The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1865-06-15

0 son IN some of his drunken revelries tha
i if they could dispose of the President
j. Vice-President and Cabinet, and that i
! Mr.. Seward could be disposed of it would
}, satisfy the people North, and that peac,
s could be obtained, that they had endeav.
ored to bring about war with England
> but Mr.. Seward, through his energy anc
J sagacity, had thwarted their efforts, and
, for that reason they wanted to get rid Of
: him.
On the 5th or 9th of April last, I met
Harper, who said that they were going
to the States to "kick up the damnedest
row, such as had never been heard of; he
added that if l did not hear of the death
of Old Abe, the Vice-P President. and of
Gen Dix, ia less than ten days, I might
put him down as damned fool that was
on the 9th of April he mentioned the
name of Booth as Que Of their friends
there; he said they had plenty of friends
in Washington, and that fifteen or twenty
were going. He had started to 60 to
Washington as early as the 9th, together
with others communicated this fact on
the 10th of April to justice of the peace,
named Davidson, who, after the assassina-
tion, communicated it to the Government;
Harper returned to Canada after the as
sassination had conversation with G.
G. Clay in February last he spoke of the
letter of Davis, which Sanders had exhibi-
ted he seemed to understand the charac-
ter of the letter perfectly, and said he
thought the end would justify the means;
Surratt was pointed out to me in Toronto,
last February, think saw Booth there
two or three times, and sat at table with
him once, at the st. Lawrence, with San
ders, Scott and Steele; they were con-
versing with Booth, and drinking wine
with him at Sanderss expense 1 saw
Harold in Canada, in February.
Richard Montgomery testi6ed-I knew
Jacob Thompson, Clement c. Clay, whom
have met in Canada a number of times
| since the Summer of 1864 up to this time;
also, George N. Sanders, j. 2. Hocombe,
Beverley Tucker, W. c. Cleary, Harring-
ton, Hicks, and others, under fictitious
names Thompson had several names
one was Carson Clay was Holt, and La
cy, and Tracy Jacob Thompson said he
had friends of the Confederacy all over
the Northern States, willing to go any
lengths, and that he could, at any time,
have the tyrant Lincoln, and any of his
advisers, put out of the way; that his
friends would not consider it crime, and
that it would be done for the cause of
the Confederacy in January, 1865,
Thompson said, at Montreal, that pro-
position had been made to him to rid the
world of the tyrants, Lincoln, Stanton,
Grant, and some others that he knew
the men who made it were bold, daring
men, able to execute anything they would
undertake; that he was in favor of the
proposition, but deferred his answer un-
till he had consulted his Government at
Richmond /; that he was then only wait
ing their approval. He thought it would
be a blessing to the people, both North
and South, to have them (the tyrants)
killed. In the Summer of 1864 | repea-
ted what Mr.. Thompson first told me to
c. c. Clay, who said that he was really
devoted to our cause, and ready to go
any lengths, to do anything under the
sun to save it. [ have seen Payne, the
prisoner, number of times in Canada,
about the Falls, in the Summer of 1864,
and also at the Queens Hotel, at Toronto,
Canada West, where I conyersed with
him. I had had an interview with Mr..
Thompson several others had sought an
interview while l was closeted, and had
been refused. On leaving Fhompson's
room, saw Payne in the passage-way,
near the door, with Clement G. Clay talk
ing to him Mr. Clay stopped me, and
finished his conversation with this man
in an undertone. When he left me, he
said, "Wait, for me ; I will return" He
soon came back and babe me goodbye,
and asked where he could see me after
time. I told him, and appointed meet
ing. spoke to this man Payne in Clay's
absence, and asked him who he was. He
said, "Oh, I'm Canadian"-which was
to any, 1 don't wish you to ask me any
thing more. T mentioned him to Clay
when met him after time. Clay ask
ed, "What did he say?" / told him,
and Clay answered, "rhat's so; he is a
Canadian" and laughed. He added
awe trust him." canadian is an ex-
preston for their friends, and his conduct
was an indication that their intercourse
was of a very confidential nature.
| have been in Canada since the assas
sination few days after, | met Beverly
Tucker at Montreal, He. said "Mr. Lin
coin deserved his death long ago." that
''it was pity he did not die long ago"
and that cit was too bad the boys had not
been allowed to go when they wanted
TO-" He referred to the men who were
to assassinate him.
I had d conversation with VIM. G.
Oleary, aud told him what Mr.: Thomp-
SON said in January He said that Booth
was one of the parties to whom Thomp-
son had referred he said also that it was
too bad, that the whole work had not
been done, referring to the assassination.
Cleary who was eonfdantof Mr.. Fhomp-
son. told me so. Thompson said Cleary
was very close-mouthed man. Cleary