The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1865-05-25
Trial Of the Assassination COnspirators.

attack on Secretary Seward will be read
with interest: n 5sg4s IL 3g1i 81.
~ WASHINGTON, May s19.--Mrs. Martha
Murray, wife of the keeper of the Herndor
House. recognized Payne resembling the
man who boarded there, who left the house
q e at Ain the afternoon of April IA. 80
y se William II. Wells (colored) testified that
he was a servant in the house of Hon. Will
2 liam H. Seward on the 18th of April
identified Payne when he Payne came into
s71s the house he rang the bell; L went down
to the door; this man came in; he had a
little package in his hand and said it was
from DR.. Verdi; said he was sent by DIR.
Verdi, with particular directions how he was
ga to take it, and he must go up. | told him
he could not go up. Then he repeated the
words over good while. must go up
must see him." told him he could not /;
it was against my orders that, if he would
give me the medicine, i would tell him to
take it, if he would leave the directions
That would not do. i He started to go up
slipped past him and went up the stairs
before him. Asked him to excuse me;
thought perhaps he-woud say refused to
let him come up. thought he might be
sent by DR.. Verdi and would tell Mr. Sew
ard tried TO stop him. He said Gal right F"
SO noticed his step was very heavy and ask
ed him not TO walk so heavy as he would
disturb Mr.. Seward. He met Mr.. Frederick
Seward.on the steps outside the door and
had some conversation with him in the hall
He said to Mr.. Frederick that he wanted to
see w. II, Seward. Mr.. Frederick told him
!, !, that be couldn't SEQ him, that his father
- was asleep at the time. and to give him the
@ medicine; ne would take it to his father.
That would not do he must see him. Mr..
Frederick said, 'You cannot see him" He
kept on saying he must see him. Mr. Fred
~ erick said, 81 am Mr.. Stewards SON. If you
cannot leave it with me, you cannot leave
it ALL" he had little more talk, still
i holding his package. Mr.. Frederick Sew
ard would not let him see him any way.
He started towards the steps, as if to go
down. | started to go down before him,
and had gone down about three steps, and
turned round, saying, ''Do not walk heayi-
ly." By the time Ihad turned round he
jumped back and struck Mr.. Frederick
Mr. Frederick had fallen, and thrown up his
Il hands | then ran down stairs and halloed
Murder" 1 went to the front door and
o. cried, tMurderspi. ran down to General
aa.aAugurs headquarters; saw no guard, and
came back. By that time three soldiers had
come out OF the building and followed me-
= had got about half way back to the house
~ when saw this man run out and get on his
horse. He had on a light overcoat and no
hat. He had on a hat when he came into
the house. | had not seen the horse at all
before. halIoed to the soldiers, There
he is getting on his horse.' He got ON his
horse and started off. / followed him as far
Il as the corner of | and Fifteenth streets He
turned up Vermont avenue, and | lost sight
Of him.. He struck Mr. Frederick with
something round aud mounted with silver
J. took it TO be knife Afterwards | saw
sai him raise his hand twice. He hit him twice
' and then ran down stairs. Witness also
-sa recognized Payne at General Augur's head
quarters. 30
an Sergeant George T. Robinson testified to
having been in attendance as nurse, to Mr.
sae Seward. % Recognized Payne as resembling
ia the person he saw there FIRST heard
scutfiing in the hall opened the door to see
what the trouble was He stood close up to
it. AS soon as it was opened wide enough
he struck me and Knocked me down, and
then rushed up to Mr.. Stewards bed, struck
him and MANNED him. AS soon as could
get on my feet | endeavored to haul him off
the bed, and he turned upon. ME. Then
there was man came into the room who
clutched him. Between the two of us we
got him to the door, when he clinched his
hand around my neck, knocked me down.
broke away from the other man, and rush
ed down stairs. He struck me the first time
with knife, and the last time with his fist
de stabbed me in the forehead | saw him
cut Mr.. Seward twice. He struck beyond
his reach the first time then he struck him
. On theneck. ~
Major Seward, son of the Secretary, was
sworn and identified Payne as the man who
was at his fathers house on the night of the
14th of April. He had retired about Ill
o'clock, and short time after was aroused
by screams OF his sister. q Rushed up stall rs
andTsezed the iaan, who struck witness
with q decanteF from the table and made
use OF the words, 81 am mad am mad +"
When near the door, as witness was push
ing him, he saw by the light il the hall
that he was tall and large, and had black
hair and no beard. Got pistol and rush
e&eddowpsto the front door. After witness
own wounds were dressed, be went into his
fathers room, and saw he had large cash
on his cheek, one ON his throat, and one un-
der his ear. Witness was satisfied that the
prisoner at the bar was the same man
Colonel Morgan testified that, on the 18th
Of April, he had possession of Mrs. Surratt's
house, and stated that Payne came in " it'll
pickaxe OH his shoulder, PAYNE said, u
guess | am mistaken" asked who he
wanted to see He said Mrs. Surratt /
told him he was right; she was in the par
lor; he said Mrs. Surratt had engaged him
Ito dig, gutter said be was twenty wears
tSSold; from Fauquier county, Virginia, and
earned his living by the pick. He showed
me an oath of allegiance and said he was
from the South ; said he could neither read
or write. Witness identified the pick which
he had ON his shoulder. He said he had no
Al
She knew him from his working in the
neighborhood that he was poor man, and
came to him to do work The oath of ale
glance contained the name of Lewis Payne,
va Farquier county, Va. He said he was from
the South, and left there in February; that
he had to leave or go into the army that
.,hepreferred to earn living by the pickaxe
lie said he could not read, but could man
age to write his own name. told him he
would. have to go to the Provost MarshaI's
Office and explain. He moved a little at
that, but did not answer. The prisoner and
Mrs. Surratt had no conversation at the
time of her arrest. The witness found some
papers and photographs at the house of Mrs.
Surratt, including Booth, jeff Davis, Alex.
81. Stephens and Beauregard We also
found card picture with this on it: ''Thus
viii it ever be with tyrants, Virginia, the
mighty. SIC Semper tyranniS."
Major Smith testified that he was in
charge of the party who took possession of
Mrs Surrstts house Saw her after the
arrest of Payne. He asked Mrs Surratt if
she knew Payne, she said, raising her right
hand, Before God don't know who this
man is, and have never seen him" Mrs.
Surratt did not even ask for what she was
arrested. She expressed no surprise or feel
ing at all. When rang the bell Mrs Sur
raft oneIied fine Ivi,.eou, aso;J g., ~ . =