American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-10-25

of other Rebels of less note; Blackburn
was recognized there as an agent of the
Confederate States, and so represented
himself; in January last DIR. Blackburn
employed person named Cameron to
accompany him, for the purpose of intro
ducing yellow fever into the Northern
cities, to wit: the cites of New York,
Philadelphia and Washington; he went
from Montreal to Bermuda, about year
ago last fall, for the purpose Of getting
the clothing infected with yellow fever;
| saw him after his return, in Canada,
aud heard Jacob Thompson and VIM. 9.
Cleary say that they favored his scheme,
and were much interested in it; this was
last January.
About the same time it was proposed
to destroy the Croton Dam, DIR. Black
burn proposed to poison the reservoirs,
and made calculation of the amount of
poisonous matter itwould require to i'm
pregnate the water so as to make an or
dinary draught poisonous and deadly
He had the capacity of the reservoirs,
and the amount of water generally kept
in them. Strychnine, arsenic, prussic
acid, and a number of other things l do
not remember. were named Mr. Thomp-
son feared it wonld be impossible to col
lect 50 large quantity of poisonous mat
ter without suspicion, and leading to de-
lection. Thompson approved of the en-
terprse, and discussed it freely. Mr..
Cleary did the same; it was also spoken
of by Mr.. Montrose A. Pallen, of Miss
issippi, and by person who had been a
medical purveyor in the Rebel army; Jno.
Cameron, who lived in Montreal, told me
that he was offered large compensation; |
think Mr.. Thompson was the moneyed
agent for ali the other agents; | think
they all drew on him for all the money
they required I know some Of them did;
when Thompson said it would be difficult
to collect so much poison without detec-
ton, Pdllen and others thought 1t could be
managed IN Europe; Pallen is physic-
ian; | think / haye heard Harris also
mentioned In connection with the pssti-
lence importation ] think he lived in
Toronto; there we're ether parties in Mont
real that Blackburn employed, or endeav-
ored to employ, bnt l do not remember
their names
| saw DR., Stewart Robinson, Doctor
of divinity, residing in Toronto; he edit
ed paper in Kentucky; have seen him
with Thompson and Blackburn, and he
was present when some of these schemes
were discussed; he approved them; he
said anything that could be done under
heaven would justify them under the cir
cumstances; he appeared upon very in
innate terms with Blackburn apdThomp-
son; shree or four days after the assassin
alton of the President, | saw John II.
Surratt in Canada, with Porterfeld, a
SouthernsRebcl, now declared British
subject by the Canadian Parliament; |
learned Immediately afterward that Sur
raft was suspected, was pursued, and had
decamped; had knowledge that JEFF.
Davis was the head of the so-cailed Con-
federate States, was called its President,
and had control of its civil administra-
ton. Gen. Carroll was present when
Surratt brought the dispatches from Rich
moud, and when they were read by
Thompson, believe there we're one or
two others; Gen. Carroll of Tennessee
then said he was more anxious that Mr..
johnson should be killed than any one
else; be said; IF the damned pricslouse
was not killed by somebody" he would
kill him himself: he referred to Vice
Presidens johnson; his expression was
word of contempt for tailor; it means
a tailor's louise; Booth was known in Can
ada by the nickname of "Het;' | have
heard Thompson SO name him, certainly
Cleary; Kennedy, who fred the city of
New York and was executed, was spoken
of as having performed that deed by au-
thority of the Rebel Government, under
the direction of Thompson; this was COM
municated to me by Thompson himself,
or in conversation in his presence; Thomp-
son said Kennedy deserved to be hanged,
and he was devilish glad he was hanged,
for he was stupid Fellow, and had man
aged things very badly.
James B. Merritt testified am a
physician, and have been in Canada about
year; in October and November last was
in Toronto; met George Young there, a
Rebel from Kentucky; also, Col. Steele,
from Kentucky; Young said to me, "We
have something of much more Importance
than any raids" he told me it was determ-
ined that "Old Abe should never be in