The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-05-26
THE TRIAL OF THE ASSASSI-
NATION C0NSPIRAT0Rs.
Admission ofthe Press Reporters.
Appearance Of the Prisoners.
Overwhelming Character Of the
Testimony.
Abstract of the Testimony for the
Prosecution.

WASHINGTON, May 13.-The court engaged
In the trial of the conspirators altered one o
the rules to-day, so as to admit reporters TO
the press.
Reverdy johnson offered as counsel for Mrs
Surratt, whereupon an objection was raised tt
him by Gen. Harris, which was withdrawn
after an earnest debate on both sides.
Detectives Lee and Clark of the Kirkwoot
House. and the present proprietor of the house
occupied by the Surratt family and Others
were examined with reference to the house
and to arms having been deposited there in
order to facilitate the escape[of the assasslns.
The court was in session until late hour:
The court is held at the old penitentiary, In an
upper room, with two windows at the east ah q
two at the north. They are ironed WIN l nn
bars. Along the wall on the west sac, En
raised seats, were DR.. Mudd, David y. Halada'
Lewis Payne, Edward Spangler, OF Fora S Inesl
tre Michael OLaughlin, Atzeroth ana oaluuei
Arnold. Sitting outside the railing was MIS- ,'
Surratt, leaning on q small table; peyonu nGi,
and on the other side of the ta3le: near tne
northern window, sat the COUNSEL ior tlo az
cused, as follows: ...
Thos Ewing, of Ohio, ex-senator; Attorney
Stone Walter 8. Cox, Hon. Reverdy Johnson,
and Messrs. Allen and Campbell. Running
east and west. beside either wall, runs q long
table at which sat the Court.
Dr Mndi looked calm, collected and atten-
tive, leaning on the table as if to relieve his
wrists from the weight of the handouts that
encumbered them. Harold was restless rum
ming his hands through his hair with nervous
twitching, constantly varying the direction of
his look. Payne was dressed in gray wooden
shirt dark pants, and seemed more intent on
obtaining full view of the lands, through the
window than to combining his attention to the
details Of the proceedings. O'Laughlin, keenly
observant of every movement made in court,
leaned back with his head against the wall,
fully exposing his broad but not high forehead.
He has dark eyes, pale bloodless complexion,
and wears heavy moustache and imperial, both
very black. Atzerot is a man of five feet six
inches, and had it not been for his manacles,
might have been taken for a mere spectator
He possesses q style far more common in
Southern Germany. His hair and beard are a
reddish sandy color; eyes light. One police
officer sat beside each prisoner.
Mrs. Surratt has already been correctly de-
scribed. She is q stout .buXom woman, fitting
Falstaf's idea of fair, fat and forty, though she
is older. She dressed in black and looked
little flushed. We failed to notice that cold,
cruel CLEAN in her grey eyes, which some gen.
tlemen of the press have attributed to them.
The first testimony taken was portion which
the government deems necessary for the pres
ent to withhold from the public. When that
testimony had all been rendered, Brigadier
General Harris rose to object to the admission
ofReverdy johnson as counsel upon the ground
that in the opinion delivered by Mr.. johnson,
he had expressed his disregard of the sanctity
of an oath. Gen. Harris stated that he referred
to the opinion expressed in letter written by
Mr.. johnson at the time of the Maryland Con-
vention, held with reference to adopting the
new constitution of that State.
The first witness called upon the stand to day
was John Lee of the Washington detective
police, who testified that on the night of Sat-
urday. the 18th of April, in obedience to orders
of Maj j. o. Burne. he went to the kirkWood
A. bull itS md
stories, to see what way it could be left open
for evil disposed persons to continue the assas-
sination of President johnson, who had that
day been inaugurated, and was yet stopping at
the Kirkwood. Witness. after making some
examination. went into the sitting room and
met the clerk of the hotel, who informed him
that on the cay previous to the 14th suspl-
cious and villainous looking man had register
ed his name rs G. Atzeroth and taken room
No. 126, which witness found was situated on
the floor next that on which President John
sons room was, and almost Immediately over
the latter room. Witness, in company with
the proprietor and clerk of the hotel, went to
the room and found it locked. They burst the
door open, and found the room unoccupied
Witness found there among other things, q
large navy revolver and dark coat hanging or
the wall. In the pocket of this coat he found
bank book of account with The Assassin. or
the Ontario Bank of Canada, in which The
Assassin was crGultcu dS vi oStOOSl, ICOf- ""i
1856. The name of The Assassin was written
on the inside and outside of the book. In the
rockets were also found several sh'r. collars
and four pocket handkerchiets, one OF these
being marked Mary T. Booth. Witness Their
carefully removed the clothing from the bed
and between the sheets and the mattrass III
found large bowie knife, about foot long
On it were some rust or stains. All these artl
cles were produced in court
r. A. Jones' clerk of the kirkwood House
was next sworn. Witness exhibited the hote
register, showing the name of Atzeroth. Re
gistered his name at about o'clock on tn
morning of the 14th of April, and paid his bill
for one day in advance, and went up to hi
room. On tie same day about halfpas
twelve o'clock AtZeroth came to witness ant
INQUIRED if any body had been there to see him
Witness answered, mo person that / an
aware Of" That was the last time he saw At
zeroth. Witness was asked If he could iden
tify the man. He answered, "ies. | could
were to see him." Witness was directed t
look among the fifteen persons sitting on
bench at the end of the court room. Thes
fifteen persons were the eight criminals an,
seven guards -one of the latter sitting along
side of each prisoner. Witness CAREFUL
scanned each countenance. beginning with Dr.
Mudd, on the extreme left, and passing OF
right, when his gaze fastened upon the face @
the defendant Atzeroth. After slight pause
witness said. "This is the man, pointing t.
Atzeroth Witness also stated that he wa
present when the officer examined room Nc
126. and confirmed so much of the witnes
Lees testimony as relates to the things foun
in the room. He further stated that the be
had not been occupied on Friday night. tn
14th; that the bed was undisturbed, and th
chamSermaid had informed him on the morI
Ing OF the 18th that she could not get into th
room TO make it up.
MIR. hickman was the next witness swor1
This witness testified that he had known job
II. Surratt since 1859; was at college with hin
that Surratt and himself studied divinity t
gether at st. Charles College, Maryland: tbs
he had, for some time prior to the assassin.
ton of Mr.. Lincoln, boarded in this city wit
Mrs. Surratt. the accused at the bar, and mott
| er of John 81. Surratt; that witness and an,
raft had been on the most intimate terms. this
| in January last he was introduced tn n,
Mudd. one of the accused; and whilst waIkin
down Seventh street in February or March las,
In company with Slrratt and Mudd, they wer
| Joined by The Assassin to whom Surratt Intro
duced the witness; that The Assassin invite
them 10 the National Hotel; that they wen