The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-06-01
oo-,.,Doudepoe oftbe Cleveland LElDrn.

Editorial Correspondents ofthe Cleveland bEADEBsl
WAsHmeToE, May %, 1864.
This morning I accepted the invitation
of q member of the Military Court to at
tend the trial Of the ccnsplrstors now be-
ing held before that body. The Court sits
in the Government Arsenal, in q room in
the third story. This slSenal is situated on
the Potomac, at the foot of Four -snd-a-Hslt
street. shout one mile and y half from
Pennsylvania Avenue. We rode in an
ambulance, with which each member of
the court is provided, followed by q guard
of five c~avalrymen. Ny friend thinks it
vary absurd that he should be attended BY
q guard, but submits because it is the order
Of the War Department that the persca
and residence of each member Of the court
should be guarded against any attempts at
assassination.
I remarked TO him that our late lament
ed President thought just SO, and refused
to have q guard and what would we not
have given now if a superior power had
compelled him to accept such a guard.
We soon arrived at our Destination
Found the yard of the arsenal filed with
soldiers, carriages, smbulances, cavalry and
horses. Should judge that about a regi-
ment we're detailed to guard the building.
We entered the outside door, passing be-
tween 3 platoon of soldiers, into q hall
Passed up q crooked stairway, between an
. other platoon, to the second story From
this we made another detour-psssed more
soldiers, and we're soon ushered lntoa room
about 40 feet long and q vide. At the
farther end q railing ran across the room,
about Eve feet from the wall. Behind this
were seated the murderers of the President
all heavily manAcled with a bar Of iron of
about ten inches in length between their
wrists. By the side OF each prisoner was
seated q soldier-gusrd. In front Of the
railing were two long tables one of which
was occupied by the members Of the court
and the others by the reporters of the
press.
The court is composed of nine officers oil
different ranks, ranging from that of Colo
mel 70 that of Msjor General. When a
vote is taken on any question, or on q YER
dict the officer lowest in rank %pronounces
first, and the next in rank follows, and go
on, ending with the President. Atthe foot
OF the table the Judge Advocate, with his
assistants and the ~eeunsels for the defense
are seated. The rpodps epsrGndi of the
trial is the same as in any civil court, with
the exception that its actions are governed
BY military rules and authorities.
The demand for admission to the court
is exceedingly great. and it is only the
lucky few who hAvepssses that can obtain
admission. The spectators numbered
about 200.
As 1 gazsd on the yelled figure of Mrs
Surrstt; on the stalwsrt form of Lewis
Payne, he who made the desperate attempt
on the lives of the Stewards; on the care
less looking features of Harold, the com
psnion of Booth; on the sinister face Of
DR.. Mudd; on the expressionless eounts
nance Of Spangler, the stage carpenters q
the slight but dsndifed form of OLaugh'
lin the teufonic Atzersth and Arnold, ]
could hardly realize that these apparently
unimportant personsges have made fol
themselves q record that will be handed
down to the end of time. 1t could no
seem possible that there characters hsvt
become historic. But SO it is.
Mrs. Surrstt sat in s corner by herself
her ankles irOned-with 8 veil over he
face, and 8 palm-lesf fan in her hand
which she used TO screen her face from tn
gaze of the curious crowd. Payne anC
Harold seemed to attract more attention
than any of the rest of the prisoners, OF
account of their being more prominently
engaged in the conspiracy. They all ha'
q sort of penitentisry look about them
with the exception of OLsughlin and Ar
mold. DR.. Mudd has a s~ecessionish looking
countsnance, and I should feel pretty SAT,
in sentencing him to be hung, simply judg
ing his guilt from the expression of hi
face.
Ny friend informed me of one fact
which is not generally known. 1t is ths
sllo the c~OnspirAtors engaged in the as
s~assinatiOn- Of our beloved President, snC
the attempted murder of the Stewards, sr,
/ - n.aLzlsx- D11Nk hE-nea1f me
brought up in the Catholic church although
all ths religion he ever had did hin
precious little good. This fact taken il
connection with that of the recent sd
mission into the Romish Church of DR.
Blackburn, the scoundrel who endesvoret
to introduce the yellow fever among tn
non.combatsnts of the North, is rather sig
nihcant. It is the more significant whel
we consider that the asssssinstions o
William of Orange, snd of Henry the "
of France, both Protestant princes wer,
the works of Catholics, and that Gu
Favkes, who attempted to blow up tn
Protestant houses of Parliament, was ais,
q member of the same persuasion.
Returning to the city, 1 met Judge A
G. Lawrence, who hss recently been Ap
pointed, by Governor DennisOn, at the re
quest Of Mr.. George B. Senter, Specis
Agent of the POstofice Department H
leaves for the Western territories on OFF
cisl business.
Ny visit to the political centre of tn
Great Republic is now about ended, and
shall Wend my way this evening to on
beautiful Forest City homs IS fast as tn,
iron-horze can speed me. Every time
visit Washington I realize more and NOR
the peerless beauty Of 1.-THE city situate OF
the Lake Shore" for the contrast between
the twois great. &c.
A Good eign.
The universal scquisscence of the South