Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-04-29
THE CONSPIRACY AWARDS.

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examine and report upon the claims Of par
ties to the awards offered by the Govern
ment for the apprehension Of the assassin of
President Lincoln, and Of his accomplices,
and for the capture Of Jefferson Davis, sent
by the Secretary Of War TO the House Of
Representative, says;
II appears that all these offers were put
by the same authority-that Of the Secretary
of War-and that the last, 50 far as regards
the sum 10 be paid for the apprehension Of
Booth, should, as is conceived, be construed
as a substitute for the two former. This
most important arrest not having been ef-
fected at the end of nearly week after the
commission Of the crime, new inducement
for securing it was resorted TO by the Gov
eminent, by the offer Of a greatly increased
sum, not, as it is understood, in addition to
those announced in the first instance but as
suspending the same, and as representing
the full and final reward determined TO be
properly payable for the service in question.
So far as concerns the arrest of Payne,
the two former publications must, 1t Is
thought be deemed substantive and opera
tive offers of reward otherwise, indeed as
his arrest was effected prior 10 the date Of
the last publication, and no offer of remu-
neratiOn, therefore, was accordingly made
thereon his captors would be left without
any compensation whatever Moreover, as
both thse offers were equally authoritative,
and there is nothing 30 show that the one is
sued on the 10th was intended as a substl-
tute for that Of the day before, it is con-
cluded, in view Of the importance Of the
apprehension Of this conspirator, and Of the
fact that abundant provision was otherwise
subsequently made for the capture of his
associate, that half Of the sums specified in
the two offers, viz the full amount Of ten
thousand dollars, should be awarded to those
engaged in securing this prisoner.
Ii is next TO be observed that before the
date Of the offer Of April 20th, there had
already been arrested and and were in the
custody Of the Government, of the conspir-
ators and accomplices of Booth-besides
Payne-Surratt, Mudd, O'Laughlin, Arnold,
and Spangler. The cases of the arrests Ct
these criminals, therefore, none Of whom
indeed are alluded 10 in the publication,
are clearly not within the terms of that Of
fer, and it has been perceived that none Of
them are indicated or apparently contem-
plated in the offers of the 18th and 10th,
where are promised specific rewards for
Booth and Payne alone. Ii has been con-
cluded, therefore, that neither the party or
parties who effected the apprehension of any
Of these iive-arrested at the time upon sus-
picion merely, though subsequently ascer-
tanned to be conspirators-nor such party or
parties as may have furnished information
conducting thereto, are entitled to any por-
ton Of the reward; but in the case Of Atze-
rodt a specific reward for his arrest is offered
a. 4 r Il.
feet that he was taken on the same day
should not it is conceived, exclude his cap
tors from receiving such reward, and they
are therefore concluded 30 be entitled to the
same.
JEFF. DAVIS.
As to the reward for the arrest of JelIer-
son Davis, the commissioners remarked that
il was offered by the President in his proc
lamation Of May ID last, in which it is set
forth that "the sum of one hundred thousand
dollars would be paid for the arrest, within
the limits of the United States, so that he
could be brought 10 trial" The commits
sioners say the arrest of this chief traitor
was effected on May last, near Drainesville,
Georgia, by the 4th Michigan cavalry regi-
ment, under the command of 1t. Col. b. ID.
Pritchard, who started upon the pursuit
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on Nav 9TH. The reward in this case, how
ever, is also claimed by Lieut. Col. Henry
Harnden. who, with his regiment, the LIST
Wisconsin cavalry, also engaged in the pur-
suit. arriving upon the ground but a few mi
nutes after the command Of Col. Pritchard
had taken possession Of the camp of Davis.
Without discussing at length the charges
which have been made by Col. Harnden
in regard 10 the course adopted by Col.
Pritchard upon the pursuit, it will be sui-
iiicent 10 observe that upon careful con-
sideration Of all the evidence, these charges
are not deemed TO be sustained in any par
ticular, and il is concluded by tho commits
sion that the latter officer, both in the pur-
suit and the capture, acted in entire good
faith toward the former, and cannot be held
responsible for the momentary unfortunate
collision which took place between the two
commands. IL was recommended by Col.
Pritchard that all the officers and men,
whether present at the seizure or absent on
service, should be included in the distribu-
ton of the award. The award is to Lieut..
Col Pritchard, ten thousand dollars; Capts.
John {. Hathaway and Charles 7. Hudson,
seven hundred and twenty-nine dollars and
sixty cents each First Lieutenants Ripley,
Palmer, Doutell, Bachus, Slauber, Fisk, and
Hazelton; Second Lieutenants Treat Ben
net Rockford, Southworth, Purington, Rem
mington, and Murphy, five hundred and
ffty-fye dollars and lightweight cents each;
three others receive six hundred and sixty
dollars each; one, five hundred and fifty-iiye
dollars; one, two hundred and seventy-one
dollars; one, two hundred and twenty-nine
dollars; ten, two hundred and fifty dollars
each; flty-one receive two hundred and fifty
dollars each, and about four hundred receive
from one hundred and sixty-six dollars to