Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1865-05-31
The Conspiracy Trial.
The Proceedings this Afternoon.

The Proceedings this Afternoon.
The prisoners were brought IN few minutes
before two clock. Al two Q clock the court was
called TO order, and
JOHN T. FoRD,
the witness, recalled. He said SpAngler's wife
lived In Baltimore He frequently went there :
witness heard he went fishing. Witness was
here shown rope, and said 1t might have been
used for grabbing; had seen tuch ropes used.
Witness went to Richmond to see an aged unclo
and his mother-in.law, Witness did not hear
u tho assassination until Sunday; left for Wash
ington.
Gross examined Did not intend to say spang.
lcr used the rope for catching crabs; II may have
been used for other Purposes. Witness did not
know II the boxes In the theatre were Kept
locked. lie understood the usher kept the keys
TO the boxes James H. u Brien was the chiei
usher. Witness two brothers, James y. aud
Harry Clay Ford, were the authorized PARTIES to
sell tickets for the boxes. Witness thought
booth could exercise an influence over spangler.
JAMES r. FERGUSON,
having been sworn, testified that he saw Booth
lump on the stage. Soon As Booth jumped GU the
stage Miss Harris called for water Saw no one
ran out of the entrance Witness was seated In
the Dress Circle. Witness was very close l." the
Presidents box, and not whore he could have
seen persons on the middle Of the stage aud b"
hind tho scenes II they passed to the exit door
where Booth escaped.
Mr.. c. n. HISS
Testified that he was the manager of Grower
Theatre; was in the habit Of seeing John wilkes
Booth Booth made inquiry OF witness on the day
aud asked witness II he intended to illuminate
answered, eyes 80 told him ! would Illuminate
Tomorrow night, (annlyer-ary of the fall Of
sumterj he Said, Are you going to invite the
Presidcnt' Witness replied, Yes. That
was on Thursday, day before the assasklnatlon.
Witness thought II strange that Booth should
come In aud Interrupt him. Witness stated II
was customary In theatres to keep the passage
ways oleAri Il was the duty Of the stage carpen-
tor TO do 20. Three aud = half feet witness
thought was u narrow passage II would be more
necessary to keep 1t clear witness had been In
Ford's theatre he thought tho leap from the box
to the stage not n very diHiouit one; the Presl.
dent occupied two communicating boxes ON tho
right hand side ~ the theatre when ho attended
til" theatre Of witness.
objected to by the Judge Advocate, on the
ground that It had nothing to do with the ease.
Mr.. Ewing stated that he wished to show that
| Groyer's theatre was the one collected for the
crime.
The Court sustained the ohIsctIon Of the Judge
Advocate.
u. ~ JAMES,
Having been sworn, testified that he was ar
Tuainted with the prisoner, Edward spanglcr
was on the stage at the Theatre on the night o
| the as,assiuation. SpauglcT was standing nppO
| site, on the stage. Witness eOnld not see tn,
! Presidents box. From the position Spanglel
wus IN, he could not the Presidents. box.
Saw no one standing by sPangler, Did not sc,
what spauglcr did whom the shot was fired
| Spauglor was ten feet from Mitless,s
| Witness was nearest to the door out Of whicl
Booth ran. The pAssagc.way was clear u
should have been clear and kept clear. II wa
the business Of witness and spangler to keep I'll,
| passage clear. Witness saw SpangloT when th'
| President entered the theatre. lie aPplAudo,
| with the other persons. Witness did not see any
! thing Of Jacob RitterspAw.
! .. Y. DOOLEY,
| having been called aud sworn, testified that he 4
an ApOthecaFy, corner Of seventh aud LOuiSIan,
avenue has Tor sale tooth brushes aud liquurlcc
Witness was here shown tooth brush aud plec
Of lIquoricc; testified that they did not hay,
upon them his trade mark
u. l.. NUDD,
recalled, testified that DR. samuel Mndd la,
never paid eent for the farm since he had bocl
! nu H. The farm belonged to Witness brother
| lie had no decd for the land, only his father
word. His father had the deed for the land.
DR. CHARLES ". DAVIS,
having been sworn, testified that ho resided II
this city, near the Navy Yard. WAS In the Mex
lean war, In the QuArtermastcr's Department
character was that Of boy. Witness though
| him more Of u boy than u mAu. His charaete
was light aud trivial In tho cNtrome,
Cross examined -Herold had Intellect onougl
! to know the difference between right aud wrong
.' n. CLAY FORD
testified that he was treasurer Of Pord'u theatr
! on the lIth Of April. Witness hTst knew that tn
President Intended to come to the theatre tina
night about half past eleven a, IN. John Wilke
| Booth was at the theatre about twelve o'clock
Witness did not tell him the President was com
ing to the theatre that night, but Booth Nigh
have learned II about the theatre. Wituess dn
NOT see him any more until night. Mr.. Raybvl,
gaN him letter which came there for him
Booth sat down and read II,
when witness got to the theatre his brother toll
him about the President coming TO tho theatT
that night, Witness went up To decorate the box
had some chairs from the stage put up there, an
had the rocking chair from witness sleepiu
room brought down and put In the box. SrAhg
Ter took the partition ont " the box. Away
removed the partition when the President at
tended the theatre. Thought the President hR
been to the theatre about six times during th
winter.
Spanglcr was on the stage when witness wa
liking the box spangler knew the President wa
coming witness used penknife In cutting string
Ia tie the lAgs up; witness forgot the knife, an
len II In the box; witness put tho chair In be
cause Il belonged to the set Of furniiure while
was taken from tho reception room aud put In th
box Booth was In tho habit Of engaging box ",
:, QUO OF tho boxes which the President occupied
he got the box four or ave times during the sea.
son; witness put the hags la the box which h
got from the Treasury regiment; witness was /
the once during the play preceding the America
COusiH.
Witness knew the fact that the other witue.
did not any bar there for the purpose Of fast
ening the door; knew there was no bar wltnes
did not Know there was any hole through "a
door ~ the President's box H. uh did no
seem to he IN hurry To Rad the lnl.er aud 1,
away from the theatre. lie stayed thcrp Ab0u
half an boar.
Witness did not knOy the name of the meSseu
ger from the white House 4b0 same to III
theatre; was not acquainted with Ioha ". sur
raft, Witness was here shown the picture
Surratt stated he had never saaa him about th
theatre. The intended visit OF the President I
, ! not Dublished I'm the mOFninu uapOrs IL Wa