The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1867-06-28
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THE ASSASSINATION TRIAL.


VIM. r. Conger residing at ST. Albans
testiied-He thought he saw the prisoner
there on Tuesday or Wednesday after the as
sassnation; another man was with hi m; he
suspected that he had been engaged in the
assassination conspiracy he crossed his path
several times as be was going to the depot,
and tried to find an officer TO have him ar
rested
On cross examination he said he had no de.
scripton of the mau, but supposed be wal
engaged IN the assassination, except what he
saw in the Burlington Times.
Mr. Bradley requested that witness be sum.
moned for defense.
Ordered.
Witness replied to Pierpont's description
in the paper Was looking for him.
E. A. Sswles testified to seeing same per
son on the 18th of April, 1865, at st. AL.
bans; he was unable to identify him.
Sawles was to day summoned for the de.
feuse.
Mrs. F. W. Clermont Of Washington,
testified to seeing him on Penn. Avenue the
l4th of April, 1865, who seemed impatiently
waiting for another; she was waiting for q
car in few minutes they were Joined by an
other, and / turned my head away why
don't know, they spoke in an undertone: the
only name heard was Jim" and then
heard the prisoners name mentioned, and
one of the men spoke OF coming for the
Soldiers Home: then heard the words tele-
scope rife, another answered that his wife
and child would be along; another replied
that ii made no difference: If necessary they,
too. could be got rid Of at this turned, and
one seeing | was loooking, both ceased con
yersation and walked down the avenue; their
conversation was in an undertone, and could
&nly catch word here and there; they made
remarks | could not help hearing two were
talking at first and the third came down
Tenth street: | saw one of the men at the
conspiracy trial of Harold and Atzerodt; they
were thetwo men at the corner; the man who
came down Tenth street was young man Of
medium heighth, and thought | had seen
him before, did not know where. but recol-
lected afterwards had seen him on the stage
and recognized the third man as John w.
Booth.
Edward Sawles, resident Of st. Albans,
Vt, testified to seeing man supposed to be
Booth at that place on the 18th of April. 60,
talking to another man, witness was conf
dent it was not Booth, because Of the tele-
gram being received stating that he was be
ing pusued in another direction, though he
saw a resemblance between the man and pris.
oner.
l.. d. Weichman was next sworn and his
evidence occupied the rest Of the dav. He
detailed the commencement Of his intimacy
with Surratt be first met Harold at Mrs
Surratts =. and Surratt in Surrattvile witness
commenced to lodge at Mrs. Surratt's house
Nov. Is, 1854, and to take meals there the
December following he boarded there the
night of the assassination the first outside
party he saw at the house connected with the
conspiracy was Booth in 1864 or 1865 was
invited to take walk by Surratt, during
which he recognized and introduced Dr.
Mudd to me Mudd introduced Booth to both
of us; Booth invited us to his room at the
National Hotel there he ordered drinks and
cigars the number of his room was 81
Booth, Mudd and Surratt had private con.
versation in the entry, which each subse
quently told witness referred to Booth
desire to purchase Mudd's farm; they alsc
conversed twenty minutes around the table
Booth making marks on an envelope, which
witness thought were strange lines from tbs
motion of the pencil; some time afterwards
in reply to question, Mrs. Surratt said the
people of Charles county we're tired Of Booth
and wanted to push him of on John; in the
summer of 1864 met Harold at Piscatcgus
church; Surratt was there; it was only cas-
ual meeting: in the latter part Of 1864 Sur,
ratt was employed by Adams Express compa.
NJ and took French leave for a visit 10 tht
cor atry; in January, 1865, he also took leave
and went 10 Port Tobacco; witness recog
nized the entry OF his own aud Surratt'
name on the register of the Maltby House il
Baltimore, January 26, 1865; next morning
Surratt took Carriage; SAID he hac
$500; that he was going to see some gen,
tlemen on business and did not want ms
along; don't know where he went; returned
home that evening; think / left Surratt il
Baltimore; was introduced to Atzerodt b,
Surratt at Surratts house; he and Surrat
conversed and Mrs. Surratt also: irequentl,
saw Atzerodt at the house afterwards: Bootf
came very frequently; in February, 1885, Sur
ratt went to New York, told me nothing
about bis visit except that he saw Booth
that he had fine house and that he had beer
introduced to Edwin Booth. Witness de
| tailed the appearance of PAYNE, at Surratt
house in February, 1865, under the name o
| Wood; there was no sign OF recognition
! between Surrstt and Wood; he tool
supper by Mrs. Sarratts desire in witness
room; on March 18th he again visited ny
house, giving his name as Payne; next da,
came back and walked into my room; wa
writing at my table and Surratt was lying OF
the bed: Payne said he wanted to convers,
privately with Surratt; left the room; mex
day when came home March l4th) founc
a moustache laying on my table; then wen
up to another room back and saw Surratt ant
Payne seated on a bed conversing, and sur
rounded by new spars, two revolvers and tw,
bowie knives; when | went to dinner | tolC
Mrs. Surratt | had seen John and Pawn,
| fencing with these things, and, said |, sMrs
Surratt | don't like this;'' told her hat
seen them on the bed; she told me | need no
think anything of it, as knew John was il
the habit of riding in the country and he hac
to have things for protection; that nigh
Payne and Surratt attended Ford's theatr,
with ladies'; subsequently came to my room
and got pack of cards and staid ont al
night; Surratt afterwards said they spent th,
night at Goutiers, and would introduce M,
but 1t was private club; on the evening O
March Sd Booth and Surratt were con
verslng in Mrs. Surratt's parlor; Boo,l
was also there on the evening of the 9Th o
March; Harold wa not there then, but wa
there one day in Aarch talking with Atzer
rodt and Surratt on the Goth.
The balance of this witness testimony oc
cupied the attention of the court during to
| day s session, and is merely an account OF tn,
| witness intercourse with Booth, PAYNE, Sur
ratt, Mrs. Surratt, and other persons con
cerned in the assassination conspiracy. con
veying the impression upon the mind of tn,
hearer that the circle named as parties to thi
conspiracy had been in constant interter
course for aspeci6c purpose for q long time
and witness specially connects Mrs. Surrat
and John with all consultation and arrange