The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-05-12
FROM WASHINGTON.
The Trial of the Assassins,
Virginia State Government

vestigations Harold Arraigned -
The Surrntt FnmiIy-DisehRrge Of
Cavalry The National Conrts in
Virginia.
Press Dispateh.l
New YORK, May IA special to the
Times from Washington 10th says: The
sanguine expectations of some OF cap
turing jeff Davis are not INDUCED to
any very great extent by intelligent
army officers. The Government is max
ing every effort possible for his capture,
and may succeed, but it is thought sue
cess will be the result of accident and
the fidelity of the contraband rather
than any assistance which will be rem
dered by the native white population.
The trial of the assassins and cOnspira-
tors was commenced today IN the large
room adjoining the old penitentiary in
which the prisoners are confined. The
court assembled at ii o'clock and re-
mained in session until 3 o'clock. har-
rold was airaigned and considerable tes-
timOny was taken in the case. and graft
fying progress made. Testimony has
been or will be offered showing that Har-
rold went to Canada and conferred with
the rebels about the assassination OF Mr..
Lincoln since Booths return from there.
Mrs. Surratt, who seems to have been
one of the chief instigatOrs and partici-
pants, is deeply moved. but is very def
ant and unrelenting Her sons do not
seem to have been implicated, and will
be kept and called as witnesses. One OF
them is very sick and is reported to have
poisoned himself 1t is positively known
that Surratt is in Canada, and there Is
little doubt that, he will soon be taken,
The commission sits with closed doors,
but it is believed that the Secretary OF
War will send an abstract of the trial to
General Dix, after the manner of his war
reports.
Frederick Stone has undertaken the
defense of Dr. Mudd, who set Booths
leg; Cox, who is charged with entertain
ing and concealing Booth and Harold,
and Jones, charged with ferrying them
across the river.
All the volunteer cavalry whose terms
expire prior to Oct. lst will be mustered
ont. The Paymaster General is ordered
to make immediate payment to men dis
charged.
T6irty.eight ordnance bureau clerks
were discharged to-day.
1t has been ascertained that prisoners
in the Old Capitol and Carroll prisons
have been released by subordinate ofh-
GERS. This will be stopped and no one
released except on orders of the General
commanding the Department. Tumble
ty, alias Blackburn, has been lodged in
the Old Capitol.
A special to the Times, from Washing
ton the 10th, says: The Executive order
of the President putting in operation the
suspended functions of the national
courts in the State of Virginia, was sub
stantially acted upon at the last Cabinet
meeting held by President Lincoln on
the day of his assassination, and at
which General Grant was present The
main features are that the State OF Vir-
ginia is not recognized as ever gone out
of the Union; that the functions OF the
United States Government were simply
suspended within her boe1ers, and are
now put in o. GRAFTON again; that no
vestiges of Confederate or rebel State
Governments are recognized, and that
Governor Pierpoint and the loyal Legls..
lature of Virginia is made the nucleus OF
the organized State Government.
A special to the Herald, from Wash
ington the 10th, says: Virginia has been
divided into four districts, and the Sec
rotary of the Treasury has already ap-
pointed the requisite number of assessors
and collectors.
An order has been issued to muster out
of service all soldiers whose terms of
service expire on or before the 3lst inst