Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-05-20
THE CONSPIRACY,
SECRETARY sEwARD's AssAILANr.
IDENTIFICATION OF PAYNE.
IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS.
OF YESTERDAYS EVI.
DENCE.


Our report OF the trial closed yesterday with
Major Augustus Seward on the stand, who
recognized Payne as the one who made the
attack On the Secretary Of State. The Majors
evidence WAS the same in substance as the
statements repeatedly published relative to
the movements of the would be assassin at the
Secretary's house.
Cross-examined by Mr.. Doster-Q. Be good
enough TO state whether this is the first time
yon nave seen the prisoner since he was taken !!
A. No; have seen him on board the monitcr
the day after he was taken. q. Did you iden.
ttfy him theni A. Yes. q. Please state the
circumstances! A. He was brought up on the
monitor. took hold Of hlm the same way
did in the room, and looked up in his face; he
had the same features. His size, his proper
tions, his smooth face, no beard noticed, and
when he was made TO repeat the words II am
mad, l am mad" recognized the same voice,
varying only In intensity.
RICHARD q. MORGAN testified:-l am in the
service of the War Department, acting under
orders of Colonel Olcott, special commission
er. About twenty minutes past ii o'clock on
the evening Of the 17th OF April, in company
with other officers, went to the house of Mrs
Surratt for the purpose Of seiZing the papers
that might be found, and OF arresting the in
mates OF the house. After we had been at the
house about ten minutes, and Major Smith,
Captain Wermerskirsch, and some other off,
GERS had arrested the inmates OF the house,
who Were in the parior, all ready to come out
l had sent an officer tor carriage to take them
away, when i heard a knock and a ring at the
door at the same Tune Captain Wermerskirsch
and myself went to the door and opened it, and
the prisoner, Payne, came in; he had pickaxe
IN his hand; he had on a gray coat, gray vest
black pants, hat made out of the sleeve OF q
shirt, as judged: as seoE as he came in i'm
mediately closed the door; he said, 81 guess
see ~ he replied. I" Mrs. Surratt;" said I, syou
are right, walk in'' he took seat; l said,
"what did you come here for this time of
night % he said he came to dig gutter, that
MRS Snrratt had sent for him. 1 asked him
s'when;' he said, s.tn the morning. / asked
MIN where he last worked. He said, "some-
he boarded. He said he had no boarding.
house; that he was poor man, and earned his
living with the pickaxe. / had the pickaxe in
MN my nand; a., ! l., asKed M nim, "hoW much do you
times; sometimes 81, and sometimes 81 5o.'
"Haye you any money 2" "Not a cent" l
He said he came to see where 1t was to be
dug, SO that he could commence early in the
morning: / said. have you had NO previous
"no." / said "why did she select you for this
work" He replied that she knew he was
working In that neighborhood; that he was a
poor an and she came to him for it; asked
him how old he was. and he said about 20;
asked him where he was from; he said from
Fauquier county, Va; previous to this he had
me and said, s'that will show you who am
1t contained the name of '.Louis Payne, Eau.
quier county, Va" l asked him II he was
when he left there, he said two months ago, in
February; / asked him why he left, he said
that he had to leave or go in the army, that he
preferred to earn his living by the pickaxe; /
asked him If he could read, he said ono" d
asked him If he could write, he said he could
manage TO write his name. ! then told him he
nee and explain; he moved a little at that, but
did not answer; the carriags had arrived to
take up the women; they were sent off. and
Payne was also taken away In charge of OFF,
cers-Major Smith, Captain Wermerskirsch
and myself remaining to search for papers We
did not leave till three O'Clock next morning
=, ne next W,1os mong Rags,, was shown Photograph
found behind q picture. We found photo.
graphs Of JEFF. Davis, Of Alexander H Ste.
pnsns; and Of ,i Bisanregsrd We also found
be with tyrants. Virginia the mighty. Sic
semper tyrannis."
MAJOR SMITH testified That he was in
charge ofthe party that took possession Of Mrs
Surratt's house. After questioning Payne In
regard to his occupation and as to what busl-
ness he had at the house that night he said he
was a laborer; that he came there to dig gut
ter at the request Of Mrs. Surratt; l stepped to
the door Of the parlor, and said, "Mrs. Surratt,
will you step here moment" Mrs. Surratt
came there; said I, "do you know this man9
she said, raising her right hand, "before God
do not know this man, and have never seen
him. then placed Payne under arrest, con-
siderin & him SO suspicious character that
would send him TO Gen. Augurs headquar-
ters for examination. There were four arrested
together-Mrs. Surratt, Miss Surratt, Miss
Fitzpatrick and Miss Jenkins. There was no
inquiry made as to the cause OF the. arrest
When / came there / went up the steps and
rang the bell; Mrs. Surratt opened the window
and said, sis that you, Kirby! the reply was
that it was not Kirby, but open the door she
opened the door; came into the hall and said,
s.Are you Mrs. Surratt!" she replied, II am
the widow of John H Surratt,' added, land
the mother OF John II. Surratt, Jr.;' she re-
Piled, 81 am" said, 81 have come to arrest
you and all In your house, and take you to
Gen Augur's for examination" large
gray, dirty sack coat was produced and idenu-
fed by witness as worn by Payne the night OF
Cross examined by Mr.. Aiken:-Q. Did you
examine a bag taken from Mrs. Surratts house!
A. found bag there but did not see 1t ex-
amined. q. Did you find any photographs
there a. 1 did-a number Of them. q. OF
what personsl A. Various persons It is i'm
and a photograph in that honse OF JEFF. Davis
or Alexander H. Stephens A. do not re.
member. q. Are you aware Or not that it is
common thing for photographers and keep;
Photographic Of the leaders OF the rebel
lionl a: ! am not; have have not .sa given
oGh not matters SUCH
that have. q: Have you not seen these
photographs in the possession Of persons sup
posed to be loyall A. Yes; great many; bat
trial. Q. Are you not aware that 1t is com
mon thing tor the photographs OF eminent
actors TO be published, and scattered broadcast
over the land? A. am, OF eminent actors.
G. State distinctly where these photographs
were found. A. They were found In Mrs.
Surratt's house; some Of them were found in q
Photographic album, lying on the MANTLE
piece in the front parlor; they were pictures
Of different people with, whom had no ac-
ouaintance at all. q. What remark did you
make to Mrs Surratt as you were leaving the
house, A. 1 made none. Q. Did you say
ANYTHING to her about being ready! A. said
nothing at all; / said .sget ready" q. What
was her attitude at that time A. She was
seated at chair In the front parlor. Q. Was
she not kneeling A. She was not q. Who
was present at the time Of the asseveratien
she made that she dii not know Payne! A.
Ga ptain Wermerskirch and Mr.. Morgan, two of
my subsrdinates in the department. q. Was
was that all the remark she made to you about
Paynel A. That was all the remark shemade in
nv hearing. z. Mrs. Sarratt did not attempt to
eyade the question you asked her, did she 2 A.
No. her answer was direct. O. Was ii light
In her hall at the time? A. Yes, very light
the gas was turned on full head. Z. Did
AM nr haor, Il