Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-05-17
TRIAL OF THE CONsPmA.
TORS.
sURRATrs VISIT TO RICHMOND.
Interview with Davis and Ben
-iamin.

The following is an extract from the testimony
of Lewis J. weichman, who was examined be
fore the Military Court on Saturday
Q. What knowledge, if any, have you of Sur
/ rats having gone to Richmond a. Aboutthe
Esd of March-nO, it was the l7th-there was a
wO uan named Slader came to the house she
| went to Canada, and returned on Saturday, the
Esd Of March; Mr.. Surratt drove her into the
/ country about eight o'clock n the morning, ana
| understood that he had gone to Richmond with
| Mrs Slader, this Mrs. Sladsr was TO meet man
named Howe, but this man was captured anu
could not take her.
o. She was blockade runner A. Yes, sir,
| or the bearer Of dispatches.
Q, Did Mrs. Surratt tell you so
A. Yes, sir
Q. When did he return
A. He returned on the Sd of April.
Q. DO you know Of his having brought any
gold with him.
A. Yes; he had some nine or eleven twenty
dollar gold pieces, and he had some grcenpscks'
about fifty dollars; he gave fcrty dollars 10 MI
Hollohan, and Mr.. Hollohsn gave him sixty dol
lars in greenbacks he renamed in the house
about an hour and told me he was going 10
Montreal; he asked me, however, TO go aud take
some Oy,ters with him and We went down 10 the
corner of Seventh street and Pennsylvania ave-
nue. and took some oysters.
z. And he left
A. Yes, he left that evening, and since that
time have not seen him.
q. Have you seen am letter from him
A. Yea; / saw a letter TO his mother, dated
April u; il was received here on the l4thi |
also saw another directed to Mrs. Ward; did
not see the date but the receipt OF the letter was
prior TO the one TO his mother.
2. Did he have airy conversation with 1you as
he passed through about the fall OF Richmond
A. Yes; he told me he didn't believet; he SAID
he had seen Benjamin and Davis, and they had
told him that it would not be evacuated, and he
seemed TO be incredulous.
O. Have you been to Canada since ; A. Yes,
sir.
.. What cid you there learn of Surratt? A.
That he had arrived at Montreal on the 9th, and
returned for the States on the 18th; returning
again on the 18th, and engaging rooms in the
81. Lawrence Hall. He left 5 Lawrence that
uight At half past ten. He was seen 70 leave the
house of \ Mr.. Butteriield, in company with
three Others in q wagon.
objected 90, and the statement not insisted on
as part of the record
CRoss-KxLhINED BY RIyERDY JOHNSON.
o. Can you describe 10 the court
young surratts height aud general appearance
A. He ia about six feet; prominent forehead
and very large nose; his eyes are sunk; he has
a goatee, and very long hair, black.
y. Do you recollect how he was dressed when
he said he was going awayi A. He had cream
cOlored pants, grsy trock coat and gray vest, and
had q shawl thrown over hin.
Q. One OF those Scotch shswls? A. One Of
those plaid shawls.
O. When he returned from Richmond, you
say, he had in his possession twenty gold -
A. No, sir; say nine or eleven twenty dollar
gold pieces
Q. Did he tell you where he got them} A.
No
.. He said he had seen Davis and Benjamin
Did YOU understand by Benjamin the person who
erac5l A. All know is, he said he saw Davis
and Benjamin, and that Richmond would not be
evacuated.
Q. You did not ask him, nor did he voluntarily
tell yod where he got that money A. No,
sir.
.. Give the date of the letter his mother re-
ceiyed from him nee he left. A 1t was dated
Montreal, April L. and was received here April
Ia.
y. How did you become acquainted with the
date of the letter-by the post mark A. By the
heading of the letter the letter was written in
general terms he stated that he was much
pleased with the Catholic cathedral, and that he
had bought French peajacket and paid ten
dol ,rs for it, but that board was too high at st.
Lawrence Hal-two dollars day in gold-and
that he would so to private boarding house or
q the Torrent
O. How was the letter signed A. John Har.
rison his n .me is John Hsrri on Surratt.
O. Was the handwriting disguised A. II was
unu sually good for him.
o. Unusually good, but net disguised; you
knew it at once, didn't you A. Yes, and | re-
marked TO Mrs. Surratt John is improving in
his writing.