The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-05-13
Com mencement Of the Trial-Compo-
sition Of the COurt t-Arraignment
of the Prisoner.

Com meucemen Of the Trial-COmpo-
sitiou of the Court - Arrangement
of the Prisoner.
MILITARY COMMISSION,
WASHINGTON. May 10.
The commission convened by special
orders No. 2l6, met at 10 o'clock this
morning, consisting of the following de-
tails:
Major Generals David Hunter, Lewis
Wallace, August V. Kautzi Brigadler-
Generals Albion z. Howe, RoDert S. Eos
ter, James A. Ekin, T. M. Harris BTevet
Colonel c. Fl Tompkins; Lieuteuant-Col-
onel David R. Clendinen; Brigadiei-Gen-
eral Joseph Holt, judge-advocate and re
cordeT
The orders convening the court having
been read in the hearing OF the prisoners,
thew were asked if they had any objec-
tion to any number of the commission,
to which they all and severally replied
they had none. l-.
The commission, the Judge-Advocate
General, the Assistant Judge-Adyocates,
aud the reporters, having been duly
sworn, the prisoners David f. Harold,
George A. Ahzrrot, Lewis Payne, Mi
chaei O. Loughlin, Edward Spangler,
Samuel Arnold, Mary E Surratt, and
Samuel A. Mudd-were arraigned on the
charge and specification.
Each of the prisoners pleaded Not
guilty" to the charge and specification
The commission, after deciding on the
rules by which it would he governed, ad-
iourned to meet on Thursday, May llth,
at 10 o'clock, A NJ.
Why the Trial 10 TO be Secret-ApPeRr-
auce Of Mrs. Surratt-Sum. ArnOId's
story-The Original Plan TO Ridnap
Mr. LimcoIn-Jef. Davis, Tucker,
Clay, Saunders, and Cleary Photo
graphed and Advertised.
Correspondence of the Philadelphia Inquirer
WASHINGTON, May 9.
The statement made in several papers
that the Court would sit with open doors
is incorrect. 1t has been the intention
for several days to have nothing divullg-
ed as the trial progresses. While the
subject of the trial was under discussion
at the Cabinet meeting, Attorney Gener-
al Speed presented a written opinion
upon the subject of military and civil
trials. He considers that the President
is de fdcto as we'll as de jare commander
in-chief of the army and navy in time of
war; the crime was committed at mill
tary post garrisoned and under the com
mand of a military governor He also
thought that the Court should not be
open to spectators, as there isa very large
number of witnesses to be examined, and
none should know what the others have
testified to. which could not be prevent
ed if the papers published the entire ties
timony. The examination of all the wit
nesses is far from being as thorough as
it will be in Court, where much addition
al light is expected to be thrown upon
the conspiracy as it progresses.
MORE ARRESTS
Additional arrests continue to be made
Capt. S. D. Franklin arrested s. Donald
son, who is involved in both the cOnspir-
cy and the plot to burn Philadelphia
He has been committed to the Old Capi-
tol
MRS. SURRATT.
Mrs Snrratt, who is in irons, bears up
better than most of the men. She, 1t Will
be remembered, was the leading spirit
next to Booth, and when the determine
ton was arrived at to murder the late
President Lincoln that particular night,
she went areund to inform the Others,
and passed down into Maryland to see
that the stopping places were all in or
der for Booth and Harold, in their fight.
Her husband is dead Her son, John
Surratt, was to have murdered the Sec
retary of War but left before the hour,
and went north, en- route for Canada, go
ing via Springfield, Massachusetts,. Her
two daughters were not put in prison,
and one Of them, Annie, is said to be very
sick. Rumor says dying. 1t does not
seem possible for Mrs Surratt to escape
the pallows, at an early day. She is
about fifty to fifty-fve years old, though
she does not appear to be over foIty-fve.
She is large in form, very stout, has
keen grey eye, q resolute look, rather
ugly, has light hair. and any man would
set her down at once for perfect virago.
Her two daughters are not believed to
have been cognizant of the conspiracy,
and will be put upon the witness stand.
ARNoLD's STORY
Sam. Arnold (who was arrested at
Fortress Monroe) as we'll as other wit
nesses, states that one plan was TO cap
ture Mr.. Lincoln some night between
the War Department and White H0use,
where he was accustomed to go alone
late at night. He was then to be hurried
down through the garden of the White
House, thence to what is known as the
old Van Ness house on Seventeenth
street, near the confluence of the Tyber
and Potomac rivers. This house is built
near the old homestead Of David Burns,
q Scotchman, whose plantation embraced
about one-third Of Washington City
he grew rich from the sales Of land.
About the year 1890, General Van Ness
| built O house on the homestead. Ii is a
large brick commodious house, two stO-
ries and half high. The partition walls
| all run to the same depth as cellar walls
At some subsequent period the cellars
made by these walls were dug ont, and
one of them has q trap door going down
through the floor, and was formerly used
for wine cellar. Another was used. for
. slave prison, and still another for an
ioe-house. On the death Of Van Ness, 'fif-
teen years ago, it was sold to one Thomas
Graos, vbo owned the WarrentOn