New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-06-05
The Murderers to Receive Commissions
from Richmond.
BOOTH SPECIALLY AUTHORIZED
A SCHEME TO CUT THE CR0ToN DAN
Another to Poison our Reservoirs
ASTOUNDING REVELATIONS

The following is the testimony hitherto sup
pressed relative TO the Rebel leaders, taken at the
assassination trial at Washington;
SANFORD C0noyer testified as follows; am native
NJ New.York; have resided IN Cauada since October
last: was conscrptei into the Confederate army, and
detailed service 10 the War Department OF tie Con
federicy NJ Richmond under james a. Seldom, Secre'
tary OF War: while in Canada MAS intimately nc.
qualnted with g.. y. Sanders, Jacob Ihomp-on, Ut.
Blsckhurn, Tucker Wm G. CIcary. Capt. Castlcman.
Mr. Cameron PoIicffeld Capt. Maorudcr, ana others;
also knew Clement c. Clay. and Gen. Carroll OF Ten,
nessce knew Mr.. Sarratt also and j. W. Booth, ana
visited these gentlemen ia Canada law Surrait mere
on several occasions. las, April in Mr.. Jacob Ihemp'
sons room also in company with George y. sanders
and other Rebels In Canada; SuIrait Is about hye feet
nine or ten inches high n ia.r'compieAonei man
with light hair saw him about me cth o,
Booth; Mt that time be delivered Ia Thomp'
his room. IN my presence. dispatches ron ch'
mond to THOMPSON from BENZ end rom Jenef'
Davis, the latter either cipher dispatch or let
ter. BENJAMIN Secretar, Of state OF the Coniede-
racy Previous t. this Thompson conversed with me-
coin and hs Cabinet of which eaye notice, before the
.s,inatlob, IN TIE NEW YORK TRIBUNE the paper
for which oorresponded. had been invited by Mr.
Thompson to participate In that enterprise. when
surraft delivered tncs- dispatches from DAVIS Thomp-
laid bis hand upon the papers and said referring "a
the assasinaon and to the assent of the ebe auh3r
ties " This makes the thing all right The dispatches
spoke Of tine persons be- asassibuted; Mr.. Lncon,
Nh. johnson, the Secretary Of War the Secretary 81
said that occasion. tho day before that
terview that the assassination proposed would leave
the Government ofhc United states entirely without
head that there prov isioI In the Constitution OF
the United States by which they could elect another
President Mr.. Welles was also named, bat Mr.. Thomp
-on said II was not worth while Kill him. he of
no consequence Ny first interview with Thompson on
this subject Of assassination was in the early part Of
February, in ThomIsons room In ~. Lawrence Han.
Montreal lie then spoke Of ruid on OgdeDsbarg,
New York II was Abandoned but that because the
United States Government received Information OF II,
be- said he would have to drop II for time but added
Wen catch then asleep yet and to NE he salh'
There IL a better opportunity ~ immortalizo your
self ard save your county,, meaning the
coniederaey ! told them ! was ready to DO
a. be done he said some Of our boys are going TO
play n grand Joke on Abe and Andy which he said
was To Kill them; bis words we're remove them from
Office" and he said that the killing Of tyrant was hot
murder that be- had commissions for this work nom
the Rebel authorities, and conferred one on Booth or
would confer one that ever body engaged IN this on
tcrprise would be- commissioned and If they escaped To
Canada they could not be- successfully claimed under
the Ex,radiiion Treaty; | know that Thompson aud
the Others held these commissions in blank they com
missioned Bennett Young. the - Adams ralderi II
was a blank commission flied up ard conferred By Mr.
Clay; Us II came from RichmoLd, II was only
signed "James a. Seldom. Secretary of War" Mr.
Thompson called me TO examine these blanks 80 that
testify to the genuincness OF Seddon signature 10
the OF Bennett Young, before Judge smith. Inc
signature genuine la subsequent conversation.
AZ or the first referred 10 in February Thompson told
me that Booth had been ommissoned, and every mau
vino wo1!d engage in IL would be- had conversation
with WA. {. Cleary, on the day before or tho gay
the assassination. at 1t. Lawrence hnl. we WIZ
speaking Ofthe rejoicing In tho states over the
81 Lee and the capture Of Richmond Cleary sad they
would have the laugh the other side OF tho mouth IN
day or two. think this was the day oS ,h .ne
assassination lie knew was IN the secret Oh the con
spiracy IL was 10 that he referred The assassination
was spoken OF among us ms commonly as tue weather.
Before that Sanders asked mo II knew Dooth very
well. and expressed some apprehension that Booth
would make a izzle Of it-that lac was desperate ana
reckless and he afraid that tae whole thing wond
be "A failure l communicated To liE TRIBUNE the
intended raid on ST. Albaus and the proposed assas
suaiioa Of the Presidents but they refused to publish
the letter. did this IN March last as TO the FRESH
dents assassinaion asp ~ ,s d.xersd ,he
dispaches ia Tbompsons four or I'VE days before
the assassination. The whole conversation showed
that Surra one Of the conspirators to take tho
life That the substance of the couver
ration 1t was also understood that there was plenty
Of money when there was ANYTHING To be done The
indicated that Sniratt had very Few
days before left kchmond-that no was Just nom
Richmond"
While was in Canada, 1 was a correspondent for
THE TRIBUNE, and received no compensation except
frulr liz TRIBUNE have not received one cent nom
our own Government, nor the promise
They never supposed was u correspondent for any
paper; only said was seeking items; they supposed
was a Rebel and ia their confidence; tile pro-
posed Ogdensburg raid printed In The TEIBtNEi
did not communicate this matter directly to the Govern
meni, for the that l supposed tie communica.
ton IN lie NOulu seen ny
officials and did not choose TO have the information
go to the Government directly from me; requested
Mr. Gay. Of THE rRIBIEEt0 give the information to the
Government and believe he did saw Snrratt IN
Canada three four daysin succession In April last
had conversation with him personally about Richmond
/ was introduced to him by Sanders. Twas expected
TO participate with these Rebels IN the raid on Osdens
burg; received any pay from them for any ser
vices heard the capture Of the President talked OF IN
February, When Mr. Thompson first suggested the
assassination to me. asked him If 1t wond meet WIN
tie appreciation Of the Government at Richmond; he
suid lie thought II would, but he would know In lew
days This was early in February. .
Thompson did not say in April. when these ds,
patches delivered that this the hrst approval
they had received Of this plot from Rchmond. out
know of no others only inferred that that was sho
first APPROVAL Thompson said In his conversation WIN
me, that killing yrant IN shoh a case was no murder,
and asked me II nad read letter called hll,hg, no
Murder" addressed by Titus to Oliver Cromweni TINS
was in February; Mr. Uamlin was also named In Feb
Iuary Of the victims Of this scheme N April tne
persons before named were mentioned but MI dan'a