Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-12-07
testimony Of the Notorious Ashley.


The following is the concluding testi-
mony before the Impeachment Commit :
tee by Ashley. 1t speaks for itself, and
shows plainly that he had for long time
made his bed with criminals:
On November 23d, Congressman Ash
ley was examined as the last witness in
the impeachment investigation. he
testified that be had presented TO the
Committee all Of the evidence that he
could command to sustain the charges
made against the President; that he did
write letter dated July 22, 1867, sug-
Qesting pardon for Dunham, alias Con.
over, then and now in prison for perjury,
before this Committee; that Messrs
Radford, of New York, and Rogers, OF
New Jersey. Democratic Congressman,
also favored Conover's pardon; that he
Ashley had four or five interviews with
Conover while the latter was in Jail )
that Conover promised to give informa'
ton which would lead to obtaining two
or three letters purporting to have been
written by Andrew johnson to Jefferson
Davis; that he corresponded with Como
yer on this subject; that the letter states
that he knew Of letter written by the
President, which would implicate Mr.
Johnson in the assassination of Lincoln,
but that he (Ashley) looked upon the
statement as too vague and that 1t was
never worked up.
o. Have you not stated to members of
Congress that you had evidence implica.
ting the President in Mr.. Lincoln's as
sassination2 7
A. No; not evidence in my possession.
I may have said that | had statements
made in writing and otherwise by this
man, which induced me to believe that
/ may have said that
O Have you ever brought the evidence
on which you believe it before this Com.
mittee2
A. No, sir. / have spoken to mem
bers of the Committee about it; | have
had no evidence which l regarded as
valid. 1t was an isolated statement here
and there, and not sufficiently strong to
warrant me in pressing it.
O. Then you say you had no evidence
against Mr. johnson which you consid-
cred valid2
A. Yes; / had no evidence which
regarded as sufficient before a jury to
convict criminal.
O. By Mr.. Eldridge-I repeat the ques-
ton whether you have not told members
of the House Of Representatives that you
had evidence in your possession which
satisfied you that Mr.. johnson had taken
-
ton of Mr.. Lincoln2
A. / have said that / believed that
from all l was able to gather during this
investigation that Mr.. johnson had a
guilty knowledge of the assassination.
@. You have said that before. Irepeat
the question as / put it before, and l want
an answer to it specifically.
Ashley-Have | not answered.
Eldridge-No, sir; | think not. | re-
peat the question.
Ashley-I had not that kind of evi-
dence which would satisfy the great
mass of men, especially the men who do
not concur with me in my theory about
it. | have always believed that Presi.
dents Harrison, Taylor and Buchanan
were poisoned, and poisoned for the ex'
press purpose of putting Vice. Presidents
in the Presidential office. In the 6rst
two instances it was successful. 1t was
attempted with Mr.. Buchanan and failed.
1t succeeded with Taylor and Harrison.
Then Mr.. Lincoln was assassinateo, and
from my standpoint ! could c>;he to a
conclusion to which impartial men hold
ing different views could not come. 1t
would not amount to legal evidence.
Mr.. Ashley then proceeded to testify
that he never submitted any evidence,
nor had he made any charge that Mr.,
johnson was implicated in the assassna-
ton plot. He adds, in concluding his
evidence, that he paid Sanford Conover 8
wife some money for professional ser
vices in obtaining witnesses.