New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-05-10
COnYENTS OF TIE CANADIAN PRESS
TIE ASSASSINATION DEFENDED
Chr Special Dispatch.
WASHINGTON, Tuesday, Nj


The Military Commission for the trial of the
asssssius convened II o'clock this morning for The
FIRST time the arsenal buildings in eapaeious rooms
in The third story adjoining the old Penitentiary cells
in which the alleged assassins and their aecomplice;
confined
The prisoners are in chains and in separate cells The
.ioy about their heads being padded and cushioned to
prevent them from dasing their brains cut againgt the
walls is a foolish fiction. The buildings are well
guarded against the possibility Of a rescue
The commission is composed in part Of Major Gen.
Hunter President; Major. Gen. Hartrant tie hero OF
Fort Steadman aud Brg.-Gen. Grilin. Ono member
81 the commission has not arrived and others not
known Gen. Holt viii offciate Judge Advocate,
with Judge Bingham and Colonel Burnett to assist
him.
During the session today Of tie prisoners prob.
ably Paine the assassin Of Seward arraisned but
an mljouSnmont was had until tomorrow morning at
IL clock enable him to obtain counsel Thus fr the
accused succeeded in getting defend
them no leading attorney being willing to risk his repu-
faron in the business. Several lawyers Of Democratic
aDtecedents have already declined. The trial will moi;
be DELAYED beyond tomorrow in Difference to this
dilemma Of the prisoners.
Several material witnesses are here few being from
Canada and the South some Of the whose posi-
tive testimony the Presidents charge Of completely
against JEFF, Davis. Thompson Co. was made Some
Of them are in great trepidaton fearing that the
Of assassination has begun and that # they tell what
they know against the potters they will be seriously
taken off Ore of them an american from Montreal
made verbal state 1lent TO the Secretary of War yes
erday relative to the completely Of Thompson, Sanders
and the rest but positively refused TO appear before the
Court 10 testify until assured that bis name residence
and testimony should be suppressed End newspaper re
porers excluded from tie court during liz exsuine-
lion This was conceded to him, but il IS believed be
has fed North to-day in another panic
The feeling that tie conspiracy has extensive ramif
cations is widespread and those who have had cye
on the documentary evidence OF the War Department
say that II moro than proves the specifications Gle
with the Coumiss and hat the half las rot been
told.
1t is probable that as in the trials of Harris PcrTne
md Osbon the question Of jurisdiction will be raised
hut the Court will certainly hold that the Investigation
of conpiracy OF assassins having for their purpose
The murder Of the military heads Of the nation ard the
paralysis Of its military power ara Organized after col
fusion With the leading trrors is legitimate Woik for
atary tribunal. IT Is probable that for the present
al least the Commission will sit with closed doors and
The official reporters be not to reveal any Of the
proceedings. The Government has ample reasons for
deemiDe this to he Indispensable
The two Carrots in whose fathers bain, al Poft
ROYAL, Booth and Harold were found, were released
today on parole They viii be witnesses in the trial OF
lie asssssins.