The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-05-16
Tuesday Morning, May l6, 1866.
The Washington Trials--R eports
az Ie sf mOnY. ~

The NVasElinetOn Trials--R eporl,
Oh Tesf mOny.
TESTIMONY OF LOUIS wEIcHMAN RESUMED
O. State whether you remember sometime
in Inc month of March, man calling at Mrs
Surratt's and giving himself the name o.
Wood, and inq1iring for John III. Surratt. A.
Yes. / opened the door for him. He asked II
Mr., Surratt was in, and told him no, but ]
introduced him to the family. he had then
expressed " ish to see Mrs. Surratt.
@. Do you recognize him here? A. Yes
sir; that's the man, Payne; he called himself
Wood then.
Q. How long did he remain with Mrs. Su
raft? A. He stopped in the house all night
and had supper served up to him in my room.
O. When was that? A. As near as can
wecolIect it was about-aight weeks previous to
the assassination.
o. Do you remember whether some weeks
safter the same man called again? A. Yes.
should think it was about three weeks, that
again went to the door and then showed him
into the parlor aud again asked his name
That night he gave the name of Payne.
@. Did he then have an interview with Mrs.
SurratA A. Mrs. Fitzpatrick, myself and
Mrs. nrratt were present He remained
about three days and represented himself to
be Bapthst preacher.
~.
Mr.. w, nod OF lOrmer daysf A.. Yes, sir, In
conyer, ,ation one Of the ladies called him
Wood. and then ] recoected that on his prev
ious Wis it he had given the name of Wood.
O. Ifd you observe any traces OF disguise,
or nrepa Rs aion for disguise? A. One day l
found 3 tahse moustache on, the table In my
room. til rev it into little box, and Payne
searched ant inqnired for his moustache. i
was sitting Oh l a chair and didn't say anything.
+ "a Uor ali and ma in
my baggage "A uong box of paints had In
my trunk.
Q. Did YOU sea- him and Surratt together by
themselves? A. Yes. 1t was on the same
day went to 90 sSory and found them sitting
on a bed playing with bowie knives.
@. Did you ses any other weapons? Al
Yes six revolvers, and four sets OF new spurs
Here the witness was shown spur and iden-
tilted it as one of those he had then seen, saying
eyes those are the spurs--three of those were
in my rocm."
BY the Court That is the spur found il
Atzerott's room.
o. Theg had brace of pistols, did you say
A. They had two long navy revolvers. Here
witness was shown the pistol produced durine
Lees examina and said, That looks Ike
one of them"
Q. Do YOU fecollect having gone with Sur.
ratt to the He rdon House to hire roomf
A. Yes sir.
o. What time WIS that? A. 1t must have
been the 10Th Of Ma rch.
O. For whom did h. wish to rent this room? +?
A. No name was given.
@. Did you afterwards learn that Payne
was at that house? A. Yes, sir. met At
zerOtt on the street and asked MN Wnere ne
was going; he stated that he was going TO see
Pxyne. asked him If Payne was at the
Herdon House, and he said, "Yes."
@ Did you ever meet Harold at Surratts
A. Once.
o. Where else did you see him? A. met
him on the occasion of the visit TO the theatre
when Booth played Pescara; also at Mrs
Surratt's in the spring Of 1858, when lhrs'
made his acquaintance. / after met him II
1854. at church in the country-at Catholic
church; these are the only times recollect.l
O. Do you know either of the prisoners
Arnold or Laughlin? A. No, sir. -
@. What knowledge of, If any, have you o.
Su traits going to Richmond? A. About The
3d..-no, it was the 17th, there was woman
nam, ed Slader, came to the house; she went tc
Canada and returned on Saturday, the 23d ol
March. Mr.. Surratt drove her into the coun-
try about O'Clock in the morning, and un
derstoo0 that he had gone to Richmond will
Mrs. SladGr, This Mrs. Slader was to meet q
man named Home, but this man was captured
and could Dottake her. agsto
O. She was blockade runnerp A. Yes, sir
or the bearer of dispatches.
O. Did Mrs. Surratt tell you SOP. A. Yes
sir.
O. When did he return? he returned OF
the Sd of April.
O. Do YOU know of his having brought any
gold with him? A. Yes, he had some 10 ol
20 gold pieces, and he had some green
backs. He remained in the house about al
hour, and told me he was going to Montreal
He asked me, however to 60 and take some
f.s I<<rurw - ktae
corner of 7th Street and Pennsylvania Av-
enue, and took some oysters.
O. And he left !? A. Yes. He left that
evening, and since that time l have not seer
him. s2 af4f aHfs
o. Did he have any conversation with you
Is ne passed through, about the fall of Rich
- oud? A. He told me he didn't believe 1t
ha sid he had seen Benjamin and Davis, and
then ed told him it should not be evacuated
and ba >smed to be incredulous.
O. Have yDu Uren 70 Canaua sinceT a
O. q WI Wb.. Il. You there learn Of Surratti
A. That ho had arrived at Montreal on the
9th ard returned % me states on. the lzfh
returning again on sDea s1s iHII aaI ana engaging
rooms in the st. Law 'e.ris ~ 80, a. !.
q Do you remember @ 20 civ. ~ n, ponsS enH,
Mrs. SJurratt sent for you ,ss fb,ro E DTysu W"a
notice that she wanted TOT - A''H - : CO.
@. What was the uessagtT A. Merey
that she wished to see him. -.
o. Did she say on private busmes or use
anv expression Of that kind? A. les, SIT. i,
Q. Did you deliver the meAsagsf a.
o. What did Booth sayP A. he said he
would come to the house Immediately.
O. What time was this? A. Some time
in April; it was the I'd when she sent me.
o. State whether he called on the evening
of the 14th of April--the day OF the assassin
alton. A. Yes, sir; about half past O'CLOCK
when was going out at the door, 1 met MRS .
Surratt speaking to Boom. - .A.-
O. Were they alone? A. Yes, sir, they
were alone in the parlor. He didn't remain
more than three or four minutes, and imme-
diately after that set out for the country. :
This examination in chief like the preced'
ing one, was conducted by Gen. Holt, Judge
Advocate for the United States.
Gross examination by Reverdy Johnson
@. How long have you been living at MRS
Surratt's? A. Since December, 1854. Mrs
Surratt at tha time had removed to the city
from the country; she had rented her farm
@. Did you ever live with her in the coun
s try? A. No, sir, but had visited her.
@. You knew her very well at that time
A. Not very well; made her acquaintance
through ason who was at school most OF the
time. l sometimes went there, and always
: experienced kindness and courtesy.
@. What sort of house had she In the city
here? A. 1t contained eight rooms, six large
and two small. =
Q. Was she in the habit of renting her
: rooms out? Yes, sir. gTaa at
@ Did she furnish board as well as rooms
"A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did you say that young Surratt told you