The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-06-28
The Trial Of Surratt.

The Trnut Oh SurFhtI
WASHINGTON, June 27.-Wm. X G.
Conger, residing in st. Adams, testified
that ne thought he saw the prisoner
there on Tuesday or Wednesday after
the assassination; there was another
man with him; he suspected hi m OF be-
ing engaged in the assassination con-
spiracy; he crossed his path several
times as he was going to the depot, and
tried to find an officer to have him ar
rested.
On cross-examination the witness
said he had no description of the man
supposed to be engaged in the assassina'
ton, except what he saw in the Burling'
ton Times.
Mr.. Bradley requested that the wit
ness be summoned for the defense. Or
dered. .,
The witness in reply to Pierpont said
the description in the paper was OF
Booth and he was looking for him.
Edward A. Sawles testified to seeing
the same persons on the 18th of April,
Is, at st. Adams, but was unable to
identify the men. Sawles was to-day
summoned for the defense.
Mrs. +. w. Clermont testified to see
ing on Pennsylvania avenue in April,
1864, two men who seemed to be i'm
patiently waiting for another. She was
waiting for a car. In few minutes
they were joined by another; i turned my
head, why, / don't know; they spoke in
an undertone; the only name l heard
was Jim, and | heard the Presidents
name mentioned, and one of the men
spoke of coming from the Soldier llome;
then heard the words telescope" ri
de" and other words; another replied,
at makes no difference; if necessary,
they two could be got rid Of" turned,
and on seeing | was looking, both
ceased conversation and walked down
the avenue; next saw the men ut the
conspiracy trial; Harold and Atzerott
were the two men at the corner; the
man VITO came down 10th street was o
Young man of medium heighth, and l
thought had seen him before; do not
know where, but recollected afterwards
to have seen HIM on the stage, and rec
ognized the third man as j. w. Booth.
Edward Sawles, residing in st. AL
bans, Vt, testified to seeing man he
supposed to be Booth at that place on
the 18th of April, 1865, talking to an
ether man. The witness was conf
dent that it was not Booth, because tel
egrams had been received stating that
he was being pursued in another direc-
ton, though he saw IA resemblance be-
tween the man and the prisoner.
Lewis j. Weichman was next sworn,
and the evidence occupied the rest OF
the day. He detailed the commence
ment of his Intimacy with Surratt; he
first met Harold ut Mrs. Surratt's at
Surrattsville; witness commenced to
lodge at Mrs: Surratts house in Wash
ingt on November LIST, 1864, and to take
meals there i'll December following;
boarded there the night of the assassi-
hation; the first outside party he saw
at the house connected with the con-
spiracy was John Wilkes Booth;
in 1864 or to was invited to take a
walk by Surratt, during which he rec
ognized and introduced DIR. Mpdd to me;
Mudd introduced Booth to both; Booth
invited us to his room at the National
House; then he ordered drinks and ci-
CARS; number of the room "a; Booth,
Mudd and Surratt had conversation,
in the entry, which each subsequently
told. The witness refused Booths de-
sire to purchase Mudd's farm. They al
30 convsrsed twenty minutes around a
table, Booth making marks OH all ell
velope, which the witness thought
were straight marks, from the motion
of the pencil. Some time after, in re-
ply to question, Mrs. Surratt said the
people of st. Charles county were tired
of Booth, and wanted to push him of
on John. In the summer of 1864 / met
Harold at the Piscataway Church. Sur
raft was there. 1t was only a casual
meeting. In the latter part of 1864.
Surratt was employed in the Adams
Express, and took French leave" for a
visit to the country. In January, 1865,
he also took leave, and went to Port
Tobacco. Witness saw, in entry Z, his
own and Surratt's name on the the reg
lister of the Maltby House, Baltimore,
January 2lst, Us. The next morning
Surratt took carriage; said he had
$500; that he was going TO see some
gentlemen on business and didn't want
me along; don't know where lie went.
returned home that evening; think |
left Surratt in Baltimore; was intro
duced to AtzerOtt by Sarratt ut Sur
rats house. He and Surratt conversed
with Mrs. Surratt; saw Atzerott ut home
afterwards; Booth came ve.y frequent
ly on February Is; Surratt went to New
York; told me nothing about the visit
except that he saw Booth had fine
horse and had been introduced to Edwin
Booth.
The witness detailed the appearance
Of Payne at Surratt's house in February,
1865, under the name of Wood. There
was no sign of recognition between
Surratt and Wood. He took supper by
Mrs. Surratt's desire, in the witness,
room. On March 18th he again visited
the house, giving the name of PAYNE.
The next day he came back and walked
into my re0m. l was writing at the
table and Surratt vas lying on the bed.
Payne said he wanted to converse pri.
vately with Surratt. left the room.
The next day when came home, March
18th, found a moustache lying on my
table. l then went mp to all attic room
back and saw Surratt and Payne seated
ON bed conversing and surrounded by
new spurs, two revolvers and two bowie
knives. E
When went down told Mrs. Sur
raft ] had seen John and Payne firing
with these things and said I, "Mrs.
Surratt, ldon't like this" told
her / had seen them on the bed; she
told me I need not think anything of
it, a. knew John was in the habit of