Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-05-16
THE ASSASSINATION.
FRIDAYS TESTIMONY.
STARTLING DEVELOPMENTS
THE REBEL LEADERS IN THE PLOT.
MEANS FURNISHED FROM RICHMOND
JAKE THOMPSON, SANDERS Il co. AS.
SISTING.


HENRY VAN STEiNACKRR, q witness called
for the prosecution, testified as follows:
BY Judge Advocate Hoat'-Witness has
been for several years in the military service
OF the SO called Confederate Statesl 1 was
employed in the Typographical Department,
ranking an engineer officer, with the pay OF an
engineer officer, on the staff Of General Ed.
ward johnson. u. Were you or not in the
State of Virginia in the summer of 1863, and
at what point! A. When we came back from
pennsylvania, after the battle Of Gettysburg,
l was ordered with another engineer iieuten-
ant, who was very sick, to convey HIM to his
home at Staunton, in the Valley OF Virginia;
and from there took my way back to find the
army again; and near Harrisonburg, twenty
was overtaken by three citizens, with whom
got better acq uainted after having ridden a
while with them, and found them out to be-
long to Maryland: The name Of one was
Booth, and the others name was Shepherd.
Y. do you remember the features of Booth
LOOK at tnat photograph. Handing to wit
There is resemblance, but the face was full
ler. q. You think 1t is the same person, but
he had fuller face than this? A. believe it
is. q. Did you learn at that time that it was
John Wilkes Booth, the actor! A. heard the
other gentlemen call him Booth I thought
first it was nickname, but afterward found
ont that it was Booth. q. How far did you
the tavern at the foot of the mountain until the
next day. There got better acquainted with
them. @. How long were you together! How
many ,1aa hours % DO y11 suppose A. Eighteen or
satioEs in regard to public affairs while you
were with himl A. Yes, sir. @. Will you
state what Booth said to You In regard to any
dent of the United Statesl State all that he said
A. l was asked by Booth and those others, too,
what thought OF the probable success Of the
Confederacy; and told them that after such
chase as we had then got from Gettysburg,
believed it looked rather gloomy; and then
Booth told me '.that is nonsense; II we only
act our part right the Confederacy will gain
their independence; old Abe Lincoln must 60
up the spout, and the Confederacy will gain
their Independence anyhow That was the
derstand by r. the he expression, % he @ amust % 20 mn
the spout" from all that Booth saidf A. 1t
was common expression, meaning he must
be killed. That understood always. q. Did
he state under what circumstances that would
become necessary! "A. He said so soon as the
Confederacy was near giving out, SO soon as
they Were nearly whipped, that must be done;
that would be the final resource to gain the
independence of the Confederacy. @. Did the
citizens who were with him engage In con.
versation A. Yes, sir. q: Did they seem
@. Did not Booth know that you were q Oon.
federate soldier! A. Yes, sir. They asked,
when they overlook me on the road, where
eral Edward Johnson's staff. and was going to
the army, coming from Staunton. q. At what
point did you arrive togetherl A do not
ns 81 is the S
number OF Confederate ohicers-I speak Of
the end of your ride-with the Stonewan Bri.
four days afterwards. They went from me
the next day. My horse could not keep up
with the other horses; they were splendidlv
mounted, and my horse was nearly broken
afterwards 1 was called TO some Of the regi.
mental camps, and told that some strangers
friends Of mine, wanted to see me. |
came to camp, found those three citizens,
and was introduced by Captain Randolph
personally, formally to Booth and Stephens.
Q. Was that the StonewalI Brigade a. 1t
was at the camp OF the I'd Virginia regiment.
q do you or do yen not know whether there
was a secret meeting of rebel officers on that
occasiOnl A. That evening there was secret
they state to you the purpose of that meeting,
and what conclusion they reachedl A. Some
officer afterwards, who was about the meeting
stated to me what was the purpose Of it. z.
Was Booth in that meetingl a. believe so.
They were all in together. @. What did he
state to you was the determination and pur-
pose Of that meeting! A. The purpose OF that
meeting was, as 1 was informed afterwards,
to send certain officers on detached service to
Canada and the borders, and TO deliver pris.
oners, to lay Northern cities in ashes, and
finally, to get after the members of the Cabinet,
and kill the President That was the main
purpose. l heard that more than q thousand
times, but never SO much as at the time when
1 was informed it was the purpose Of the meet.
Ing. always considered IL common Ordggd.
docia before. q. What was the name of the
officer who gave you this account of the pro.
ceedings Of the meeting! A. Lieut.. CockerllI.
Z. To what portion OF the service did he be-
long, do you know! A. To the I'd Virginia
regiment, believe, and the same company that
Capt. Beall belonged to-the captain who was
executed at Governors Island. @. Was any.
thing SAID as to what part Capt Beall.the
movements at the North! A. Cockerill told
me Beall was on detached service, and we
would hear OF him. O. Cockerill was mem.
ber OF that meeting, understood you to say!
A Yes, sir. @. Did you while there see Booth
and Cockerill associated together! a. did
not see them particularly. l saw them all in
a crowd together. @. Booth was associating
with all the officers! A. He was associating
With great many Ofthem. q. Did you know
OF any other secret association or meeting,
having similar objects, at any time in the ser
vice with which you have been connected!
A. heard of the existence Of secret orders for
certain purposes to assist the Confederacy.
heard one namevery frequently called, the name
OF one order, the "Golden Circle, and several
times heard the name of the sSons of Liberty"
q. How many years do You state you were in
the Confederate service! A. Not quite three
years. Z. State whether, during the last year
or two-since the reverses Of the Confederacy
have commemorate has not been freely and
frequently spoken OF in the rebel service, as
an object finally to be accomplished, the assas.
sination of the President Of the United States!
A. Yes, sir; heard that very often. @. Have
you not heard it spoken Of freely in the streets
OF Richmond, among those connected with the
rebel Government A. Yes, sir. G. About
what time-when is the latest you can now re-
call having heard declarations OF that sort at
Richmond! At the time after the battle of
Chancellors Vile, when do not know what
general 1t was, but believe it was General Xii.
patrick, was on q raid near Richmond; at that
time heard 1t; 1 was in Richmond on fur
Tough at the same time. Z. Whenever and
wherever spoken Of, do / understand vou TO
say that this sentiment Of the necessity of the
ASSASSINATION OF the President OF the United
States was generally assented to in the service! !!
A: Yes, sir. Q. The detached service'' Of
which you speak, ON which these parties were
10 be sent, you say related to Canada and the
destruction Of the Northern cities along the
Canada frontierl A: 1t was outside or the
Con nfederate lines-either here in the Northern
cities or in Canada: q. Did you understand
that the "detached service was to be per
formed in that direction along the Canada
frontier and in our Northern cities? A. Tnis
.tdetached service" was a nickname i'm the
Confederate army for such purposes, O. t.
meant that sort OF warfare! A. Yes, sir" O '
You spoke of laying the Northern cities In
ashes; did you understand that that was the
mode In which that warfare was to be CON.