The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1865-06-15

about year, in October and Novem-
Der last, was in Toronto; met George
Young there, u rebel from Kentucky;I
also Col. Steele, from Kentucky
Young said 10 me, 'we want some
thing of much moro Importance than
any raids.p He told me it was deter
mined tbat sold Abe should never be
inaugurated; that they had plenty of
friends in Washington, and called Mr..
Lincoln 80 damned old tyrant." |
afterward saw George N. Sanders and
Colonel Steele together. Col. Steele
said the damned old tyrant never
will s,rvo another term if lie is elect
Cd" Sanders said, at the same time,
she would keep himself mighty close
if he did serve another term" In
Montreal, in February last, heard
Sanders name q number Of persons
ready and willing TO remove the Pres.
ident, Vice President, tho Cabinet,
and some Of the leading Generals Of
the United States; and he dddcd that
there raS 0ny amount Of money TO dc-
cOmpliSh this purpose, meaning tie as
SdSSiaattOn Of these persons lie then
read a letter which he sad he
had received from the President Of
the confederacy, meaning Jefferson
Davis, and rhtch letter justGed htm IN
makiag d3ly arrangement eehich he could
to accomplish such object There was a
meeting at that time OF these rebels
and letter was read, the substance
of which was, that if the Southerncrs
in the Canadas and the States were
willing to be governed by such o ty-
rant as Lincoln, ho (Davis) did not
wish 10 recognize them as friends, and
that he approved of the proposition to
assassinate him. C)l. Steele read the
I'lcttcr, also Captain Scott Geo Young
and Hill, all rebels. This meeting
was about the middle Of last February
At the meeting Sanders named some
of the persons who were to accomplish
the assassination; and among them he
named J. W. Booth. whom had seen
in Montreal in October lie also
named Geo. Harper, 'Chas. Caldwell,
Randall and Harrison. Harold went
by the name of Harrison. l heard
Surratt's name also mentioned, & llar-
rold. There was person named whom
they called "Plug Tobacco" saw
Harold in Toronto. Sanders Snd Booth
wds heart and soul in this matter; he
was cousin to Bealo, who was hanged
in New York. He added, that if they
could dispose of Lincoln, it would be
an easy matter to dispose Of Mr.. john
son in some Of his drunken rcvcries;
that ifthcy could dispose of the Prcsi-
dent, Vice President and Cabinet, and
that if Seward could be disposed OF,
it rould satisfy hepeOple North, and
fbut peace could be oJtdihed; that
they had cndcavored to bring about a
| war with EngIand, but Mr.. Seward.
through his energy and sagacity, had
thwartcd their efforts, and for that
reason they wanted to get rid of him.
On the 5th OF 9Th Of April last | met
Harper, who said that they were 60
ing to the States TO "kick up the
damncst row, such as had never been
heard Of" he dddcd nat # l did not
hear of the. death of Old Abe. the Vice
: President. and of General Dir, in less
J thaa, ten days, I might put him dorA as
, a damaed fool. That was on the 9Th
/ of April. lie mentioned the name Of
. Booth as one of their friends there; he
l said they had plenty of friends in
, Washington, and that fifteen or twenty
, were going. lie had started to 60 to
Washington as carly as tho Sth, to-
, eether with Others. | communicated
this fact on the 10th Of April to q jus
4 ticc of the peace, named Davidson, who
| after the assassination, communicate
c tito the Government. Harper return
t cd to Canada after the assassination
/ [ had conversation with G. c. Clay
+ in Toronto, in February last; he SPOKE
of the letter of Davis, which Sanders
had exhibited he seemed to under
stand the character of tho letter per
| fectly, and said he thought the enc
/ would Justify the means, Surratt
4 was pointed out TO mo in Toronto, last
February; l think. l saw Bootl
, there two or threetimes, and sat at ia
, bic with him once, at tho st, Law
renee, with Sanders, Scott and Steele
they were conversng with Booth, anc
/ drinking wine with him at Sanders
= expense. Isaw Harold in Canada, il
| February.
b Richard Montgomery test fed
= knew Jacob Thompson, Clement c
C Clay, whom / have met in Canada ;
: number of times since the summer o
S 1864 up to this time !, also, George N
: Sanders, j. ?. Holcombe, Beverley
It Tucker, W. G.. Cleary, Harrington
d Hicks, and others, under fictitiou
y names Thompson had several names
J. one was Carson. Clay was Holt, ant
j. Lacy. and Tracy Jacob Thompson
j. said he lad friends of the confodcrac,
n all over the Northern States, wilin!
}. to 90 any lengths, and that he could
9, at any time, have the tyrant Lincoln
IS and any of his advisers, put out of th
d way that his friends coald not consi
der 1t a crime, and that it Woutd be don
ot for tie cause Of the cOyederGcy. In Jan
N uary, 1865, Thompson said, at Mont
It real, that proposition had been mad
d to rid the world of the ,yrants Lincoln
a Stanton, Grant, and some others tha
n he know the men who made it wer
k bold, daring men, able TO execute an.
q, thing thoy wo'd 'dundertakc; that he wa
d in fayole of the proposition, bit deteTe