Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1865-05-25
THE ASSASSINATION.
TRIAL OF THE ASsASSINS.
PROCEEDINGS OF TUESDAY

PROCEEDINGS OF TUESDAY.
WASHINGTON, Tuesday May 16
In accordance with suggestion made
yesterday, by the Judge-Advocate the COM
mission repaired to FORMS Theatre, this
morning, at haifpast nine o'clock, to exam
inc the premises, with view to a more
intelligent understanding of the testimony.
A large crowd collected in front of the
theatre, but none were admitted save the
members of the commission, the official
reporters, the several representatives of
the press, and two or three Senators.
Everything remains undisturbed inside
the building, just as it was at the time of
the assassination, except that the chair in
which Mr.. LINCOLN sat when he was shot
has been taken away, and the blue flag,
which hung in front of the box, and in which
BooTH's spur caught, has been removed
We found upon examination that the dis
tance the assassin ran in order to get out
of the building after he fell upon the stage,
was about ninety feet, twO-thirds of this be-
ing the distance from the box in which the
President was seated, to the passage-way
leading to the rear door, through which
BOOTH escaped from the theatre. This
passage-way is about six feet wide, entire
ly unobstructed, and is on a level with the
ground in the rear of the building, so that
the assassin had no steps or stairs to as
cend or decend in taking his flight.
There is narrow hall leading from the
stage, on the south side Of the theatre, Oh
Tenth-street, on which the building fronts
1t was at the front door of this hall that
Booth, Spangler and another man whose
name is not yet in evidence, were engaged
in the mysterious whispering and ma
neuvering which attracted the attention
of Sergt Joseph NJ Dye, as detailed by
him in his testimony yesterday.
The examination of the building elected
no other features worthy ofspecial mention.
At about 1920 o'clock the commission n
arrived at the courtroom, and resumed
the hearing of the case. Some three hours
were consumed in reading and revising
| the journal of yesterdays proceedings, and
at O'Clock witness was called to the
stand and the hearing progressed until
near 7 o'clock, when the commission ad-
journed until tomorrow at 10 o'clock.
Among the witnesses called to the stand
this afternoon was Col. H. H. Wells, now
Provost-Marshal of Alexandria. Col Wells
is a IIawyer, formerly Of Detroit. His tcs-
timony was clear and comprehensive, and
fixed the guilt of DR.. Mudd as an accomplice
of Booth beyond doubt
1t disturbed the defendant, upon whom it
weighs heavily, more than anything that
has occurred during the trial Mudd WINGED
manifestly as Col Wells detailed the defen-
dant's prevarication and evasion, and his
final acknowledgement of damaging facts.
1t now comes out that it is to Col. Wells,
probably, more than to any other person
engaged in unraveling the mystery of the
assassination, that we are indebted for
Bringing the offenders to trial and throwing
light upon the dark plot. He it was who
detected and caused the arrest of Payne,
Mrs. Surratt Atzeroth, Arnold, O'Laughlin,
Spangler and Mudd, and discovered and
followed the trail of Booth and Harold
down into Lower Maryland, and finally tele-
graphed to the War Department the infor-
nation which led to their capture.
The shadow deepens as to O'Laughlin,
and the additional testimony to-day by
Mai's Knox and Halter, showing the pres
ence of accused at Mr. Stanton's house on
the night Of the 18th of April, under suspi-
cious circumstances exercised O'Laughlin
painfully His facial demonstrations of
mental suffering and misery during the
rendering of this evidence, were generally
remarked The prisoner is much changed
to-day. He came into the room this morn
ing looking very pale and detected.
The prisoners platform and railing has
been extended across the entire width of
the room, and Mrs, Surratt now sits upon
one end Of it, two or three feet apart from
the other accused This miserable creature
is looking stronger and apparently more
reconcied, as in fact do all the prisoners
save Dr. Mudd and O'Laughln.
There is great anxiety to get look at
the defendants and to gain admission to
the courtroom, but the permits are granted
sparingly. Among the visitors to-day were
Bishop McIllvaine, of Ohio, several Con-
gressmen and the judges of the supreme
court Of this District