa,o o S sr,r Tho "a" sr strrd ~. IN Ehar
Thomuson told me thnl Roob had bccn comnis,
stoned, and every who would engage in it would be-
before or the day of the assination at st Lawrence
Hall: we were Speaking of the rejoicing 10 the states
over the surrender OF Lee and tho capture of Richmond
cary said thew womb have rho Iangh on the ober aide
OF the mouth in day or two: think This was The day
before the assassuation: he knew was IN the secret Of
the conspiracy; ID was TO that he referred the aasina-
ton was spoken OF among us rs commonly as the
weather. before that Sanders asked me II knew Booth
very we'll and expressed some apprehension that Booth
would make nzzic OF IT, that he was despc.
rate and reckless, and he was afraid that the whole
thing would be a failure | communicated TO the Fri
pne the intended raid on IT. Adams and the proposed
assassination OF the President, but they refused to pub
sh the letter; did this in March last 10 the Pres
dents assassination; also In FebYaary l think; GER
tainly before the 4th OF March: Surratt delivered
days before the assassination; the whole conversation
showed that Surrat Of the constructors take
the Presidents life that the substance Of the
conversation; it was also underst that there
plenty Of money when anything to be- done;
the conversation indicated that surrat had very
days before, hf Richmond-that he was 'just from
Richmond" while was in Canada was correspondent
for the Tribune and received no compensation except
from the Tribune; have not received one cent from our
own government nor the promise they supposed
was q correspondent for any paper; only said was
seeking items they supposed was rebel and was in
their Confidence: the Proposed Og,hensb,rg raid was
printed in the Taune: did not communicate this mat
ter directly to the government for the reason that sup
by the government officials and did not choose TO have
the nornaton go TO the government directly from me
tion to the government and l believe he did 80;
surratt in Canada three or four days
in succession In April last l had CONVEX
sation with him personally, about Richmond; |
was Introduced 10 him by SANDERS was expected 10
participate with these rebels Ia the raid Ogdensburg
never received any pay from them for any services
heard the capture Of the President talked OF in February
when Mr. Thompson srt suggcste the assassination TO
me asked him Il IL would meet with the appreciation of
the government at Richmond; he said he thought IL
would but lac would know ia few days: this was early
In February Thompson did gay in April when these
dispatches were del vered this was the first appro
val they had received of this plot from Richmond;
but know of no others; I only Inferred that that
was the first approval; Thompson sad, in his con
versation with me, that killing tyrant In such case
was no murder and asked me II I had read letter |
called sKilng no Murder addressed nv Titus 10 Oliver
Cromwell: this was in February; Mr. Hainlin was also
named in February one Of the victims OF this schene
In April the persons before named mentioned but
Mr. Hanln was omitted and Vice President johnson
put in his place; I ran the blockade from Rchmond
Shess commissions were all blank hut the SIGNATURE
they were to be given q cover that In OF
detection the parties employed, could claim that they
were rebel soldiers and would therefore claim TO DO
treaed prisoners OF war 1t understood that they