New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-05-22
ACCUMULATION OF TESTIMONY.
The Rebel Leaders Involved in
the Plot.
Suppression of More Important Evidence
Associated Press Report.
WASHINGTON, Saturday, May 90 1861
Testimony OF ASsIsTANT-sECRETARY OF WAL

TESTIMONY OF ASSISTANT-SECRErARY OF WAR
DANA.
The first witness examined to-day was Assist
ant Secretary of War Dana as follows:
O. State what position Won occupy under the Govern
uents A. / am Assistant. Secretary OF War.
o. Look AT the instrument before you and state you
have ever seen il before A. took it ont Of the Office
OF Mr. Benjamin. the Rebel Secretary OF state IN Ken
nond; arrived in Richmond on "Wednesday, the oth
and went into his office. where this was found and
brought it away with me, or rather sent II 20 MAJOR
Eckert of the War Departments saw II was the key 10
m official cipher there were many papers ana Things
lying around there and a. this seemedto be interesting
a. Did Won ind IL in q trunk A. No. sir; Benjamins
Offices consisted Of series of three or four roomS-
think fogr-Benamn's personal Office BENG the inner
most Of all; this in the room next TO his occupied
by his confidential secretary assistant; most Of the
articles had been taken away the record had been taken
bway, but found several Interesting documents ana
By The Cont-Q. should like TO know the object OF
the instrument. A 1t IS key to the cipher by when
certain letters of the alphabet be used for other let
ters and by using these pointers such cipher can DC
Translated or plain writing be turned into cipher ny IN
terpretation the machine Is abont foot long ana egnt
inches high and consists Of cylinder OF WooG Whlch
las paper envelope inscribed with letters; this GYM
der reyolves on pivot holes at each end and a oar
across the top contains wooden mdees pointing down
80 the letters.
TESTIMONY oP MAJOR EcKHEBT.
O. Look at that cipher and state II il was ionnd -
the trunk OF j. Wilkes booh compare IL WIN i I
iut spoken and state whether or not they are the same
A. They are the same, sir. 80
O. You are somewhat familiar, are Iou not, with
those things A. Yes. sir
@ You have no dontt as 10 their beng the same A.
None at al, sir.
time TO time fallen into the hands Of the War Depart
nent and been referred 10 you for examination A
They have, sir. ~,
a. Some Of them were, sir they have worked on inc
SPEAK now OF the dispatches Of the 18th and 10th
Octob LAST.
A. have sir.
@ Those are the ,ranslatons' A. Yes, sir.
q. Have yoR the originals A. No sir l have
O. State whether they are written in the same cipher
Of which you have spoken A. think they are; they
may be different in The key word but the principle is the
sane.
q. Were they worked ont without any knowledge Of
this instrument at the time' \. Yes, sir
q. Are these TRANSACTIONS Of those dispatched A.
The following were then read;
OCTOBER -, 1864
We again urge the necessity Of our gaining immeda, ad.
vsntages. Strain every for victory We now look
upon the reelection Lincoln ia November almost
sides with Lincoln reelected and his armies victorious
ees pS, soP1 t od "a 9a he Thoe ne.
ofthe Yankee armies correct to unit Your friend ssdH
be Immediately ''s 10 i0'S "a y'S d'eer 70 Toe,
Your letter ofhe 18th inst. is at hand There yet time
will shortly be stricken here. 1t is not quite time. General
Ionssirees Sheridan without delay and then
North practicable toward unprotected points This
vii b. made instead Of The movement before mentioned e
will endeavor assist the Republicans in collecting their la
lots. BE wa.chful aid assist lin.
q State whether tie original was sent to its address,
o From what direction did the cipher Of the 18th
come, A. 1t came from Canada and went to Rich
nond - ~
Gomez A II came from Richmond and went TO Canada
TESTIMONY or GENERAL HAMILTON.
Q. State whether yoa are familiar win me hand
writing Of Wm :. Odhami A. Yes, sir; rs familiar
I with fhotn ~ any mai III
O. State whether that handine him papeT) is in his
handwriting or mott A. Yes sir.
O. State whether not at the time of writing II he
was member of the Senate of the socalled Confed.
crate States from Texast A L was present when lie
was elected by the Rebel Legislature of Texas 10 seat
in the Senate Of the socaed Confedcracy; since then
know il as matter Of public history have seen many
speeches resolutions and bills introduced BY him into
that Senate published in the public prints
q. You are a citizen Of Texas formerly member OF
Congress from therei A. Yes. sir.
Q. Do you know the McCuloch mentioned in that
TESTIMONY OF sURGEoNGENERAL BARNES.
O. State to the Court whether or not you made an ex
animation Of the body Of Booth after has death a Yes,
O. Describe to the Court the which is alleged to
have been the neck and the general appearance Of
The BODY A. On the left side of the neck there was
scar occasoned BY an operation performed by Dr. May
for the removal of umor; il looked Ike the scar from
Q burn rather than an incision
O. How the ear was it, a. Three inches be-
TESTIMONY OF FRANK BLoIcE.
q. Where do you hvef A. In Charles County.
o. In the town or county, a. IN the county.
o. How far from Bryantowni A. About half mile
O. Were you there the Saturday after the murder
of the President A. was there Saturday evening
about O'Clock; near as can come TO the time II
was between and O'Clock.
O. Did you see Dr. Mudd therel A. Yes: sir
Q. What time DO you think that was' A. Between
and Z, sir. ...
Q. Where did you see MN a. lie came INTO q store
while was there.
O. State whether the soldiers had arrived from Wash
0neton them A. Idon. know, sir, whether they had
OF not, ~,
O. Were you around about the town. A. was in the
store when he came in; / did not take much notice.
O. What time did you leave the storei ~ About
Just before night. ,,
started; didn't take much notice OF him
BY The Court--Q Was the report VI the Presidents
assassination III Bryantown at that nme' A. don't
o. Did Won hear IT. A. No, sir didn't hear it till
Che roads were guarded; that little before night
O You heard it before you left Bryantownf A. Oh
yes, sir.
TESTIMONY OF. II. WARD.
O. StaS where yon liver A. Near BryaItown,
Charles County
O. State whether you wore there on the afternoon OF
the day following the murder OF the Presidents A.
was live In the suburbs OF the village went soon
as l finished my dinner. and arrived there about
O'Clock; so soon I arrived observed the military
were in town with Lieut. Murray, and perceived great
excitement not only with the military, but with the
people, and imagined they going to seach the
houses; as my wife alone. went home. lest she
should be alarmed Niger came soon aferwasd and
said-(obected toll must explain the facts because
know but little; left him and went ~ the village
Lieut. Dana had put the village under martial law and
the people were excited about getting home
Q. Did you see Dr. Mudd A. / cant say; the ex
O. What is your opinion TO the best Of your recoec
tion. about your having seen DIR. Muddi A. would
not ike 10 say positively but 1t occurs me- from faint
ynemorv that be was there; the excitement has be en-
time that can't