Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1867-08-29

J
bell and Snevel declared that their rean ames were
Hoare and Roberts, and that the depositions they
had made and sworn to in the Bureau of Military
Justice, were absolutely false from beginning II
end, and were known to be 80 by your petitioner
and that they were not at-said Campbell in Cana
da in June, 1865, or said Snevel in Wilmington
in August lS65-the places at which your peti
toner first claimed to have seen them.
That it was entirely upon this testimony Of sale
confessed peurers that your petitioner was convic
ted; and that without the testimony of said per
sons, the jury before whom your petitioner wa
tried, could not possibly have found verdict O.
"guilty."
Your petitioner further says that he was trieo
and convicted by a jury not qualified to try him
that the jurors before whom he was so tried ano
condemned were illegally selected and drawn, as de-
cided by the court in the case of John H. Surratt
the manner and form Of selecting aud drawingth
jurors in the case of urratt and your petitioner be
ing identical That in the discussion on the open
ing of the trial of Surratt, as to the legal quahhca
ton of the jurors who had been summoned anc
empannelled to try him, it was contended by the
prosecution, and decided by the court that said ju
rors were informally and irregular selected ano
drawn, and that any verdict they might render up
on any trial, would be absolutely void. s..
Your petitioner further says that under the rules
and practice of the Supreme Court of this District
the above informality in the selection and drawing
of q jury, does not, AFTER SENTENCE under YER
dict found by such jury, constitute ground for
new trial or other relief by the court and that the
only remedy for such an illegal conviction lies in ar
application to the Executive for pardon.
=. .-.. CHAs. A. DUNHAM.
The above are all the papers which have come tt
my knowledge in relation to the application for par
don. When considered in connection with othel
papers, adyenttiously received, they excite peculiar
interest, and command careful attention. And il
is the extraordinary gravity of the import Of thest
papers, last mentioned, in connection with tho
source whence they come, which makes it my del
icate duty to submit their contents for your stud
GUS consideration, and to suggest that some proper
disposition ought to be made of them, in conson
ance with the dignity of the Government, and il
justice to all parties introduce them as follows
First, communication addressed to the Presi
dent of the United States, bearing date Washing
ton, July 90, 1867, and signed ''Charles A. Dun
ham," 1t will be seen that this person, who is Ger
tilted by gentlemen Of official and professional res
possibility, and of distinguished sagacity, to b'
capable of great and valuable service in the disclo
sure of crime, makes startling asseveratons direct
ly against prominent members of the National Leg
islature:
WASHINGTON, July q, 1867.
To HIS ErceOency Aadre'o johnson, President o
the United States.
In applying to your Excellency for pardon, l hat
not intended to offer any disclosures concerning thu
plotting of your enemies against you, which coulc
be regarded as an inducement for granting my ap
plication. instructed my wife, in presenting the
petition, to refer to the conspiracy of Ashley Co.
so far only as might appear necessary to remove
any unfriendly feeling that might have been engen
dered within you toward me by the newspaper re
ports, that had engaged to assist your enemies il
their nefarious designs. adopted this reserve il
the belief that the services had rendered the Gov
ernment, as certified by Judge Holt, the Hon. Mr.
Riddle, and Mr.. Ashley, would in your view ant
judgment, render me deserving Executive clemen
cy, and because desired that it should appear OF
the record, and on the face of my pardon, that Gle
mency had been extended to me solely in consider
alton of my services to the Government, and exclu
sively on the recommendation Of prominent Radi
Gals, to the end that when should come to EXPOSE
the atrocious plot of Ashley & Co., the Radical
would not be in position or able to charge MT
with doing so in consideration of pardon, or tina
the President had pardoned me on condition O
my duplicating his enemies in an infamous con
spiracy.
From the moment was forced into association
with these traitors and conspirators, determined
as soon as I should be released, to place in thu
hands of your Excellency, or lay before the public
complete exposure of their diabolical designs ant
most astounding proceedings. This, believed
would be my sacred duty, for although accused o
crime, am not so destitute of honor and patriot
ism, as not to feel some interest in and obligation
to my country.
The interest these persons have felt, and the eft
forts they have made (which would have succeed
ed ere this but for the blunder of one fthem ant
which they still propose to make for my release
IF. G. I know were prompted by the most selfish
motives, in order that they might use me as an in
strument to accomplish their devilish designs, ant
shall not, therefore, be guilty Of ingratitude in
bandoning and exposing their villainy.
My wife, has, I believe, explained to you hoV
Ashley, first through his man Friday, Matchett
and afterwards in person, managed to make know
to me his wishes, aims, purposes, and enlist me
as far as forced promise would go-in his enter
prise I shall, therefore, only advert here to some
things which have been said and done by the con
spirators, which are susceptible of being proved
gaiust them by the most irrefragble evidence
After obtaining my promise to render all the as
sistance in my power, Mr.. Ashley explained to mt
the kind of evidence he thought it most advisable
to present against you. Il must be very brief J.
he thought it would be very plausible to prove:
1st. That Booth had on several occasions pait
you familiar visits at the Kirkwood. This it wa
hoped, might be able to induce some Of the OLE
female servants to testify to. If this could not b
done, then it should be proved by some of my OWL
friends who happened to be at the house at th'
time, who knew Booth, &c., and saw the visits.
O. That you corresponded with Booth, which
should be shown by one or more persons who hac
taken notes from Booth to you, and your replies
(contents unknown) thereto to Booth. The wit
nesses should be persons who profess to have beer
intimate with Booth, and to have been enlisted by
b;,, IN +oLo mart in the assassination.