The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1865-05-10
who Planned the Assassination,


pondent from whom il quotes wus for sumo
timo employed in tho War Otico at Rich
mond, and escaped from thence ~ Wash.
ington, from which place po furnished the
TIfbNac much valuable information, lie
wrote subsequently, from Canada, disclosing
and thereby preventing more than one
scheme for a murderous foray across the
border. lie Ioretod the plot which ca!ini-
mated in Now York in the attempt 10 fire
the hotels. And he revealed the partcu-
lars OF conspiracy to kidnap President
Lincoln, which the following details will
show TO have boon considered and approx.
cd 10y tho rebel President, and Secretary OF
War. We quote in full passage from a
letter pull lished in tho TriJgae of March
10, 1861:
In former communication | stated that
a plan had boon submitted to the rebel
War Department by Col. Margravc, who
had been for considerable time m cInis-
sary in the North, 10 kidnap President Lin.
coin and carry him TO Richmond, or il Il
should bo found in possible to escape with
him to tho rcbol lines. to Nssassinatc him.
Owing to change in the position Of the
armies about this time, the plan proposed
was rendered improcticNhlc.
In the cally part of November, aud only
n Few days before he was sent North Col
Margravc submitted another plan, tho de
tails oi which may bo interesting to the
reader, To give the plan in miruiN would
occupy too much space, aud digcst OF il
will prove quito intolligiblc.
One hundred and fifty picked mon were
to so secretly North an take quarters in
Washington, Georgetown, Baltimore aud
McXandria, 80 as 10 hc ablc to communi
cate daily with each other, and upon day
fixed 10y thoiI leader, were 10 assemble IL
Washington for the purpose of making the
seizure. The President, it was claimed,
could ho easily scizcd at u private hour at
the White House, or IN going (" OF return
ing from church. or ON somO other favor
able Occasioil aud thrust into n carriage
aud driven C4f The carriage was Ia he
joined II few miles out oi tho city 10y 20 OF
thirty armed men ON horseback. II was
proposed tn drive to Indian Point, about %
mil N south of Washington, ON tho Puto-
inactive or threo relays OF feet horses
being stationed on the way-whcro beat
was to bo in waiting to cross the river, and
land tho captive few miles south Oi Deco
quar-, when it ould DO all casy matter for
his captors to work T. oir way with him
through tho woods 10y night into the rcbol
lines. To prevent pursuit, every bridge
between Washington and Indian Point was
to be mined before hand. and blown up an
the captive aud his captors had crossed
Hugo trccs wcro also to bo roady cut and
thrown across the road IN various places
as soon az they had passed, by men station
cd along for the purpose, who were after
ward 20 separate and escape as best they
oonl /.
Tho Secretary OF War thought this sohems
might succeed; but he doubted whether
such proceeding would bo OF a m;litar,
character and justililblo under tho laws Of
war. Iio promised, however, to consult
the President and Mr.. Bonjamiuj but what
conclusion wa arrived at | am unable witt
| certainty to say. About a week, however
after tho plan was submit tied and tho same
day that Col. Margravo left for the North,
asked Mr.. Wexford, who is familiar will
| AL the secrets Of tho Department, if the
plan had been adopted, aud I've answered
. You will see Old Abe here in the Spring
as sure as God" 4 few daya uGterward
was scnt to Atlanta and never returned t.
! Richmond to hour about the matter,
But this is not tho only scheme by any
means that has been devised for kipnap-
! ping our President. Last summer clul
or society of wealthy citizens OF Richmond
was formed for tho purpose OF raising q
| fund for this object. Circulars wCTO scn
| to Trustworthy citiZans in ov0ry other city
and town in tho Coufoderacy, inviting co
operation in the grand undertaking, and ar
immense SUN of money was subscribed. =
| Tho lirm of Merry & Co., bankers, in Rich
mond. subscribed $4,000, and Sumner &
| Arcnts, auctiuneers, subscribed 81, 900; an,
have heard on good authority that ther,
were several in tho capital who subscribe
even more literally than the parties named
but who they were, [ did not learn. On,
man, Of Char 10 iton, 5 q. whose namo
have forgotten, subscribed 100000. II wa
proposed when all was ready to obtain
| fmlough for Mosby and mako him leader
of tho enterprise.
Whether these schemes have been alb N
loncd, or whether the kidnappcrs AFRO only
awaiting favorable opportunity to exc
cute them. rcmaiua to bo sccn; bnt certain
It is that too much caution cannot be oil
served 10y the President. or the military
commanders stationed al the capital,
As theso siatcmcnts were questioned b,
sundry rebel Journals at tho Nor'h, Ill,
writer subsequently forwarded tho New
York 1riLunc the following documcntar,
evidence, being letter from Calhoun Cul
lnm, Captain IN North Carolina rcgimont
and well known in the Coufodcracy. Tn
original letter WA sent. tho TribHHe says
cnveloped, pust-marked, stamped with
Confederate ton ccnt postage stamp, an,
Addressed to Mr. Wexford, clerk in th
War Office al Richmond, AlthoWsh il va
pullisleJ in the Tribune so long ago a
April 23 1864, its gcnWincncss has ncvc
hcn denied, nor lis stdtem"uts contradict
ed.
MoEGl NruwS. sept 50 1868.
NY DEAE WELLFogD: ! haYo fDr scVcId
weeks been booking l0r II letter from yo
ou the subject OF our last conversation. o.
Yesterday, air Gather. NJ. c. lor tho III
District, came to see father anil dined will
us. lie spent the week before last at {icl
mond, and had number Of conversation
with the President. Sccretaryof War, an
other officials. inquired Of him il hO ha
heard anything Of tho rUs6 ds o ere /
capture 'lIOneat Abe, and ho said bo had
but that the affair wOull probably bo mai
aged rather by individual enterprise tha
10y tbe GovoTnmeBi lie gave mo III
names Of tho most prominent workers
the project ia Richmond, and ~ you mu,
be acquainted with them all, | beg you
pnt i,i timely word for me Ii The aifa
was ta he managed 10y tho tioycImnoIt,
know yGur influence, and oi other friend
with Mr.. Sed'lnn, woul get mo assigne
} TO tho part dosne 10 play in the gran
comedy or tragedy as the case may b
. but n IL ia tu hp nnno.ye1 hv tbe Citiyets ,