Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-05-19
THE TRIAL.
MORE OF THE SUPPRESSED TESTIMONY.

The Washington Chronicle of Tuesday says:
The testimony taken on Friday, be ore the
doors we're opened to reporters OF the press,
includes that Of q man who was for several
years in the military service of the so-called
Confederate States, employed in the topo-
graphical department., on the staff Of Gene
raj Edward johnson. he was in Virginia
in the summer of 1868, twenty miles from
Staunton. He became acquainted with three
,itizens Of Maryland, one Of whom was
Booth, and the other named Shenherd. He
was asked by Booth and his companions
what he thought Of the probable success Of
the Confederacy, and he told them that after
such q chase as they (the Rebels) had then
got from Gettysburg, he believed il looked
rather gloomy. Booth told him that was
nonsense; aud added, ''if We only act our
part right, the Confederacy will gain its in
dependence, aud old Abe Lincoln must go
up the spout"
The witness understood by the expression,
s'muSt 20 up the spout" that it meant he
must be killed. Booth said that, as soon as
the COnfederacy was nearly whipped, that
was the final resource to gain the indepen-
denee Of the COnfederacy. The companions
OF Booth assented TO his sentiments. The
witness was at the camp Of the I'd Virginia
regiment, and there VAS secret meeting OF
rebel officers on that occasion. He was not
present at the meeting, but one of the OFF,
GERS stated ITS pUrpOrt. He believed Booth
was at that meeting. The purpose was to
send certain officers on detaI he'd service 10
Canada and the borders, TO deliver prison
erS, to lay Northern cities in ashes, and,
finally, TO get after members OF the Cabinet,
and kill the President. He heard that more
than thousand times.
The name Of the officer who gave him the
information was Lieutenant COckerill.-
Booth was sSsOciating with all the officers.
lie heard very often that the assassination
OF the President was an object finally TO be
accomplished. He had heard il freely spO-
ken OF in the streets of Richmond. This
necessity was generally assented TO in the
service.
A lady from New York testified to having
met Booth and q man named johnson, and
overheard their conversation. She picked
up two letters which they hal dropped, and
one Of them was addressed "Dear Louis"
saying that the lot had fallen upon him to
&c the Charlotte Corday of the nineteenth
century. "Abe must die now; you can
choose your own weapOnS-lhe cup, the
lnifr, the bullet" etc. The letter is signed
Charles Shelby.
Two other witnesses testified they were in
Canada, and saw Booth in conversation
with George Sanders, and believed they saw
Booth taking with Clay, Holcombe and
Thompson.
The Baltimore american of Wednesday
says:
Yesterday morning the court visited the
theatre which vas the scene of the crime. -
The localities were carefully examined, and
the positions which the witnesses examined
nad respectively stated that they occupied.
The stable in the alley, rented by Maddox
tor Booths use, and fitted up by Spangler
for the aSsaSSin's horses, was also examined.
Every hing showed that damnable plot was
carefully ma,uIed. The testimony taken yes
terday related principally to the part taken by
the employees Of the theatre, and bore very
heavy against Spangler, one Of the accused,
emplt yed there as a carpenter. During the
day he was engaged with others in preparing
the box for the Presidential party, and the
thoughts that occupied his mind we're eyin-
ced in threats and denunciations against Mr..
Lincoln. He was also shown 10 have been
10 conversation with Booth, and at night
met him in the rear OF the theatre and en-
gagged a man to hold the horse on which he
made his escape. Additional testimony
vas adduced duplicating OLaughlin a. the
nan who was 10 attempt the murder of
Gcn. Grant. Tue fact that Booth attempt
d 70 obtain an interview with Vice Presi-
dent Johnson on the day Of the assAssiua-
lion was also put in evidence. The cornec-
uon Of DR.. Andd with the conspiracy was
elucldated by some very important evil
dence.