Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-05-29
Trial of the Conspirntors.

witnesses were called for the prosecution
George p. Edwards, examined by Judge
Holt: Am counsellor-at-law. Had charge
of matters for the Government of the United
States at the trial of the st. Albans raiders
in CaLada. Jacob Thompson, w. G. Cleary,
9. Q. Clay, Geo. n. Sanders and others were
engaged In court there as Confederate off,
GERS interested in the defense of the raiders,
and were recognized by the raiders as such.
They were there at different times, and
Cleary was examined as witness on part
Of defendants in the latter part of the case,
during which he (Cleary) represented the
raiders were engaged in the Confederate
service. and that the raid was made under
authority of the rebel Government. The
following paper was identified by Mr. Ed
wards as a copy of document given in ev-
idence at the trial of the raiders in Canada:
"CoNFEDERATE STATES OF AAlERIcA.)
"WAR DEPARTMENT,
.,..ao" "RIcHMoND, Va, June 1G, 1S64.)
"10 Lieut.. Bennet II. Young: nrr
"LIEUT.-You have been appointed tempo
rarily First Lieutenant in the Provisional
Army for special service. You will pro-
ceed at once to the British provinces, where
you will report to Messrs. Thompson and
Clay for instructions. You will, under
their direction, take such Confederate SOL
diers who have escaped from the enemy,
not exceeding twenty in number, as you
may deem sufficient tor the purpose, and
will execute such enterprise as may be
trusted to you. You will take care to COM
nit no violation of the local law, and to
obey implicitly their instructions. You
| and your men will receive from these gen.
| tlemen transportation and customary ra-
| tions, and the Communication therefor.
lSignedl "Jos. A. SEDDoN,
Aa,.. Secretary of War.
Young produced this documents as his au-
thOrity for his act committed at St. Albans.
Judge Holt stated: Since closing the
case on the part of the Government, so far
as concerned the individual prisoners, he
had discovered an important witness, before
unknown to him, whose examination he
desired should now be made.
Mr.. Ewing inquired as to which of the
prisoners the proposed testimony was like
ly to affect. -. .f
Judge Holt replied, that it referred di-
rectly to Atzerott.
| tense for AtZerott and therefore would not
| object to the reception of testimony.
The witness was then called.
Col. VIM. r. Nevins, of New York, testi-
| fled: Was in Washington on the 18th of
April. Stopped at the Kirkwood House.
Ques. Look at prisoners and see whether
you recognize either as person whom you
met in that house that day.
Ans. That one there, (pointing to Atze-
rotD. think he is the man. t4
Ques. State under what circumstances
you met him and what he said to you.
Ans. He had on coat darker than that
AS was coming out he asked me if knew
where the Vice Presidents room was. |
|
| dinner. There was no one there then eX-
cept him and me. He asked where the
room of Vice President johnson was; that
was his first question. l did not know the
| number of the room, and told him he was
at dinner. passed on. He looked in the
dining room; do not know whether he
went in or not. pointed to the room; it
was in view from where we stood; it was
in the passage as you go into the dining
room and between that and the steps as you
go down to the dining room, where this
man met me.
Cross-examined by Mr.. Doster: l think
this was between 4 and 5 o'clock. There
was no other person at dinner but the Vice
President. was going away at the time,
and was in great hurry. This conversa-
tion took place in the passage leading into
the dining room. fe s1. ~ ~
Ques. Did the prisoner look into the
dining room?
Ans. From the passage you cannot look
into it, but by going down few steps you
can see in.
Ques. understood you to say he looked
into the dining room? .Htt
Ans. l pointed to the Vice-President,
Mr.. johnson, who was sitting at the far end,
with yellow looking man standing behind
him. Do not suppose over three minutes
1 tn6 t,t thn 81
not seen the prisoner since that true until
to-day. Was in hurry when met the
prisoner. l was not able before to give a
minute description of his dress. 1t was
dark; he had on low-crowned hat, but it
is his countenance by which / now recog-
nize him. e.urr ,t
By Judge Holt: l recognized Atzerott
this morning on coming into his presence,
without his being pointed out to me.
Bette Washington (colored): Live at
DR., Sam. Mudd's; lived there since the
Monday after Christmas. Was slave be-
fore the Presidents proclamation was is
sued. Have not been absent from Mudd's
house single night since first went there
until came to Washington. During that
| time the prisoner had been absent from
home three different times; first at Mr..
Geo. Henry's party; when he stayed late in
the evening; second at Giesboro, where he
went to buy some horses; third to Wash
inton, from which place he returned the
day after. Ht
Ques. Did you see the men called Har-
rold and Booth?
Ans. Saw only one, the small one; was
standing in the Kitchen window and Just
got glimpse of him going in the direction
of the swamp. Did not see DR.. Mudd with
the man. Saw the DR.. three or four min
utes after at the front door. -s.e au5 90 /
witness, but she failed to identify it as the
likeness Of any one she ever saw.
On cross-examination she testified: An
interval of week or two took place be-
tween prisoners departure from home and
his return. His brother accompanied him.
REORGANIZATION of j. E. Mudd by Mr..
Ewing: Am acquainted with the hand
writing of Saml A. Mudd. Recognized his
handwriting on the page of the register of
a hotel in Washington Friday, Dec, %,
1864, Knew Dan'l G. Thomas, witness
for the prosecution. His reputation for
truth and veracity is bad; do not think
could believe him under oath. ID. ,;,I,a :aa
Cross-examined by Judge Bingham:
Has his reputation upon personal knowl-
| edge and acquaintance, and what he heard
spoken by others; thought he could name
| a dozen others who had spoken of his bad
reputation, named one; DR.. Geo. Mudd had
said the character of Thomas for truth was
bad as late as two years ago. The circum-
stances which brought forward this remark
| was the arrest of q man, Payne, at the in
stance of Thomas, for enlisting rebel SOL
diers. DR.. Geo. Mudd is not the only man