Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-05-20
How the Details of the Conspiracy were
Obtaiueds

How the Details of the Conspiracy were
,0btaineds
A Washington letter gives the follow
ing account Of the way in which the de-
tails of the assassination conspiracy
came to the knowledge of Governments:
Tt seems that about three weeks be-
/ fore the mans were put into execution,
one q; the parties revolted at the part
of the work which the leaders had al
| latted TO him on the eyentful night, and
manifested desire to back out. ne
was, however, reminded OF ms oa!n,
and every effort was made to BRING MN
up to his work. =, -,
But the more he thought of 1T, the
more he became alarmed at the 1ear.ni
tproposition of the hellish schemes. Al,
ter several days parleying he SUCCEEDED
in getting the consent of his associates
to relieve him from all further connec.
tion with them. on the condition that
he should leave the city and not return
within sixty DAYS. He left the city and
was somewhere within the limits OF the
ARMY OF the Potomac when the news
lcame there Of OF the assassination OF
tbe President. He Immediately repair
cd to Fortress Monroe and gave himself
mn and was sent to Washington, army
.lino there the next morning after the
1 funeral services of Mr.. Lincoln at the
White House. hs1afa.. -
When taken before the authorities he
made full confession of all that he
J knew of the plot, as to when and where
ltney met. and who were concerned IN
| If. 1T is understood that the proclama-
ton issued during that day by Secretary
Stanton. Offering an additional reward
for Booth, also rewards for Atzerot and
Harold, were based upon the comics
sion of this prisoner
/ At any rate the arrests on that day
were numerous and several residents OF
Washington were among the number.
This opened the way for future import
ant developments, all of which Will III
due time be made public.
4 The number engaged in executing
the plot is much larger than has been
generally supposed. Besides Booth and
4 his accomplices in and aroundthe Inca,
tire, the assassinator of Seward, and
Atzerot at the Kirkwood, there were
number engaged in cutting the tele-
graph wires leading from the War De-
partment, andsstill another set endeav-
Iorinc to divert the attention OF the
authorities from the fleeing culprlts.
1t appears that at precisely ten MIN
4 rites mast ten, there were twenty-five
wires leading from the War Office in
different directions, and connecting
with, the Notifications and outposts, cut
These wires having been cut at a con.
siderable distance from each other, to-
/ oether with the simultaneousness OF
this work, shows very plainly that Q
number of men were engaged In 1t; and
it is now believed that there were TWEEN
ty-two men appointed to do this work.
The time at which this was accom-
plished furnishes beyond a doubt the
/ hour at which the President was assas-
| sinated, which heretofore has been stat
ed all the way from half-past nine to
half past ten o'clock. 81 gaftaacr1 ~
The persons engaged in the plot pre-
sent a motley crew, from the wild and
/ eccentric actor down to mere stage
carpenter, including the Pennsylvania
avenue dandy,s ahlockade runners and
men with their heads silvered over with
the SHOWS of many winters, and the rat
tle-headed youths hardly out OF theiI
teens. ,s,G .
The testimony already obtained is SO
straight forward and convincing, that
there is no doubt but at least twenty
lone, if not twenty-three, persons will
suffer the penalty of death. There is
hardly one chance in thousand that
they can escape-the evidence is so
damning against them.
1t is said that there are some three
persons, confederates, in the conspiracy,
who have been pardoned by the Presi-
dent and escaped death 10y his tender
heart and humane feelings.
\ There is no truth in the reports that
/ the would-be assassin of Mr.. Seward
has tried to beat his brains out in pris-
on. He has remained silent and mo-
rose ever since he has been in custody,
and has not asked single question
about his arrest or why he is confined.
He is said to be a fine formed and ath-
lletic person, and takes his confinement
in logged Silence.
The carpenter who fixed the box in
the theatre has also been found. 1t Is
said that he took charge of Booths
horse early in the evening on the night
of the tragedy, and at the proper time
led him into the alley at the rear of the
theatre, and employed a negro boy
called Peanut John" to hold it near
the door and close to box, so that the
animal could be easily mounted, and
then fixed the door leading to the rear
of the stage so that there could be no
delay in Booths exit. This person is
said to be the same one. who built
Booths stable in the alley. and also the
carpenter employed to do the work in
the theatre, such as putting up new
scenery, &c.