The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-10-14
MR.. SPANGLER TAKES HIS PEN
A' In HAND.
Mr.. Spapgler. late of Ford's Theatre,
writes ~ follows to a friend in Balti-

Mr.. Spapgier. late of Ford's Theatre,
l writes az follows to a friend in Ralti-
more: l., ass ,.. s ~.
Fort JyryRRror, Ton-y.n IaAzp,l
l * i September Is, 1895. J ~
My Dear Friend II take my pen in
hand to rite to you these teu lines to let
you know that | am well and hope you
are the same this is a purity hard place
to live the sun is very hot and we have
hard grub. salt horse and one piece of
bread whe sometimes get soup there is
some small fish in the brake water that
we can catch from our cell window but
we have no fish hooks smail enough
here and have no money to send for
thin, there is suffers store horeyou can
get anything you want L you have mo-
ney there is about five hundred prisou-
era here, whe have the privilege of GO
ing over the whole island 1t is about 10
acirs of sand some fieu trees l sm at
work at my trade. You have no doubt
been acquainted with the fact and cir-
| cumstances connected with my trial and
sentence and Imprisonment. .... ,.
Nothing that can say or do can alter
the opinion of the world and the Pub
lick. Before God and all that 10 sacred
am perfectly innocent ofall the charges
and specifications brought against rue by
the prosecution. had no knowledge or
idea of anything, nor did ] aid or assist
the william or the assassin of the Presi-
dent either before or after the assassina.
ton you know that was not more inti-
mate than others that around him not
as much as some of them. He asked
me to see to his horses which 1 did he
said that he would make me honsomG
7,resea, which he did, sic yeo7's on tho
land of Dry Tortugas never enjoyed
his confidence or his favour exceDt oc-
casionally when we met ut O restaurant
he would ask ne to have something to
drink / had nothing to do with him on
the evening OF the assassination mora
than any other man similarly situated
could have He came TO the Theatre call
ed me and asked ii i could hold his
hOrse,which declined for the reason /
had my work to attend to on the stage.
/ called Pea nut John to ho'd his
horse, who held him until no came cut
after numbering the President. | did
not know what had taken place until
the deed had been committed and Booth
made his escape from the Theater. /
never shut the dior after his escape nor
did know nor had eany thing TO do
with the mortice in the wall or boring
the whole or the fixing of the bar of tho
door, or Jocsing the screws all this was
charged with as being Guilty or tuspi-
cioned of having done but Before God
who know will hold me accountable if
lie knieu nothing or herd nothing
| about the existance of eany ouch thing
until after the assassination when | was
asked concerning it ell the evidence in
my case is known / leave 10 to all hon.
est aud unprudicial people 10 judge OF
my innocence or guilt. sg.-.. ~
Crate Injustice has been done mo by
Isome false witnesses from whom express
ses prier 10 my trial ! know acted by
gain or reward. Iwish you would 500
and see whether he ever received my
statement that ] sent him with young
man by the name of welsh, and il lac
has to let me know what he 10 going
to do with it please and send me soma
small fish hookssorne 2 or three fly hooks
in litter and little mony to buy pos
tage stamps ard Some paper, there is a
niggar regiment hereto guard the plaza.
| Give my love to allmy enquiriDg Friepda
| and let me know what they think Of ne
am here suffering here wich I am in,
| nocently yours Most Rspctfuly 3aqe5.
H. r5iirQ s1 al EDNAN SPANoLER-