Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-05-08
The ASSASSINATION PLOT.
The Letters Of Beverly Tucker and WIN
L.. GleaYY.

The letter of Beverly Tucker in reiation to
the assassination plot appears In the Montreal
Gazette OF Friday:
MosrRRAL, May 4, IS65.--To the Peepie OF
Canada: have this moment seen the procla-
nation of Andrew johnson, acting President
OF the United States, stating that .it appears,
Mom evidence, in the Bureau OF MILITARY JUS
nce, mat the atrocious murder OF the late
fiesldent, Abraham Lincoln, and the attempt
60 assassination OF the Hon. w. III. Seward,
Secietary OF State. was melted, concerted, aRd
late OF Richmond, Va, and Jacob Thom pson,
Clement z: Clay, Beverly Tucker, George N.
Sanders, VIM q. Cleary, and others, rebels
United States, harbored In Canada,r and Of
fering rewards for the apprehens sion OF the
accused; 225,OO0 being the sum offered for my
nation would have been issued unless some
such "evidence" has been adduced. What
such ssevidence" 10 am totally at q loss to
conjecture. 1 am compelled, therefore to con-
ever hath sworn to anything authorizing In the
slightest degree suspicion OF my having "in-
cited, concerted, or procured" or OF any
on the President and MIR. Seward, or any
acts or projects Of q kindred character, or Of
any plan to kidnap or capture either OF them,
ened his soul with diabolical perjury. Until
information reached here OF the attack on
President Lincoln by ]. Wilkes Booth. and
that on Mr. Seward by some other person, L
did not know that any such person as ]. Wilkes
Booth existed. 1 had never heard OF him
before. do not know any OF the persons an
arrest at Washington, and never heard OF them
till 1 read the notices in the United States
newspapers of their apprehension. / have,
within day or two, made inquiry, and as
Hail, Montreal. ON the a1tn OF October las t.
The officers Of the Ontario Bank state that on
that day he purchased OF the bank a bill on
England for f61 12s. Id, for which he paid
in American gold, and, at the same time,
made a deposit Of 1856 Canada money, which
yet remains to his credit, and that he stated he
intended to run the blockade. Whether he
States by railroad, have not ascertained.
The clerks in the st. Lawrence Hall inform
me that he arrived at 'the house on the 18th Of
October, being here nine days. I was not in
Montreal during that time. My association
with the other gentlemen named In this afro
cious proclamation has been intimate for years,
any knowledge OF Mr. Booths purposes, tnat L
should be in utter ignorance Of it.
The whole business is, in my deliberate judg-
ment an attempt TO get up pretext for Diff
Guilty with the British Provinces, and the con-
sideration that since I have been here have
received nothing bat hospitality and kindness
to aid in the dissipation OF such pretext. i
have to-day appealed to President Johnson
and Secretary Stanton to allow me copies of
the alleged sevidence," with respect TO myself,
to give me a chance to disprove IL.
/ will add, that / will go before any magfs-
trate here and verify the above by my solemn
oath, and that will agree that the United
States Consul. or any respectable Consul he
may designate, shall cress.examne me In re-
laton to the alleged sevidence," or any other
and all acts Of my life. BEVERLY TUCKER.
LETTER FROM CLEARY.
Clsary's letter is published in the Toronto
Leader, and reads as follows:
To the Editor of the Leader:
SIR: The reward of $4,000 offered for my
capture, by President johnson, imperatively
demands that should take the first oppor-
tunity and the most public means of referring
to the proclamation which brands me before
the late President of the United States. The
other gentlemen whose names are associated
with mine l leave to speak for themselves.
In this proclamation / am referred to as the
clerk of Mr.. c. y. CLAY. deny most en-
phatically that ever occupied such a position.
As TO the assassination OF MT. Lincoln, L
declare before high heaven and the whole
world that knew nothing of 1t until it had
been committed and announced in the news
papers. There is not particle Of truth in the
statement that "concoted and melted" the
assassination. The announcement of the great
crime came upon me, as it no doubt did upon
thousands Of others who read 1t in the papers
on the day succeeding Good Friday, like a clap
OF thunder and shared with all my heart in
the general regret that so foul q deed had
been committed, and that too at a time when
the war as considered had virtually been
Positive proof of my innocence ia, Of course,
impossible tor me to produce. But if circum-
stantial evidence is of no avail, may state
tuat ohiy week ago went 10 Detroit under
'safe conduct" OF the military authorities
to arrange my affairs and return to my native
State II had been guilty Of the crime laid to
my charge. does any one suppose that would
have ventured to go upon American soil, when
important revelations were daily being made
and numerous persons being arrestedl
can do no more now than openly and une.
quivocally assert my innocence In doing this,
l appeal TO the justice of q community which,
l trust, will not sentence me unheard; and to
the right feeling of the Government at Wash.
ington, who have been most egregiously de-
celved, II any evidence has been put in their
possession which would make me the accom-
plice Of assassins.
Asking your favor for the insertion OF this
card as soon as possible, l am, sir, yours re-
spectfnHy, W. q. CLEARY.