The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1865-06-15

founding ReCetdti0ns.
The following is the testimony, hithel
to suppressed relative to the Rebel lead
, lers, taken at the association trial at Wash
iugton
Sandford Canover testified as follows
l am native of New York; have reside,
ln Canada since October last; was con
scripted into the Confederate army, ant
detailed to service in the War Depart
ment of the Confederacy, at Richmond
under James A. Seddon, Secretary O
War; while in Canada was intimately ac
iquainted with G.. n. Sanders, jacob
Thompson, DIR. Black burn, Tucker, VIM
c. Cleary, Capt. Castleman, Mr. Cameron
Porterfeld, Capt. Magruder, and others
L also knew Clement G. Clay, and Gen.
Carol of Tennessee | knew Mr.. Surratt
also, and j. w. Booth, and visited these
gentlemen in Canada saw Surratt there
on several occasions, last April, in Mr..
Jacob Thompson room, also in company
with George n. Sanders, and other Reb-
els in Canada; Surratt is about FIVE feet
nine or ten inches high, complex
ioned man with light hair; [ saw him a
bout the 9th or 7th of April, with Thomp-
son, Sanders and Booth at that time he
delivered to Thompson in his room, in my
presence, dispatches from Richmond to
Thompson, from Benjamin and from JEFF
ferson Davis; the latter either cipher
dispatch or letter. Benjamin was See
retary Of State of the Confederacy. Pre-
vious to this, Thompson conversed with
me upon the subject of a plos to assassi-
nate President Lincoln and his CabxAt,
which [ gave notice, before the assassi-
nation, in the New York Tribune, the
paper for which l corresponded. l had
been invited by Mr.. Thompson to parti-
cipate in that enterprise. When Surratt
delivered these dispatches from Davis,
Thompson laid his hand upon the papers
aud said, referring to the assassination
and to the assent of the Rebel authori-
tics, "This makes it all right" The dis
patches spoke Of the persons to be assas-
sinated Mr.. Lincoln, Mr. johnson, the
Secretary of War, the Secretary of State,
Judge Chase and Gen. Grant. Mr.. .Thomp-
son said on that occasion, or on the day
before that interview, that the assassina-
ton proposed would leave the Govern
ment Of the United States entirely with
out head that there was no provision
in the United States by which they could
elect another President Mr.. Welles was
also named, but Mr.. Thompson said it was
not worth while to kill him; he was Of
no consequence. Ny first interview with
Thompson on this subject of assassination
was in the early part Of February, in
room in st. Lawrence Hall,
Montreal. He then spoke of raid on
New York, it was abandon
ed, but that was because the United States
G Government received intimation of it, he
said he would have to drop it for a time,
but added, "We'll catch them asleep yet, J"
and to me he said. "There is a better op-
portunity to immortalize yourself, and
save your country" meaning the confed-
eracy. l told them was ready to save
the country, and asked them what was
to be done; he said "some Of our
boys are going to play grand joke on
Abe and Andy" which he said was to
kill them his words were remove them
from Office" and he said that the killing
of a tyrant was no murder that he had
commissions for this work from the Reb-
el authorities, and conferred one on Booth,
or would confer one that everybody en-
gagged in this enterprise would be COM
missioned, and if they escaped to Canada
they could not be successfully claimed
under the Extradition Treaty; / know
that Thompson and the others held these
commissions in blank, they commissioned
Bennett Young, the st Albans raider, it
was blank commission filled up and con-
ferred by Mr.. Clay, as it came from Rich
mond, it was only sigued "James A. Sed
don, Secretary of War;" Mr.. Thompson
called me to examine these blanks SO that
/ might testify to the genuineness of Sed-
don's signature in the case of Bennett
Young, before Judge Smith. The sigma
ture was genuine. In subsequent con-
versatiou, after the first referred to in
February Thompson told me that Booth
had been commissioned, and every man
who would engage in it would be: l had
conversation with VIM. G. Cleary, on
the day before, or the day of the assassl-
nation. at St. Lawrence Hall. We were
speaking of the rejoicing in the States O.
yer the surrender of Lee and the capture
of Richmond. Cleary said they would
have the laugh on the other side of the
mouth in day or two. | think this was
the day before the assassination. lie
knew / was in the secret of the conspira-
CIV 1t was to that he referred. The as
sassination was spoken Of among us as
commonly as the weather.