Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-08-24
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! January ill the Isl of this shonth. He
used her time and tears and energies; /
am confident he lied to her IS he did 10
everybody else. Through her he made
an effort 20 get the favor and SUPPORT
of Betlers committee for inqufring IN
I to the assassination. He claimed that
he could furnish highly important
evidei &c touching this matter if he
were once SET at liberty. His wife was al
lowed to see him every day. His counsel
were trying TO get new trial for him, and
she went to New York to bring certain doe
uRe1ts on which they rested their applica-
ton. Whilst this was pending, Conover
refused To say definitely what facts bearing
upon the assassination were in his posses,
sion or control. He was urgent that But
ler's committee should do something in his
behalf, and daily promised great things IN
return. The new trial was denied, and
Mrs. Dunham's friends told her that she
must make her husband understand that
he was in no position TO demand fayors.
She lsas also ABUSED 10 urge him to make his
disclosures and trust the committee 10 act after
tcard, IF they were found important. He
heard all thatshe had TO say, and desired
that certain prominent members of Con-
gress, Radicals, whose names do not feel
at liberty to make public, would call on
him. One of these, az least, a leading
Western Senator, complied with the request,
and to him COnover confided his so-called
great secret. He said he had within his
control, il out Of prison, the originals Of
letter from Booth to johnson, and a note
from Johnson TO Booth in reply; and these
documents, he alleged, clearly implicated
the President in the assassination plot.
The letters, he said had come into his pos
session while in Tennessee; he had
sealed them in packet, and left this with
friend in New York State-no one could
get it but himself Afterwards he admitted
that his wife could obtain it on an order
from him, and the Senator advised him TO
send her for il at once, telling him that he
could not hope for release at present, but
that if the documents were found as he
represented, and if his conduct was good
meantime. he might reeeipe some javors at the
hands Of Congress IN gear or tpO. Conoyer
protested great penitence, and an intense
desire to aid in bringing the President to
justice. / don't know that any man be-
lieved him to be in in possession of cores
pondence between Booth and johnson. |
But some of his wife's friends, anxious to
aid her, and seeing how firmly she believed
his story about the letters, prevailed upon
the General to follow up the matter, and
see what would come of it. He finally
consented, and furnished Mrs Durham Nth
money 10 60 to Ne,0 York and obtain the packet.
he was so confident however, of Conover's
raseality, that he ordered a watch kept
upon him and his wife for day or two.
UOnoyers character came 10 light at once.
His wife had got the money, and was ready
TO start bat he refused to give her an order
for the packet, and fell back upon his orig
inal assertion that no one could get it but
himself General Butler tpas urattV enoU9h
and expressed himself in anything but
mild terms. The money he had advanced
was returned, and there the matter dropped.
THE HOLT RIDDLE RECOMMENDATION.
All the efforts of his counsel for a new
trial had failed, and all his schemes for
success through the aid of either Democrats
or Radicals had also failed The end had
come, the prison door was in sight, aud
ConoVer finally implored somebody's aid
for pardon. This was the last resort.
He saw that nothing could be done unless
something tangible was presented in his
behalf Would Mr.. Riddle give him a
note to say that be bad furnished informa.
tiOH valuable 10 the government The
application was made to Riddle. because
be, snd not the District Attorney. worked
up the case against Surratt for the govern
ment. Mr.. Riddle is one Of the kindest-
hearted of men, and SO he gave poor Mrs.
Durham the paper she wanted. Would
nd IoAf - ~ L I
done such wrong, say word In his behalf?
AT first be refused to have anything to do
with the matter-it seemed monstrous that
this perjurer should ask favors of him. But
the Judge is a man of most generous and
kindly nature; the situation of this woman
and her children, without means of sup
port, without relatives to whom they may
apply, moved him, and he consented to
endorse Mr.. Riddles letter. And this en-
dorsement, thus given, carefully guarded
as it is in its terms, the whole Copperhead
press are attempting to show in evidence of
his completely in some sort of plot against
the President Their course is simply
Infamous.
The application for pardon, or for elem
ency of Some Kind, went tethe President,
backed by the letters of Judge Holt and
Mr.. Riddle. Conover ought to be grateful
all his days for their words. Few as they
are, for himself they would never have
been written-so- much his wife and child
rem got for him. 1t is a shame that so
true woman should be welded to such
reprobate; and yet she says he was al
ways a kind husband and father. 1t was
believed by some Of the persons who knew
of the application for pardon that the
name of Holt and Riddle would procure
for it immediate notice. The President
referred it, however, as he had that OF the
Democratic Congressman, to the Attorney
Generals Office