The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-08-02
The Assassination Plot.

We make the following e4eIdoet h hStA.s sA.S
Report of the majority of the house Jusil-
80, .o,nmittee. in relation to the alleged
,omnl;c;tv of Jefferson Davis in the assassI-
,,o+;on of President Lincoln. 1t will be re
collected that on the I'd of May, 1865, Presi-
dent Johnson issued a proclamation charg-
ing Mr.. Davis with, completely in this crime,
and offering>a large reward for his arrest
This charge by President Johnson has not
been withdrawn, as the President is no
doubt still of the opinion that there IS
ground for the charge.
This Report shows that various persons
addressed Mr.. Davis, proposing schemes to
to get nd of {. the leading characters OF the
North,n and that Mr.. Davis entertained these
propositions by endorsing directions on the
letters as to what inquiries should be made
on the subject by his Secretary OF War;
The Report concludes as follows:
Testimony taken at the trial of the as
sossins iustifes the inference that the muir
der of Mr.. Lincoln was procured by the use
of money furnished by the Richmond Gov
eminent.
Louis J. Weichmann states that Surratt
arrived in Washington on the Sd OF April,
1900, 1rOm GhoO III UNIV h"NN -->>>>
an interview with Davis and Benjamin on or
about the Goth of March preceding; that
Surrat had in his possession at that time
considerable quantity of gold, and that he
remained in Washington but few hours
Surrat is connected with Booth and with the
assassination by amount OF testimony
which cannot be controverted.
Samuel Knapp Chester stated upon the
conspiracy trial that he was acquainted with
Booth, and that Booth on several occasions
tried to induce him to take part in kidnap-
ping or numbering the President.
At one time Booth sent him by letter the
sum of $50. When Chester finally positive
" refused to take part in the crime he re-
turned theimony to Booth-Booth saying as
. he received it, that he would not allow Ches-
ter to do so, but that he was so very short
of funds, and that he or some other party
must go to Richmond and obtain means to
carry out their designs.
The interview appears to have been as late
as the month of February, 1865, and 1t is
probable in view of all the facts that the
visit of Surrat to Richmond, and his return
with funds, was in obedience to the necessi-
ty disclosed by Booth in the conversation
with Chester. The fact that Surratt was IN
the secret service of the Richmond Govern
1nent is proved by the testimony of James
II. Fowle
This witness was himself in the secret
service of the Confederate Government as
agent of the State Department, and his APP
pearance before the committee in obedience
to the authority of the House of Representa-
tiyes. was against his own wishes, and with
out any previous knowledge on his part.
His testimony discloses the fact that he is
in a degree an unwilling witness; that he
desired to avoid duplicating the leaders of
the rebellion in any criminal acts, and that
hai Gill Iavota1 tO the of the reheIl-
ion The committee were assured, however,
that he is man OF truth.
FowIe says that he was first acquainted
with John II. Surratt in February, 1860, but
that he had heard of him before. He knew
he was an agent of the rebel Government,
and had heard of him as such from the 10th
day of May, 1868. He says he knew that
Surratt was a bearer of dispatches, and that
he was in Richmond about January or Feb
ruary, 1865. He states, further, that he
thinks Surrat was secret agent of the State
Department, but does not positively know
it; that each agent was kept to himself
One did not know about the other" Ben
jamin told him Surratt was there, and Quin-
ton Washington told him the same thing.
This information from Benz amin and
Washington he received on the I'd or Sd of
March, 1865. The testimony thus far adj
duced renders it certain that Surratt was
authorities of Richmond; that he probably
received money in this capacity as agent from
the State Department; and hardly doubt
exist that the funds received by him were |
paid to Booth for the commission of the |
crime of assassinating the President Docu- |
mentary evidence in possession of the Gov !
eminent shows that the secret service fund |
was in the sole custody and under the eX- |
elusive control of Davis, and that no money |
was paid from that fund except by his au- |
thority. This fact appears from the CORE
spondence of Benz amin and Holcombe al
ready quoted and it is confirmed as the set
tied policy of the rebel Government by cor
respondence between Benjamin and Seldom
in January. 1865. On the 10th of January,
1865, Seldom wrote note to Davis in which
he says he has received despatch from Cen
eral Hardee requesting that he may be fur
nished with funds for secret service. AT the
same time, as appears by the reply of Ben
Jamin of the same date, he encloses a letter
from Thomas N. Conard, a copy of which is
herewith given:
KING GEORGES Co. VA, Jan. 10, 1865.
Hon. James A. Seldom, Secretary Of Var:
"our agents write me from Washington
for funds. Let me, therefore, give state
ment and ask an order. l received from the
honorable Secretary of State, Mr. Benjamin,
last September, $500 in gold, which yielded
me 81 1000 in Northern funds. This has
borne the expenses of .J5Ue Of as for .to,tr
months Gncluding two horses) averaging
$50 month therefor. You at once perceive
the economy we have practised
1t would have been much more had we
not used our private funds in many instances
1t our services have been satisfactory would
be obliged if the honorable Secretary would,
at his pleasure, remit draft, which 1 can
have cashed, presume and thus relieve us
OF embarrassment and encourage us to con-
t1nue our labors. Commencing it to your
attention,
am, respectfully,
your obedient servant,
[Signed,] "THOMAS M. CONARD.n
Upon hearing from you shall leave for
w ashlngton, unless otherwise ordered by
you" ~
This communication was referred by Sed-
don to the Secretary of State. In reply to
TINS reference and the enclosures BENJAMIN
says: There is but one way in which these
funds can be given you. 81 It is ne
cessary to address to the President a request
That you be furnished with the money. and
tne exact sum must be stated, so that he can