The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1865-05-12
The Assassination Plot.
Letter From Beverly Tucker.

The following is the exculpatOry letter of
Beverly Tucker, referred TO in the telegram to
the Associated Press on Saturday:
MONTREAL, May T. 1865.-Zo the Pea0le Of
Canada Il have this moment seen the procla-
nation Of Andrew Johnson, acting President
of the United States stating that ''it appears
from evidence in the bureau of military Justice
that the atrocious murder of the late President,
Abraham Lincoln, and the attempted assassina-
tion Of the Hon. w. II. Seward Secretary of
State, was incited, concerted and procured by
and between Jefferson Davis, late Of Richmond,
! Va, and Jacob Thompson Clement c. CLAY,
/ Beverly c. Tucker, George n. Saunders, W.
G. Cleary and others of the United States har-
bored in Canada, and offering rewards for the
apprehension Of the accused, SO, 900 being Of
fered for my arrest
It Is scarcely possible that such proclamation
would have been issued unless some such 'sevi-
dence" has been adduced. What such 'sevi-
dence" is I am totally at loss to conjecture
am compelled, therefore. TO content myself
with the declaration that whosOeyer hath sworn
! to anything authorizing in the slightest degree
suspicion Of my having ''incited, concerted or
/ procured" or Of any knowledge whatever by
me Of the attacks made on the President and
. Mr.. Seward, or any acts or projects Of a kin
: drcd character, or of any plan TO kidnap or
/ capture either Of them, or any Of the Federal
authorities hath bIackcned his soul with dia-
bolical perjury,
! IIntii information reached here Of the attack
or President Lincoln by Mr.. J. Wilkes Booth,
and that on Mr.. Seward by some other person,
! did not know that any such person as J.
/ Wilkes Booth existed. I had never heard OF
! him before. don't know any Of the persons
in arrest at Washington, and never heard OF
them till ! read the notices in the United States
! newspapers Of their apprehension.
! have within day or two past made inqui-
ry, and ascertained that Mr.. Booth left ST
! Lawrence Hall, Montreal, on the 27th of Oc-
4ober last. The officers of the Ontario Bank
state that on that day he purchased of the
bank bill on England, for G61 rs Id, for
which he paid in American gold and, at the
same time, made Il deposit of 1895 Canada
money, which yet remains to his credit, and
that he stated that he intended to run the block
ade. Whether he made such attempt, or went
into the United States by railroad, have not
! ascertained.
| The clerks in the St. Lawrence Hall inform
iLlc lildt IC dIElNSu aL ille UONSC on tH6 ICI OF
October, being here nine days. was not in
! Montreal during that time. My association
with the other gentlemen named in this afro.
cous proclamation, has been intimate for years
and l admit it would be strange if they had
any knowledge of Mr.. Booths purposes that
should be in utter ignorance of il.
The whole business is, in my deliberate judg
ment, an attempt to get up a pretext for a diff.
liculty with the British Provinces and The
consideration that since I have been here
have received nothing but hospitality and kind
ness from you, impels me to make this brie
address 10 aid in the dissipation of such pre-
text | have this day appealed to Presiden
Johnson and Secretary Stanton to allow mt
copies of the alleged evidence, with respect tt
myself, to give me chance to dsproye it.
will add, that I will 60 before any magis
trate here and verify the above by my solemn
oath, and that l win agree that the United
States consul, or any respectable counsel h
may designate, shall cross-examine me in rela
tion TO the alleged evidence, or any other am
all acts Of nay life.
Beverly Tucker.