The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-05-08
Trial or Dsajanla q. Harris.
Washiogton, May 6.

| WssnioSs0u, MAY D..
Tho trial OF Bspjamin G.. Harris ~,
resumed this morning before court mar
tial, Of which Msjor General Foster i.
President.
Judge Crsne. of Baltimore. appeared 1,
counsel for Mr.. Harris.
Sergeant Il. B. Stewart, Co. G. 10th
regiment v. b G., Vas sworn. and te.ti
he'd that, on the 9Th Of April last, be
vas on duty 10 l1eooardstown, Nd. su&1
was ordered By Capt. Willos2hby 70 bro.
coed to the residence Of Beoj. G. Harris
and srrest him: he effec.ed the arres,
and then took charge Of Mr.. Harris and
remsined alone with him for . couple ol
hours. During that time the witness had
conversation with Mr.. Harris, and the
latter made certain statements With regard
to Chapman md Reed, the psroled rebel
soldiers who had visited his Harris J
house on the previous evening. The
accused said the two men came to his
house and ing tired tho way to Leooards.
town. and also the distance, and they iur.
Their stated that they wished to get to B.l.
'imore . quickly as possible and take the
oath Of allegiance.
The accused told witness that he said
to the men that they could 60 10 Balti-
more, bat the federals could not compel
them to take the oath Of alleeisnce. on
account Of the agreement that had been
entered into between Gen. Gnnt and Gen.
Lee. The sccused then gsye The men
one dollar each and also their supper.
The aecuaed also said the mes wished
to stay over night st his hoase:<but that
he told them they could not do %, - the
people about there knew his political Gym
pathies too we'll.
Upon his cross-exsninaiion, and upon
the question put BY the accused, the Wit.
oess said be did not recollect the accused
telling him that he meant no wrong mo
tive in giving Chapman and Reed the
nor did witness understand the
accused to tsy that he thought it was
proper to give to p.roled prisoners, to help
them along to their homes.
The witness Was obliged to give the
whole conversation be hsd with tho &C
cused, relative TO the conversation be.
~een the accused aud Chspmsn and
Red. Witness replied. by saying ths,
the accused ha told Chapman and Reed
that cal the iIonbis was the fault of the
d aboli,ioni.ts; that il the atoli-
tionis,s had stayed away it would have
been oil right"
The accused also said that the idea Of
3 fe~ people in Washington interfering
with affairs after General Grant and Gen.
Lee bad made an agreement, vas I'D
piece of humbug: that the Republic ,ns
soold not rule long, but, by-G-d, they
sould soon be shown who would rule.
Tne witness did not rccollect that the
accused said that he never did anything
more inoocently than he did when he gave
The men the money 10 help them along -
When the conversation took place, no one
was present but witness aud the accused.
Mr.. Maddox vas not present at that con
versalion. but he was there at somo other
The accused told Mr.. n i'd
dox that he did not know what 10 the
h-l he Was arrested for, and Maddox
replied that /, Was said ia Leonardstown
that Chapman and r ed had reported him.
To this the accused replied that he could
not see what in the d. they had report
cd him for.
The Judge Advocate here closed his
case, rcservlng the right to call Sergean,
Swain, the witness for whom they have
been waiting, when he should be in At
tendance.
The Judge Advocate withdrew his offer
to prove the disloyalty Of the accused
BY agreement between the Judge Ad.
voca'e and tho sccssed, the terms ef the
capitalasion between Gen. Grant snd Gen
Leo Was put in evidence.
The Judge Advocate also asked leave
to correct the record. and Mr.. Chapman
was called 70 settle point in HE tes,i.
mony. Il appeared upon the record that
Chapman testi6ed that Reed remarked il
was too late then to kill the President
Wisbees' recollection of it was that it vas
Mr.. Harris. and not Reed. who made the
remark. A
The court then adjourned until Non.
day, whom the accused will commence bis
defence.