Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1867-08-10

calls II was intended TO Infiame. Ii being i'm
possible for the m-n to see me at the Jail on
such business, and equally SO for me TO CON-
munica'e 10 them the desired changes and
neces ssary explanations and instructions in
writing. to enable them to incorporate those
changes in their original statements, without
leading 10 confusion or contradictions. 1t was
found necessary for somebody else to take my
Office OF rreceptor, dc. This. with slight hesi
taiiop, was done by Mr. Ashley, on my assur-
ance that the parties were Radicals. "dyed in
safely repose confidence. have learned, both
from Ashley and the parties themselves, W hat
was said al done by and between them in the
matter The statements they were desired to
ley, and they " ere assured by him that in case
1, should be determined to examine them be-
fore the committee, they should be "splendidly
rewarded .esg.s
Ashley also discoursed to them on the pro.
priety and business of the course 1t was pro
posed to pursue to make certain of the i'm
peachment of the President. He declared tn at
yon were traiter to yonr party and country,
&c, &c; that there was no dou bt OF your COM
plicity in the assassination cons piracy; but
thar the evidence was In the hands of your
enough, however, had been secured to satisfy
most reason able men of his guilt, but that, in
order to safety the moet exacting. the state.
ments OF these persons before the committee
would be requisite; that the end fully iustI i.
fieu the means, and that every man who con
triouted in this way to the impeachment of the
Preeident would deserve well of the country,
and that he Ashley would see them rewarded
ten-fold when your successor should come
into power. Subsequently. the parties were
presented to Butler and, after being inspected
and passed by him. were introduced by hun
and Ashley TO several Radical mernb bers of the
House, who, it was understood. had hitherto
doubted the existence of evidence implicating
you in the assassination conspiracy. and who
Informally interrogated them as to the matters
upon which they had been instructed. Butler
desired TO have taken the deposisions OF these
men at the time. but would not consent to
its being done until / should be released. as at
first agreed. These facts can be proved by
these three persons. and also by nv wife.
whose character Tor truth and yeraciry is not
inferior to Mr.. AshIey's: and | shall take
pleasure, II at liberty, in producing them be-
fore any committee or tribunal for the i'm peach :
mens OF the i'm pc achers.
But the evidence OF this cons piracy does not
depend entirely upon oral proof. The letters
from Ashley. herewith enclosed. in themselves
speak volumes. What statement from me
could he have wanted. and for what pur.
pose! Anything 1t was in my power to state
to him could have been stated to him orally q
dozen times during his previous visits to me
The statement he wanted was this, and for
this purpose: There were many prominent
Radicals, and especially among his own con-
stitueDts, who were lukewarm on the subject
OF flimpeschment.e who were not prepared 10
believe that you were privy to the murder OF
Lincoln, and whose cooperation was greatly
needed. Ashley, therefore. desired to be able
most
unQ fashionable evidence of your guilt could
be produced. He, therefore requested me TO
pr pare an elaborate paper, setting forth that
such and such persons could be produced who
knew and would testify to this, that and the
other thing. including the pretensions that
Booth had been seen in your room several
ttmes, tnat you had corresponded with him
and with parties in Richmond; and that the
persons who could testify to these facts were
OF the most respectable standing, and would
come forward and tell all they knew, if pro-
tected by the Government. He wished me to
put 1t in style and tone that weuid be sure
10 carry cow iction with it. He desired, that
in addition 10 the points Of evidence we had
conferred about, my statement should contain
others: and he gave me a memorandum of
other points which he requested me to moor
porate III my statement. This memorandum I
enclose, and it is. believe. ID Matchetts hand. .
writing. After preparing the statement, L sent
it to him at Toledo, where he wished to make
use OF 1t.
There is another note from Ashley enclosed
worthy of attention. 1t is in pencil. and was
written al the eftice Of Judge Cartier After
the failure. through the blundering OF Match.
Ell. 10 secuie my release at the time promised
became angry. and used pretty severe Iaa
guage to Matchett. He went to Ashley and
Butler in alarm, and reported that was going
to expose the entire scheme to you.
After the persons had sent for to New York
as witnesses had returned, Matchett endeay-
ored, without my knowledge, to persuade them
to come here again, and in his letters 10 two or
them he fhoughtlessly suggested some addi-
tons that it was desired they should make TO
their statements. He made these suggestions
by letter. as his letters explained. because it
was not certain that be would be here when
they should arrive. or they might meet Judge
Bingham. or some of the persons they had
been introduced to when previously here.
before ne could see them and give them their
points, and he therefore wanted them .sposted. -
After my talking to him so severely on ac.
count Of the failure to have me released at the
time promised, Matchett became frightened,
a, n III Il
to those parties, and had sent them, or copies
of them, to you Possibly, in my anger, l
threatened as much. He therefore made
known his fears TO Ashley and Butler, and
letters.
l have just been ordered to get ready for the
Very respectfully,
Then follow the several papers which ac-
company the above; the first in order being the
following memorandum:
Shortly before the inauguration Of Lincoln
and Johnson. the latter, through or in conuec-
tion with Booth, sent several letters to the Con-
one OF which was intended for JEFF
ferson Davis. These letters were borne by a
messenger named Allen, who had been acting
as scout or spy for one of the Union Gen
erals. Allen was provided with a safe con-
duct through our picket lines, aud was sup
posed to have been sent on secret duty, in con-
vided with papers from rebel emissary at the
North, TO ensure him proper treatment when
he should enter the Confederate lines After
delivering his mail IN Richmond, he returned
bearing several letters which he received from
J. p. Benjamin These letters were enclosed
to Booth. On. returning to Washington,
Allen called on Booth and delivered the
package, and Booth, after examining some
OF the letters, went out. as he said, in search
of his messenger. The messenger could
not be found, and Booth asked Allen
il he was too tired to 60 as far as the Kirk.
wood House. Allen replied in the negative,
when booth, drawing forth the package
brought from Richmond, selected q letter ad-
dressed to ssAndrew johnson, Vice President
ele CT of The United States," &nd asked Allen
to deliver II. Allen promised to do so, and
then accompanied Booth to the bar room to
first take drink. Here Allen met friend,
who was invited to j Din them In taking a drink,
and afterward accompanied him to the Kirk
wood and heard him inq uire If Mr.. johnson
was In. and saw him 60 for his (Johnson'sj
down stairs, when he asked him, jocularly,
" hat In the DEVILS business he had to do with
Johnson-if he was already begging Tor an
office. Allen can be produced, as we'll as the
friend who accompanied him te the Kirk wood
from Booth. Allen, before going to Richmond,
a confidential and secret agent for the Gov
ernnent, and that the letters borne by him
had reference to peace propositions, which
would speedily lead to suspension of
bostilities and the restoration OF the Union
And, also, thati can be proved by two per-
the first or second day before his death. fell in
with them uear 4arrstt's, and asked their ad.
vice and as slstance in his efforts to escape. He
informed them that he had killed Lincoln, and
thereby made kood Southern man President
One of the parties. whose name is Dawson,
ssid to him that II he meant that he meant that
h had made Andy johnson President he had
done the worst possible thing for the South, as