, 1865-05-24
Especial Dispatch to the Chicago TFthuue.1
TAsu1.oToS, May %.


Some thirty Government witnesses we're
last evening discharged from further atten-
dance npon the Military Commission for the
trial OF the assassics. These witnesses were
genes4lly summoned to prove facts which
have already been brought out with sufficient
prominence, and Us their testimony would
only be cumulative, and therefore consume
time unn. cessa,ily, the Judge Advocate has
dispensed with them. It Is nnderstood that
the evidence for the prosecution Is now abou.
closed, aud save what has been drawn ont in
secret session, xe are now enabled to under
stand what nre the features Of the case as
found against the several defendants.
First IL der Of certainty Of facts induced
Ia that Lewis Payne is shown to have been
thc confederate Of Booth and guilty Of an as
sault with intent to klll Wm. IL Eeward,
Fred. ". Seward, Augustus Il. Seward, Emick
". HanEel, ard Geo. Y. Robinson. The m
tecedents Of the prisoner are not known, and
the first heard Of him. 80 far as the proofs go,
Is mis- appearance at the residence of Mr.. Sur
ratt, in the early part Of Mare1, last, when
be slated that Its name Was Wood. he call
cd for john Fl. sur7att, but, in the absence of
the latter, aslfd d Tor Mrs. surratt H. lodged
there that night, takins his meals In his room,
aud delarse the next day.
About the same time hc appeared to have
taktn a room With Booth, whrre he remained
Tor about thIte weeks. In the meantime
Payne put up two or three days st Surr7.ts
~herv John II. Surratt, Atzerodt, Booth and
himself had secIet consultations. In The
<eccDd yl.it Payne represented to some Of the
Inmates that he was Baptist preacher. lie
and Sunatt were touad at one time In q bed
room playing with bowie knives. In this
,ocm were two 1evo1rers aud four sets Of
epurs, and revolvers were found In Atzerods's
room at the Knkwopd House.
At npothtr time, Just before the assasslna-
ton. lie Is found occupying room at the
Hesdon, where be- vas Visited by Atzsrodt.
The ptGtf of lis contederating with Booth
and bis accomplces is t~youd q doubt. Th.t
IL Was Payne VITO made lAe assault upon Mr-
Sew ard aid the othcrs Injured in the 6ecre-
taTy's huuse is as t1tatn as human testimony
eau establish any TACT.
Equally as certain is the evidence that
Ha.fu!d was Booth's accomplice before and
alter tie tact He ia first found In confden-
tial relations with the assassin In the early
part OF February, and he ts saFera1 times
Ciscovrrsd in secret meetings with B3otb,
Atzerodt, and Others OF the conspiracy
lie Is once found at Mrs. Surstt's, in COM
1mly vi h them. With Sur att and Atz.rodt
b. called ct The tavern in Pundttsyslle. and
left the two earbineB, Ammunition, d..
vt ich were taken away from thai place by
him h1d Booth on the Dlgat OF the a.sass:na-
Ion. &c acknowledged to Confederate SOL
DIES that he and Booth arc the as:assias
OF the prceidcrt, and he w8s captured IN the
bA,n with Hootb, Us has been fully detailed
h-retofo c. There il no doubt whatever Of
his guilt, ard he will suffer the penalty Of
IT. 1nHt, t>r
sion. ---...- .
Atz 1odt, like the last named prisoner, is
poy.d 10 Lave been q conspirat0r. He
made his app+a tance at Mrs. Surratt's In the
early part !! February, inqulstug fur Johu &.
Surfatt or Mra- s., aud was frequently found
c1ntedetases. To hin @as assigned the mur-
der Of President johnson, al the kirkwood
House, but notwiths anding II appears there
was no obstacle In The way Of It's pcrf,ra1-
ance, he does not seem to have made any
effort 10 gain acc So to ILLS Intended victim on
the evening oi the l4rh Of April.
On the mozn1n. Ut that day he took room
at the kirk~ood House, whtSe Mr.. Jnhpson
Was quitting uJ, and WAs Been there ut noon.
and about O'clock in the evening hs WAS
trnc.d there on horseback, but was not ap-
pArfntly nbout the house after that hour. he
Inoted lalse 10 his conieterates. Such would
but b. in keeping with his character. He
was In actiye co-npcrltion with them, how
ever, throughout The night aforesa!d. After
da,l'sht the nrxt mNulng, ofhts guilt there
wns not q shadow Of danbL
Mrs. SnrratL appears TO hare been coguf-
zsnt oa the intcnd.d crime, Utmost from Its
tsc, ptt"p, aud became An a:uve participant
In oTeIl acts She was agent aud mauageT-
She received and eLtertaired at her house all
the c:isuin.i> except Dr.. Mudd and O'Lauga-
1:u.. With Dr.. Nude she planned tie means
and assistance f,r the escape of the assassin.
Ehc v!si' cd Mndd ut O'Clock on the day Of
tbs mu1oer, to see that the carbines, g..
Should be in readiness, and informed Lin that
tlcy xnn'd b. called for that night. Booth
fteuu.ntly called at her house, and held long
confidential ta1ks with her. He whs with
hcr few mil 1utcs on the afternoon Of the
14h. As an accomplice Of Booth and pa
ticiIaut in h:s crime, size cannot escape the
yens1ty OF the 1aT.
DR.. Mudd's status il identified. Asearly as
Noyembcr last he is shown TO hive been In
TIC confidence Of BOOTH H. had suspicious
meetings with 6usFAtt and Bouth ut the No
uonal uotci In Jsuaary. He Introduces