The Portland daily press., 1865-05-17
RY TELEGRAPH.
TO THE DAILY PRESS.
The washington Trials-Reports
of Testimony.

F. L
TESTIMONY OF CAPT. THOMAS McGoREN.
Knows j.. Wilkes Booth; saw him on the
night OF the assassination OF the President; Z
man came along who disturbed me in my seat
causing me to push my seat forward TO per
NIT MIN to pass; he then stepped about three
ieeta from where I was and stood lesurely
taking survey of the house; | looked ut him
because he had happened TO come almost II
my line of sight; be took small pack of Wis
iting cards from his pocket, and selecting one
! replaced the others; he handed the card tr
the Presidents messenger, who was sittins
! just below; in moment or two saw him o.
into the box and close the door of the lob6,
leading to the box; alter the pistol was fred
saw the body OF man descend from the from,
OF the box to the stage, and he was out of m,
sight In moment; in another moment he re-
appeared and strobe across the stage. and a,
ne passed saw the cleaning blade of a knife
in his right hand. -.
TESTIMONY OF MAJOR HENRY h. RATHBoNE
was IN the box with the President on tn,
nlgne ol tne assassination; | prepared little
statement of the circumstances Of the assas
sinatlon at the time, which would like tc
read In preference to giving testimony here il
was made when the details were fresh in my
mind. Permission having been given, the
statement was read to the court. This state
ment has heretofore been published by the
press throughout the country.l
TESTIMONY OF VIM wITHERs, JR.
belong in the orchestra of Ford's Theatre;
was there the night of the assassination of the
President; saw ]. Wilkes Booth there that
night; had some business on the stage with
the stage manager In regard to national
song had composed; wanted to see in what
costume they were going to sing it; | learn
! ed from the manager that they would sing 1t
in the costume they were in at the close OF the
| piece; after that was returning under the
stage to the orchestra when heard the re-
| port Of a pistol; was astonished that shot
| should be fred while playing the American
Cousin; never heard Que before; just then |
met man running before me; | stood COM
pletely paralyzed; did not know what was
the matter; he hit me on the leg, turned me
around, and made two cuts at me, one on the
right and one on the left side as he went past
me; said that is Wilkes Booth !; with that he
made rush for the door and out he went: Just
then | heard the cry that the President was
killed; saw him in the box apparently dead !;
he went out of the back door.
TESTIMONY oF.J. sIMMs, (Colored).
Examined by the Judge Advocate. | have
worked at Ford's Theatre two years went
there when first came to Washington; was
up at the fly, where they hung up the eur
tains, the night the President was killed: /
saw Booth there between five and six O'Clock /;
ne went out and into a restaurant beside the
theatre; l saw him no more that night until
after the performance had commenced: dur
ing the performance heard pistol fred. and
looked Immediately to see what ii was; saw
him jump from the private box on to the stage.
and make mis- escape across the stage: then
saw no more of him; there was no one with
him when he went out in the afternoon; Mr..
Spangler was standing out in front, and in
vited him to take drink; Spangler was on
the stage attending to his business as usual
that night; do not remember seeing him dur
ing the second act; saw him walking about
looking at the performances during the frat
act; never saw him wear moustache.
John Miles, (colored), employed In Ford's
Theatre, testified that Booth brought horse
from the stable to the back door of the theatre
and called for Ned Spangler about or 10
o'clock night of the assassination. After that
did not see Booth, but heard horses feet going
out of the.alley. About o'clock in the after
noon saw Booth come from the stable. where
be kept his horse, with Ned Spangler and Jos,
Maddox. The stable was not over fifty yards
from the theatre. Spangler was pushing
scene when Booth called for him, a bow
called John Peanut held the horse. Spangler
ran across the stage when Booth called.
Spangler appeared familiar with Booth. saw
Spangler and others outside the door, Booth
went out after the President was shot Men
of the theatre and other strangers asked
Spangler who it was that held the horse. He
told me not to say anything. knew it was
the same person who brought the horse there
that rode him away. Spangler appeared ex-
cited; never saw HIM wear moustache.
John Selemal, connected with Ford's Thea
TIRE, testified that he saw Booth come up to
the back door of the theatre on horse
Spangler was there and Booth said, help me
all you can won't you. He repled-"Oh yesn
This u,os- ahnut IN ba.a-- - = l. ale 1-a----
President was shot; saw Booth again about
half past ten going out the back door just at
ter he had shot the President; saw SPangler
after the assassination on the stage; he had a
handkerchief 10 his hand and appeared to be
wiping bis eyes; Booth had access to all parts
of the theatre; saw Booth with several Others
that afternoon between and 8 O'Clock in
restaurant drinking; saw Ned Spanger, Mad
dox, Booth, Peanuts and young gentleman
by the name Of Modem there; Moddox asked
me to drink, which did. After Booth asked
| Spangler to help him he went right behind the
scenes. asfirat fs'fsse 'tsser =
The Judge Advocate remarked thatit would
be necessary for the court to understand the
localities Of the interior of the theatre to visi
it, and therefore they would meet there this
| Tuesday morning at 8 O'Clock. The court
then adjourned to 10 O'Clock Tuesday morn
ing.
81 y fsse ss WASHINGTON, May 16.
The members of the military court this
morning visited Ford's theatre to obtain more
ineligible information concerning the scene
of the assassination and various points in that
connection. On assembling at the court room
at Ills A. M. the large amount OF evidence
taken before the court yesterday was read over
and this had not been finished at the hour OF
going to recess this afternoon.
During the reading of the record David
Stanton was permitted to amend the record oil
/ his testimony in answer to the question did he
ask 10 relation to Gen. Grant, to read the man
did ask for Gen. Grant, and also that the man
said he was lawyer and knew Mr. Stanton
very well.
EXAMINATION OF JOHN BARROW alias PEA.
NUTS.
Was connected with Ford's Theatre; at
tended to the stage door and carried bills il
the day time; attended to Booths horse, stab
ling and cleaning him; knew Booth while he
kept his horse in the stable ia the alley back
4 Of the theatre; saw him on the afternoon o.
the assassination bringing horse into the
stable; about or 9 O'clock he called fol
Spangler, who went down to the stable Bootf
asked him for halter and he went for one
thought Maddox was there too; saw Bootf
again that night on the stage; did not see hin
when he came with his horse between 9 anC
10 o'clock; saw the horse at the door wher
Spangler was called out to hold him: heard 1
man call "Ned" and tell Spangler Booth want
ed him: held the horse; Spangler gave hin
to me to hold; l told him had to attend K
nay door; he said If there was anything wrong
TO lay the blame to him heard the report of :
pistol; when Booth came out he told me t.
give him his horse; he knocked me down will
the but OF his knife; he rode off Immediately
was in the Presidents box that afternoon
Harry Ford put flags around the box; Spang
Ter was in the box with me; he damned the
President and Gen. Grant; told him ht
should not curse a man in that way, he did
him no harm; he said he ought to be curse,
for getting SO many men killed he did no
say he wished anything done to Grant and tn
President. 4f IVA eAsb't~