Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1865-05-30
The Conspiracy Trial.
The Proceedings this Afternoon.

hnO AhVNVOutmSo WIS hAtCh huOVhe
fcw minutes before two clock the pTisoneIs
were brought In aud seated In tho same order.
At two o'clock the Court was called to order,
and
JACOB RITTERsPAw,
q witness for the GOVeTnInent, called aud Sworn.
lie testified that he was y carpenter In FOTd's
theatre; was IN tho theatre on the night tho
President was shot; the President sat in the
upper right hand box when the Shot was fred
heard some one say stop that mau. Witness was
on the centre Of the stage when he heard the cry
saw man running went TO stop him, but the
door was shut after the man witness followed
The anstruck At witness with knife followed
the man down the alley; came back to the theatre
aud met SpangleT, who slapped witness on tho
mouth aud said don I say which way he went. -
Witness asked Spangler what h" meant by slap
ping him on the mouth. spanglcr said, "foT
Gods sake shut up, and don y say which way he
went - When witness went to the door no
but Booth had gone out bsfore him
Cross. examined by Mr.. Ewing.-was standing
on tho centre Of the stage when the pistol was
fired: Spangler was standing thcrr; both stood
therc together when the pistol was hred " oman
called Jennie was standing near us: witness
had mentioned TO several persons what Spanglcr
sad to him, witness did not tell either nf the Mr..
Pords; told clifford that spangler said he should
not tell which way Booth went told n detective
abOut It: don't know his name; witness saw
Booth open aud shut the door; witness was the
next person at the door after he left til" big
who ran out after witness was Ave or six yards
went II was tive or three inmates before witaess
! came back to where spAnglcr was standing; he
looked A. n he was crytsg. aud said he was
frightened The people were saying Hang him,
toned until he got out front of the theatre spang-
| Ter was where he ought to be 10 do his work on
| the stage; witness was certain he vas next pr
sou ho opened the door AfteT Booth vitness was
at supper with Spangler thai night at six clock
m. '. =. wALsH,
| having been sworn, testified that he resided on
| Eighth street east. Has lived there ducr 1857.
| Know HeFold Had known him iuee n boy
many years Witness had known hun intimate.
! ly since October, 1888 Witness iS drugg 1t
| flcrold had been In his employ. During the time
he vas In the employ Of witness he lived In the
| house. found no fault with him. In his gem
! eral character he was more Of u boy than n mHn.
! and ra-ily Influenced by any one around him
lie was trivial In his chAracter-boyth Ia every
respect,
Cross-cxam'nca: thought Herold was about
q years Of Sgc.
| JAMES SOKES,
Having been sworn, testified that he resided in
the sixth ward since 1887. Knew HrTuld ::
knew him from his btrth-about - year,. Had
| seen u good deal Of him. IHoTC are some six or
seven children In the family. Witness had al.
ways looked upon him a' a light and trining ho.
and easily Influenced by any one around him
was more easily influenced than other young
men Of his age All the conversation witness
ever heard him use was light and trihing.
Mr.. KEIuOLTT,
door IL HeTold Tor thirteen yea Lad known
him all that timei saw him Onen during the
month Of February. Witness thought h. was Oi
bOyish character and fond of bOyish company
more VI the boy than the man about him.
II EMMA HERoLD,
having bcen sworn, testified that she was tho
sister ~ David Z, IIerold. He was al home on
the 18th 0f February; sent him a valentine; he
18th OF February; remembers the date on accouhI
Of having brought a pitcher Of water which b"
wanted II was the SUnIRY amer Valentino day
he was home between the 18th aud 10th.
T's defence then called the rebel OsDeSsl John
son.
General Howe said, before tho witness WA
sworn, he desired TO submit n motion TO the
court. The facts were well known to the speaker
| and 20 all officers Of the army, that the witness
4 the defence proposed 10 Introduce ~ witness
ou i.,r stand, Edward johnson, was educated Al
the Military Academy Ht West I tut, end had
held position In our army, aud Was bound by
the oath which he had taken to the Government
General II. said, In lsol 10 became his duty, ~
an uhiccr to IRE on the rebel party of which thi.
man was member, That party ared upon, struck
down, aud killed loyal men IN the service ol
their country Since that time, II was notorious
fact Ia all that this man had borne arms against
the Government, except WHEN hf bad been q
prisoner He comes here as witness, his hand
red with the blood Of loyal men VI thu country
In violation Of his oath aud obligation to his
country,
Gen. H. said he submitted to the Court that ID
administer the oath 10 such Ia but Aa ins Il
to the Court and an outrage to the administration
Of JasItsa. He moved that ho be elected from
the Court.
Col Exits said he rose to second the motIoa
lie thought the man ~ Incompetent witness. III
, all men th1se tho had been houTshed and ri't,
Gated by the Government To he introduced ~ " u
ne-.ss was highly impertincnt and uhiuEt H.
hoped tho resolution would be adopted
Mr. Aiken said that he was not aware " ~,
fact that becAusS a person had borne arms agalnSi
the Government rendered him incompetent a.
witness. lie said Jet, witness Tor the Prp,rptI'
tlon, had borne arms aud had never taken th,
oath Of allegiance.
Gen. Holt said that the rule Of law As to ineom.
potent witnesses was that they must be eOhyistad
aud the record produced, before he could b. cN
eiuded from the stand. The Court could dIseredit
these WilncSSeS W take the testimony for what il
was worth
Gen. Wallace said, for the sake ofthe character
oftte investigation aud public justice, he hoped
the gentleman who made the motion would With
draw Il.
Geo. Hove said, having heard the statement VI
the Judge Advocate, he would withdraw the
objection.
EDWARD JOHNSON
testified that he was United Stats prisoner oi
war, confined ~ Fort Warren was au ofhceT Of
the rank Of brgadier general In the confederate
States army. Witness was acquainted with q
Hal who went by the name of Henry Won st in .
ecker. lie was not a member Of witness staff
was pot Fn stlcer; Mas private on engineer
duty belonged " ~ Virginia Infantry. About
tho mouth " May, SIS Itq accOstod witness
In Riehmond by hAmc ana rank be bore IN the
United states ATny-MajoT Juhuson; applied LyT
position In the engineer oVTPs; Said he had
served with me previously, and was Prussan
declined giving him posttiSE. he made sec
ond application went to my diNisieq ~ Frelcr'
ieksburg, The mau came there and applied.
Wiln9Ys told him " he would enlist Rs private
pc would pat hiR on duty a. an engineer. He
Astad as araaghtsB'ap aud assistant to the engi
Rscr omeeT