Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1865-05-26

By the President
W HUNTER. Acting Secretary Of State


WEIcHNAN. -PrObahly all the readers Of
the evidence have been somewhat puzzled by
the testimony OF tie important witness
Weichman, and have wondered how clerk
in the War Department could see so much
at the Surratts and not suspect more. and
how he could leave bis Office for such ire
ouent drives into the country with h-
landlady. | understand that this gentleman
had his suspicious aroused by the secret
conferences at Mrs Surratt's many months
ago. and inferred from what be knew Of the
family that a grand blockade-ruuuinc
scheme and tobacco speculation was in pro
gre-s lie Immediately reported what be
had seen to the Secretary OF War, who com
mcuded his vigilance and directed him 10
continue boarding at the Surratts To observe
all he could, and 10 report any definite re-
suits
Weichman's buIsness was so arranged
that he was not held 70 account for his ire
quent absences IN this secret service There
was tor weeks government ,py stationed
IN the very heart OF the great conspiracy, OF
the real object OF which he was nevertheless
ignorant until the terrible elimination of
the plot. We:chman's familiar intimacy
with the Surrstt family caused suspicion l..
fall on him sO0n after the murder. and he
was even arrested and put in irons at his
deck IN the War Department, but soon after
released by orders from Secretary Stanton
and sent with the detectives TO Canada a. d
decoy 10 and in the capture Of Surratt
This story furnishes the only plausible ex-
PLANTATION Of the mystery about Weichman's
relation with the Surratts and the War
Department, although Judge Holt did not
ieem 1t best TO bring out the facts in the
court room.
On Monday Miss Fitzpatrick who resided
at Mrs. Surrssts in the month Of March ties
tilted 10 having seen John II. Surratt. Booth
AtzerOdt and Payne there together. the last
named going by the name ct Wood She
accompanied Surratt and Payne to Ford's
Thettre. Booth came into the box.
Col. Treat testified to having brought
number OF boxes to Washington. SAID 10 con-
tain the archives Of the so-caled Confeder- Z
ate States.
+. \. Hall testified that he opened the
boxes and here Unidentified paper found in I
DE OF them. The paper was a letter ad- 4
d-,ssed to bis Excellency President Davis. |
dated Montgomery. White Sulphur Springs, |
Va, in which the writer. says he now offers /
his services 10 the Confectionery and Is will /
ing 10 proceed TO rid the country ol its dead /
lest enemies and all he asked was for ucces- /
sary papers TO give him travelling facilities !
within the Confederate States.
lie says be Is well acquainted IN the North /
ern States and that he Is Lieutenant in I
Dukes command. He also says he was in .
MOrgan's raid and finding a good opportu-
nifty TO escape, he ran the gauntlet for fear of .
beng ca pturei bv the | Mon forces and made
his way TO Canada.
The paper is endorsed Respectfully refer
red, by order of the President, to the Secre
o. Of War. Signed, Brrton W. Harrison,
private secretary.
The Commercials special says important
for prosecution arrived last night
The expectation that the trial will terminate
this week will scarcely be realized. The
defence will he formidable Reyerdy John
son will chiefly occrpy himself with rebuff
ting evidence 20 N, testimony duplicating
JED Davis and the RE hmond leaders. !, j.
believed that the captured rebel archives will
furnish much information about the conspi-
racy.
The CONSPIRACY TRIAL-It Is thought bv
many that Arnold ami Spausler and r.
Surratt will save their lives, but will re i'm
lrisoned for life. or a term Of years. Ar
lOld, as has been proved by government
witness, withdrew from the cUnspira CIV before
I was carried into positive acts Spangler
Was a drunken fellow, drudge at the thea
re, who possibly did not know what was 10
e done that dreadful night All that can
e said for Mrs Surratt is that she is w.
nan. Women are rarely hanged in this
ountry, and this fact may save her. certain
: nothing else can.
The only one Of the accused who has good
ounsel Is DR.. Mudd. Mr.. Ewing Is a good
lwyer, but Aiken, Clomttt and Doster are
iiserable men, so far as legal abilities are
Oncerned. The two first are rampant peace
emocrats. and the last is a republican claim
gent, who offered his services to PAYNE.
Perley, the Boston Journals eorrespou-
ent says
Lewis J. Weichmau so far from having been A
overnment spy, has been regarded As per {
aps knowing much more than he chooses To
H. !
Payne has at last been positively identified as
ne of family Of six brot ers, born in Ken
ieky, who have engaged in crime since the war
roke out. One OF them was hanged by the e
and two others had to escape to o
anada, where they were engaged BY the rebel Z;
,ent o