The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1865-07-14
Trial Of the Oonspirators.


prisonmcnt for lie, and Spangler for six
years. The following is an extract from
Judge Binghams summing up Of tho ovi-
dsnce: sab nll rHdta1rl l.-'.sa
The Judge Advocate then reviewed the toe:
timony affecting the Canadian couspirators;
and contended that their implication 10 the
conspiracy was clearly proved. Hethcn pro-
cecded to show that tborc was positive proof
on the record to show that tho rebel chief,
JEFF. Davis, sanctioned these crimes commit
ted, and attempted. through the snstrumen-
tality Of his accredited agents In Canada.
Thompson, Clay, Tucker, Sanders, Clcary,
&c upon tho houses and property Of the
people Of the North. and that Davis, tho
procurer Of arson, and Of the indiscriminate
murder Of the innocent and unoEending, nee.
essarily resultant therefrom. was capable al.
so of cndeavoring to procure tho murder, by
direct assassination, Of tho President Of the
United States and others charged with the
duty Of maintaining the Government Of tho
United State, and Of supprcssins the rebellion
in which this arch.traitor and conspirators
was engaged. t..fr.
The official papers of Davis, captured un.
der tho guns Of our victorious army in tho
rebel capital, identified beyond question and
shadow Of doubt, and placed upon your rec
ord together with the declarations and actsof
his conspirators and agents, proclaim to all
the world that he was capable Of attempting
to accomplish his reasonable procuration Of
the murder Of the late President and other
chief officers Of the United States by the
hands OF hired assas,ins. He said that the
Court must be satisfied that the several par
tics named in the record did combine and
conspirs together in Canada to kill and muir
der Abraham Lincoln, Andrew johnson,
VIM. H. Seward and Ulysses s. Grant, and
that this agreement enthusiastically entered
into by Booth and the agents Of Davis In
Canada as early as October. there could not
be any doubt. Whatever may be the con.
victicn Of others, my own conviction Is that
Jefferson Davis is Us clearly proven guilty Of
this conspiracy as is John Wilkes Booth, by
whose hand Jefferson Davis inflicted the NOR
tai wound upon Abraham Lincoln. .. q,
The evidence shows that oil Of the accused,
save Mudd and Arnold, were in Washington
on tho l4th Of April, the day. Of tho assassi-,
nation, together with John Wilkes Booth
and John II. Surratt; that on that day Booth
had secret interview with tho prisoner,
Mary e Surratt, that immediately thereafter
she went to Surrattsvillo to perform her part
Of the preparation necessary to tho success
ful execution Of the conspiracy, and did
make that preparation; that John II Sur
ratt had arrived here irou Canada, notifying
tho parties that tho price to bo paid for the
great crimo had been provided for at least in
part, by the deposit receipts Of April 6. for
$3.50, 900, procured BY Thompson, Of the
Ontario Bank, Montreal, Canada; that he
was also prepared to keep watch or striko a
blow, and ready for tho contemplated flight;
that Atserodt on the afternoon of that day.
was seeking to obtain horse, the better to
secure his own. safety by fight, after he
should have performed the task which ho
had voluntarily undertaken by contract in
tho conspiracy, ths murder Of Andrew John
son, then Vice President Of the United States;
that he did procur, horse for that purpose
at MAYORS, and was seen ut 0 o'clock in the
evening to ride to tho Kirkwood House,
where the Vice President then was, dismount
and enter. Alta previous hour Booth was
at tho Kirkwood House, and left his card,
pow in evidence. doubtless to bo sent to tho
room Of tho Vice President, and which was
in these words: 'Don't wish TO disturb you :;
arc you at home? w. Booth Atzerodt,
when he made application at Brooks in tho
afternoon Tor the horse. said TO Wcichman.
who was there. ho was going to ride in tho
country, audho was going to got horse and
send for Payne. Ile did,got horse for
Payne. as we'll as for himsclf. for Il is proven
that on the 10Th he was seen In Washington
riding the horse that had been procured BY
Booth, in company with Mudd last Novem
Der, from Gardiner. A similar horse was
lied before the door, Of Mr.. Seward on tho
night Of tho murder, and was captured alter
lhe fight Of Payne, who wss seen 70 ride
Away, and which horse is now identified a.
he Gardiner horse Booth also procured q |
morse on the same day, took il 10 his stable,
n the roar Of the theatre, where, he had an
interview with Spangler. and where he con.
,caled IL; Harold, too. obtained horse, 10
hc afternoon. and was seen between nine and
On O'Clock riding with Atscrodt down tho
IvonSs from the Tspasury, thsnisp Fourteen
md down p street. pssing closo 70 Fords
theatre O'Laushlip had conc 70 Washing
ON the day before, bad sought out Die v'o'
i'm, Gensml Grant, sttbs house OF the SEQ
s.sry oi War. tnss no might b able With
to identity him, and q ths very
,our NJ. when thsss preparasieoswws going ons |
vss lviue in Wait a RuIlnsn's oa-ths ave.
me-. lisspisr watch. and decIerins = he did
10 r. H.: when told that Tho fatal blow
.d ham struck By Booth; al don't believe