The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-03-27
WEDNESDAY, MARCH q, 1867.
Who MutiIated Booth,s DIARY?

lawyers, ana Jnelf SQuaDDleS would De enter
tanning, doubtless, in the court of some coun-
try justice of the peace, but are not particu-
larly edifying as part of the proceedings of
the House of Representatives of the United
States. There was one thing, however, in
their discussion yesterday which is of public
interest and which the country would be very
glad to see cleared up. We REFER of course
to the charge made by General Butler that
the diary which was found upon the body of
Wilkes Booth at the time of his capture, and
in which he had recorded, from day to day,
the details Of the conspiracy in which he was
engaged, his plans, his motives, and his
excuse, had, either before or after his capture,
been mutiiated By cutting ont eighteen pages,
covering the record Of his proceedings do,On to the
time of the assassination Of President Lincoln.
This diary was not produced upon the trial of
Mrs. Surratt, and General Butler, in his
speech yesterday, referring to these facts,
said:-
diary whole when it came into the hands OF
the Governments Second. Whether it was good
scouting the assa.sins of Abraham Lincoln to
put in a tobacco pipe found in Booths pocket
diary in Booths own handwriting, detailing
all the particulars of his crime, was withheld?
l did not charge the able, brave and gallant
soldiers who sat on that court with any wrong.
They did not see the diary. They did not
know of its existence. If they had, they might
have given a different account of the matter.
Who spoliated that book? Who suppressed
that evidence?, Who caused that innocent
woman to be hanged, while he had in his
pocket the diary which would nave shown at
least what was the Idea and what were the
thoughts of the main consprator There is
still remaining in that diary memorable
sentence, written a few hours before Booths
death. quote from memory:-l have endea-
vored to cross the Potomac five times, and
failed; propose to return TO Washington, and
give myself up, and clear myself of this great
crime How clear himself by giving himself
up and disclosing his accomplices? Who were
they? Who spoliated that book after 1T got
into possession of the Government, II IL was not
spoliated before?
~ believe that piece of evidence would have
shown what, in my judgment, the whole case
now shows, that Booth, up to a certain hour,
meant a capture and abduction of Mr.. Lincoln,
to assass nation. Mrs. Surratt may or may not
have known of his purpose. II Mrs. Surratt did
not know of this change she would have had
no knowledge of the intended assassination,
and, therefore, could not have been convicted.
"The point which L made, and the point
which should stand made before the country, is
that all the testimony was not before that tri-
bunal. If all the testimony had been presented,
we should have been able to pursue the accom-.
plices, and to find out who IL was that changed
Booths purpose from capture to assassination;
who it was that was TO profit by the aSsISstna-
tion, and that would not profit by the capture
of Mr.. Lincoln; who it was that should succeed
Mr.. Lincoln in case the bullet made vacancy.
In some aspects Of the case, that diary might
not have been legal testimony; but its moral
evidence would have carried conviction TO the
mind of everybody, because it was the dying
declaration of "A man who assassin though he
were, was telling the truth between himself
and God. How was Booth, by coming back to
Washington, going TO clear himself OF the great
crime committed? That question still remains.
Were the eighteen pages of Booths diary gone
when it came into the possession Of the learned
Judge Advocate? If So why did he not in.
quire what became of them whether Lieuten-
ant-Colonel Conger gave the book to somebody;
whether it went from his hands into other
hands, and whose knife it was cut out those
leaves?"
Now this reveals a matter of good deal of
interest to the public, and we looked conf
IDENTIFY to find in the reply of Mr.. Bingham,
who was Judge-Advocate on the trial, some
explanation of it, But in this we are dsap-
pointed. He carefully evades any explana-
ton. Here is what he says in reply to
Butler:-
"I defy him, by any investigation which he
dare institute, here or anywhere, to show that
any communication came into my hands pur-
porting to be the production Of j. Wilkes Booth
that was not made after the fact, and long after
the fact. Is there any lawyer In America or
England who would say that the words and
declarations of an accused felon, after the fact,
are evidence which the advocate for the Gov
ernment is bound to admit in any court? l
treat with contempt and ScOrn any intimatiOn
from any quarter that l or my associate coun-
sci were under obligation TO admit any such
evidence.
''The gentleman talks OF a spolated book
Who spoliated it? That is about as interesting
query that to which / referred the other
day;-'Who killed Cock Robin? Who knows
that it was spoliated? If John Wilkes Booth
gentleman's words are as impotent as they are
unWaTranted. Let the CALLED Jade Wince-ny
withers are unwrung.'
'I challenge him and dare him, here or any
where, in this tribunal or in any tribunal, tC
assert that spoliated any book
The disengenuousness of Mr.. Bingham's
reply will but increase the public desire tC
know the real facts in the case. He evi
IDENTITY knows more than he wishes to reveal
If the book had been spoliated by Booth him
self, and was found in that condition. why
does not Mr.. Bingham, instead of insinuating
that such was the fact, boldly aver that it wa,
sof Why is there any hesitation in explain
ing matter which is of such general in
terestf The public want to know who Gu
the leaves out of that diary. 1t was done fo
an object. What was that object We car
assure Mr.. Bingham that no allusions I,
"'Cock Robin" in this matter will satisfy tbe
public mind. There is a mystery aLouf tbf
assassination of Abraham lincoln tbat yvii
continue to perpleX thinking men until all IN,
facts in the case are brought to ligbt. wi,
knows what revelations these eighteen page
of Booths diary might have madeP
The Bill Increasing the Force in tn