Delaware State journal and statesman., 1867-06-07
Special Correspondence OF the Cincinnati Gazette
sTARTLING DEVELOPMENTS ABOUT
THE PRESIDENTIAL AssAs-
sINATLON.

nt lnNtbhlkdliOho WhASA hoNe
progress for year past have reached point
where they open up some new and startling
chapters In the story of that great mystery
the assassination.
"More than one hundred people are in
this thing" were the words of one oil the
consplrators, as he was swung oil into eter-
nity-words thus sent back from the confines
of another world, as if TO urge. upon the
living full solution of the tragedy
This is a subject far too grave and startling
for word of sensational writing, mere
statement of the character of this additional
evidence forming in itself one of the strong
est, if not altogether the strongest chapter in
the solemn history.
To be brief, then, and concise, the proper
authorities are soon to be placed in posses
sion Of evidence 10 the following effect;
Spies in the lodges of the knights OF the
Golden Circle had revealed the fact that there
was a plot 10 murder Mr.. Lincoln during the
inauguration exercises of March, 1865. Ey-
cry precaution was taken to battle the con-
spirators, though no clue had been obtained |
as to who these were.
Wilkes Booth was in Washington at the |
time. Having known Mr.. johnson in Nash |
vile, he called upon him the day after MI !
Johnson's arrival here. During the exer- |
cses at the Capitol Booth was in the build |
| ing.
So certain were the authorities that an at
| tempt 10 kill Mr.. Lincoln was TO be made
that every avenue within the building by
which an assassin could escape was carefully
| guarded Booths own observation OF the
situation may have deferred him from the
act in contemplation.
From November 9th TO February 28th
Booth was in Washington seven times, the
periods of his absence varying from two to
ten days each On the 1st Of March, 1865,
| Ia ond the tlrpa
ceeding days was called at A. M, by his
own express orders.
After the Republican party had nominated
its ticket Booth passed some time in Nash
Vile There he was we'll acquainted with
Mr. johnson. Both had mistresses there,
and these mistresses were said 10 be sisters.
Booth was also well acquainted with MIR.
Browning, the private secretary oil the vice
President.
There is abundant evidence that, from the
FIRST, it was Mr. Johnson's settled determi-
nation to betray the Republican party.
Prominent rebels seem to have understood
his terrific anathemas against traitors and
treason as simple blinds. Certainly subse
l quent events furnish no other satisfactory
= explanation.
q At Cincinnati, when on his way to Wash
ington, he expressed himself decidedly that
If the country was to be saved at all, it
q ton of the Democratic party.
A few weeks before the assassination he
a declared with an oath, TO friend, that il he
was ever President he would crush out all
l. Yankee influence from the government.
:, Soon after the assassination, meeting the
, same friend, he said: "Do you recoleci
IN what told you when we met lastg Well,
am President now, and this Yankee influ
Z ence shall be crushed OUT These remarks
| orn narIinant 90 ahntVinu that from fine frat
the purpose was TO betray his party. It i
BIT by no means all the evidence upon whicl
la this charge rests.
70 Booth made several trips between Wash
ington and Canada. On one occasion, Will
O. in this city, he received package of docu
es ments from Canada, one of these was TO
a, Mr.. johnson. This Booth delivered. Sub
sequenGly he received an answer to it, an
ng this it is said, he dispatched to Richmond
nd and its character if known, has not bee
49, allowed to transpire.
IN, 1t will be remembered that the Vic
=, President boarded at the Kirkwood Houst
eu and that Atzerota, who it was alleged was
nd kill him, had d room at the same hotel.
he Early in the evening of April 14th, NJ
I'd, johnson sent word to the office that he coul
-. not be seen by any one, for any purpo
put whatever. So particular was he about Il
matter as afterward TO go himself to 81
whether the order was fully understood.
'lly the afternoon, as is known, Booth called al
ties left his card.
Nv. Il is now said that MI johnson saw Boo
- alter that card was put in his box. The p
10 toll and knife found in Atzerott's bed we
lm, put there by Booth, according TO stateme
ear made by Atzerott while being taken to I
i'm. gallows Atzerotts connection with !
IL. conspiracy seems to be reduced nearly
my what he declared il to be in his confessd
The namely, that he had been a party to the fl
hito project of kidnapping, but had positively
lon, fused to have anything to do with the 81
-, seouent plot to assassinate, and that he
MS no desire to kill Mr.. johnson, and iurtl
Q OF that he could have done so after Booth
his shot Mr.. Lincoln, as he saw MIR. johnson
mia one or two occasions later in the event.
He was probably party so far us to aid
"e'' creating the impression that 1t was part
res, the plan TO kill the Vice President.
and A strange thing connected with the
,rse prisonment of the conspirators ut the ars
.oas al was that the attendants were most str
s'''s " charged TO hold no communication WI
fmed ever with the prisoners and especially
last ask no questions. One of the attends
saws the caution was In the form oil an OF
ooo and that copies of it are in existence,
200 will be produced. Payne, it is said, m
A written confession, but no trace OF
'Soo paper can now be found, All the prisol
1000 expected 10 be reprieved up to the very
- ment they were swung of, and when
'oVo order of execution was taken In to be n
Q ex- some of them were in great glee, suppo
nary the reprive had certainly come.
II for One of the most singular matters bro
,aa to light by the investigation, is the fact
n'Ao' not only was the plot known in distant |
At the OF the country, but that 1t was unders
tIags- who were to be the victims. There Is
usond evidence going TO substantiate the sup
ton that there was no intention OF ia
MIR. Johnsons life, and that all the II
, large ments around the Kirkwood House
and simply made to mislead. The following
have suffice as specimens Oh 'nls Aine. vi wv
run in Az tomn ~ s,ar;I Ia,h citi1en
'hese TO his friends that Mr.. Lincoln and
retire tary Seward had been assassinated. J
O'Clock, noon, of April l4th, in another
in Minnesota, several citizens came I
Air con postmaster to inquire whether any new
-, been received of the assassination O
iaSOu'' Lincoln and Secretary Seward. In nj
Oh why case was The name of the Vice Pre-
Yers by mentioned. The statement OF harre
midnight, after the assassination, Whel
still bootn nc s'op aoas as in The evidence
., She upon the trial was this: "Well, am
black as certain that VIC have assassinated the
, eaeles. dent and Mr.. Seward"
~ Besides these, there is evidence
mn on' same effect from portions OF the c.
, for his widely separated from those mentioned
~ after. where knowledge of the fact that M
md usad coin and Secretary Seward were to b
=. a..,,. ssinated, was in the possession OF
= TO- number of persons
woman In conclusion, il may be said that I'M
q attend presents fair statement OF the KIND
stayed ter which, so lar as s IL mas hos peen