Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1865-07-08
TnIAI- OF TuE AssAssINs.


speech of Hon. John A. Bingham. The gst
an6 substance Of the whole proceeding is
therein presented in systematic and con-
nected form. Unfortunately, its extreme
length has prevented its general publication.
We printed few days ago, his overwhelm-
ing argument on the legality OF the Commits
sion, in which he completely demolished
the positions of Hon. Reverdy Johnson; and
his comments on the evidence, which were
summarily disposed of in a short column re-
port of the Associated Press, fill more than
fourteen columns of small type in the Wash
ington Chronicle. The subject, was so vast
and comprehensive that every word he ut
tered bore directly upon the case, and every
yoint he made was essential to complete the
logical cban of reasoning by which he de-
monstrated with mathematical precision
that the prisoners were guilty in manner
and form as they stood indicted; and we
deeply regret that thousands who have read
the evidence in detached dispatches, and
who have also perused the arguments pre-
sented in behalf of the defendants will have
no clear idea of the history of the asssassina-
ton, as it is II lly and Justly described and
illustrated by Mr. Bingham.
1t will be remembered that the accused
are charged with having conspired with
"John H. Suratt, John Wilkes Booth, Jefier-
son Davis, George N. Saunders, Beverly
Tucker, Jacob Thompson, William G. Gle
ary, Clement G. Clay, George Hooper, and
George Young" to murder Abraham Lin
coin, Andrew Johnson, William M. Seward
and Ulysses S. Grant An essential feature
of the subject, therefore, is the completely OF
the leader of the rebellion, and his agents
10 Canada. About one half of the comments
of Mr.. Bingham on the evidence are devoted
to an explanation of the testimony against
these prime movers of the conspiracy. After
quoting the legal authorities which MAN.
tain that "it is an established rule that
where several persons are proved to have
combined together for the same illegal pur-
pose, any act done by one of the party, in
pursuance of the original concerted plan
and in reference to the common object, Is
in the contemplation of law, as well as in
sound reason, the act of the whole party"
he proceeds to enuinerate the evidences of
the guilt of the rebel leaders. In brief, they
consist of the following facts That the
Canadian agents we're duly accredited by
Jefferson Davis, and supplied by him with
money, blank commissions, and full power
to perpetrate crimes Of the deepest dye
against the people of the Northern States.
That by them Kennedy was employed to
burn the hotels of New York; Bennett III.
Young to commit arson, robbery, and murder
at st. Albans; and Godfrey Hyams to in
troduce yellow fever into our cities and
camps. That Davis is proven, by his en-
dorsement of Oldhan's letter, to have had
a guilty foreknowledge of the plot of Ken
nedy and by his endorsement of the letter
of Lieutenant Aston to have cordially re
ceived that Williams proposition to under.
take the assassination of Union leaders,
That as early as October, 1864 the agents
in Canada announced their determination
to compass the death of Abraham Lincoln
that they began them to discuss this subject
in their correspondence with Jefferson Davis
and that about this period they were visited
by Booth and that the contemplated assas
sination was repeatedly spoken of 10y them
i'll the presence of witnesses who have testi
fed before the Military Commission. That
about 9th or 7th of April, John II. Surati
arrived at Montreal, direct from Richmond
and delivered to Jacob Thompson a des
patch in cipher, from JEFF Davis, which was
virtually the death warrant of Abraham Lin
coin. That Thompson, about this time
drew from the Bank of Montreal $1S0,00C
in certificates, which could be used anywhere
1t is the theory of the prosecution that Su-
ratt Immediately hurried back, with a por-
tion or all this money to Washington, where
he was seen on the fatal 14th of April, and
that this reward furnished the last incentive
needed to nerve the murderer and his ac-
complies for their horrid task. That Su-
ratt had, that evening, short time before
the murder, final interview with his moth
err and then hurried back to Canada, where,
it is supposed he still remains concealed.
That he was despatched to Richmond in
March last by Booth, for instructions untl
money; and that bis subsequent journey to
Montreal was made because it was safer
and more convenient to obtain the blood
money in the North, from whence he could
return in safety, than at Richmond, as, IN
travelling back to Washington from that
point he might be detected when he passed
through our lines. That the manner in
which Jefferson Davis received the first in
telligence of the assassination indicted his
guilt, his expressions implying neither as
tonishment, JOY, nor horror, but simply re-
gret that "the job was not completed 10y the
murder of Andrew johnson and Edwin NJ.
Stanton. That upon Booths body was found
the key of the same cipher which was habi
tlally used by the rebel State Department
this being State secret which was doubt
less communicated to him for the express
purpose of faciliting his confidential inter
course with the rebel authorities, and which
he would not have treasured so carefully for
any other purpose; and that the bill of eX-
change drawn by the Montreal branch OF
the Ontario Bank, dotted October, 1854, for
sci les 10d., which was also found upon
his person, is the unexpected balance of the
sum he received from Jacob Thompson,
when he visited Canada, to carry into effect
his murderous purposes. All these points,
and Others, which space will not permit us
even to enumerate here, are elaborated dis.
cussed at length and sustained by the testi-
mony. They form, in the aggregate, an un-
answerabe proof of the guilt of Davis and
his official agents
The concluded portion of Mr.. Bingham's
speech is devoted chiefly to an analysis OF
the testimony that bears directly against
the criminals on trial. First in order is d.
Samuel A Mudd. His part in the conspir-
acy was more important than is generally
supposed He did no: merely aid the flight
of Booth. He assisted him, in November
1864, to purchase one of the horses used by
the conspirators on the night of the 14th OF
April, and from that time till the conclusion
of the tragedy he visited the assassin at the
critical periods during the progress of his
arhpmps. tnr instance in nepam her nr