Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-05-19
THE CONSPIRACY.
FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS.
ARNoLD'S IMPLICATION.
CONCLUSION OF YESTERDAYS EVI.
DENGE

! CONCLUSION OF YESTERDAYS EyI.
DENCE.
Our report closed yesterday with the testjmo.
ny Of witnesses in relation to the letter addressed
| to JEFF. DAVIS by w. s. Oldham concerning
the destfuenon by fire OF cities and govern.
| The following is the letter with the endorse.
ment OF Davis:
RICHMOND, February Ii, 1865.
| HIS Elceuency Jefferson Davis, President C. s. A.
SIR: When Senator johnson, OF Missouri,
and myself waited on you few days since in
relation TO the prospect of annoying and
harassing the enemy by means Of burning their
shipping, towns, &c, &C., there were several
remarks MADE by you upon the subject that
was not Iuliy prepared TO answer, but which,
upon subsequent conference with parties pro.
posing the enterprise, find cannot apply as
objections to the scheme.
l. The combustible material consists of sew.
eral preparauens and not one alone, and can
be used without exposing the party using them
to the least danger of detection whatever. The
preparations are not in the hands of Mcdaniel,
but are in the hands OF Prof. Mccullough, and
are known but to him and one other party, as
understand.
2. There is no necessity for sending persons
in the military service into the enemy's coun-
try; but the work may be done by agents, and
in most cases by persons ignorant Of the facts,
and therefore innocent agents.
have seen enough OF the effects that can be
produced to satisfy me that, in most cases
without any danger to the parties engaged
and i'll others but very slight we can-1. Burn
every vessel that leaves a foreign port for the
United States. .. We can burn every transport
that leaves the harbor OF New York or other
the enemy in the South. 3. Burn every trans
port and gunboat on the Mississippi river, as
well as devastate the country Of the enemy,
ana ana MI ms people WIN terror ana consterna-
other gentlemen are as fully and thoroughly
impressed with The conviction as am. be-
promptly appropriated and energetic calIy ap-
piled, to demoralize the northern people In a
very short time. For the purpose OF satisfying
your mind upon the subject, respectfully but
earnestly request that you will have an inter
view with Gen. Harris, formerly a member Of
Congress from Missouri, who, think, is able
from conclusive proofs, to con vince you that
what have suggested is perfectly feasible and
practicable.
The deep interest feel for the success of our
cause in this struggle, and the conviction of
the importance OF awaiting ourselves OF eyery
element Of defence, must be my excuse for
writing you, and requesting you to invite
General Harris to see you. II you should see
proper to do so, please signify the time when
It will be con venient for you to see him
am m'respectfully,y your obedient DIS servant,
lEndorsemenEl
Hon. w: 5 OLDHAM, Richmond, Feb. IL, 1865:
In relation to plans and means for burning
the s,nns ensmys 81 shipping, i6 towns G. &c Prep
Tough, and are known to only one other party.
Asks the President to have an interview with
Cen HaT1is n1isct formerly M g from Missouri
venience please see General Harris and learn
what plan he has for overcoming the difficulty
neIet0Ioie experienced. j. ID.
90 Feby, '65.
Reed Feb'y II, 1865.
Judge ABRAM b. OLIN testified that he
visited the Presidents box at the theater on the
Sunday after the assassination. The first in
cident to which my attention was called was
the incision in the wall prepared to receive a
brace, the other end of which was to rest on
the panel of the door; the brace itself was not
leading to the box; 1t crosses 1t at an angle with
the WALL and a brace fitting against the wall,
and pressing against the door would fasten the
door very securelyi l looked for the remains
of the plastering that had been cut from the
wall in making the incision, but as far
as 1 could discover they had all been re-
discharged through the panel OF the door the
entrance TO this passage is somewhat dark l
procured light and examined very carefully
the hole through the door; discovered at
orce that the hole had been made by some
small instruments first, and cut out by some
sharp instrument like pen.knife; thought
I remarked the evidences Of a sharp knife used
in cleaning out every obstacle to looking
through the door; then discovered that the
clasp which fastened the first door (ior the
box was made with a movable partition, to be
used as one or two boxes, and, therefore, with
two doors) say that the upper scre w, holding
the clasp, had been loosened in such waV
that when the door was locked, by putting my
forefinger against 1t, l could open the door /
desired to ascertain the exact position of the
Presidents chair, and for that purpose pro-
cured Miss Harris TO accompany me, having
understood that she was In the box on that oc-
casion. She located the chair, rs nearly as
she recollected 1t, where 1t was placed
on the evening, and In seating myself
person could place his eye near the hole, and
the range would be about from one ear TO the
other, about midway from the base Of the
crown. / directed my inquiries particularly
to ascertain the precise time OF the occurrence,
as there was some uncertainty whether the
attack on Mr.. Seward and the assassination
Of the President was by one or more persons;
the bar that had been placed against the door
had been removed by some one. You could
see the indentation on the panel Of the door
where the brace had been put very well. A
brace fixed in the wall and placed against the
panel of the door would have been very diff.
cult 70 remove from the outside; don't think
it could have been removed without breaking
the door. In fact, the more pressure that was
made on the door the more secure would 1T be-
q. Did the hole bear evidence OF having been
recently made! A. Yes 1t was freshly cut
hole, as fresh. from appearance, as il 1t had
been made that instant: q. Can you de-
scribe the chair in which the President
satl 1t was a large, high-backed chair;
thought l could discover where his head
rested - although the covering itself was
red-the marks OF several drops OF blood
Major RATHBoNE, who was with the Presi-
d
Advocate Holt concerning the position Of the
bar, with which the door was fastened
but no new facts were elected.
ISAAC JAQUEsT also testified in relation to
the position OF the bar.
10 SIMMs (coloIed) testified:-Wimess saw
persons engaged in decorating the Presidents
box on the afternoon Of the assassination. Mr..
Harry Ford and another gentleman, but / do
ing 1t. Mr.. Ford told me to 60 up to his room,
get rocking chair. bring it down and put it In
the private box. l done so; carried the chair
into the Presidents box. set 1t down and went
away. 1t had not been there before this sea.
son. Did not see the prisoner, Edward Spang-
Ier, on the occasion. There was no one in there
but Harry Ford and the other gentleman, who
had been fixing it and started to come down.
Spangler was on the stage that tevening; he was
Obliged to be there all the time he had nothing
to call him away, except when he went to his
boarding g-house; he was not there on the stage
when the chair was carried into the box. q.
Who was this other gentleman in the box with
In %aIrA z