Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1867-12-05
Testimony cf Hon. =. m. Ashley.

GA Nov. % Congressman Ashley was ex-
| amincd, as the last witness i'll the impeach-
inent investigation. lie testified that he
| had presented to the committee ell OF the
| evidence he could command to sus' ain the
charges made against the president; that
he did write letter, dated July -, 1867,
suggesting u pardon for Durham. alas Con
over, then aud now In prison for perjury
before this committee; that MessIs. Bradford,
Of New YORK. and Rogers, Of New Jersey,
and Democratic congressman, also favored
Iunover's pardon; that he tAshley) had
four Or five interviews With Con0vcr while
the latter was in jail; that Conoyer prom
sed 10 give information which would lead
IL obtaining TWO or three letters pu porting
10 have been written by Andrew johnson
to Jefferson Davis that he correspondent
with Conover on this subject that he lat
ter stated that nc knew Of letter written
T., The presiden, which would i,nplicate Mr..
johnson in the assassination OF Abraham
Lincoln, bu. he Ashley looked upon the
statement as too vsgue, and that il WAS new
CT worked up.
uaestion-Elave you stated to members
OF congress THAI You had evidence implica-
ting the president in Mr.. Lincoln's assas-
sinationY
Answer No not evidence in my posses
sion. may have said that / had stale
mcnts made in writing and otherwise by
this man, and thai which induced me to be-
lieve It. may have said that.
Qnestion-iiayc you ever brought the
evidence on which YOU believe it before this
committee
Answer-No, sir | have spoken to
members Of the committee about il. have
had no evidence which regarded as valid.
II wa, IN isolated statement here aud there,
ana not suti ,iensly strong to warrant the
IN presenting 1t.
Question hen you say you had no ev-
idencc against Mr.. johnson which you con-
sidered valids
Answer-Ycs; l had no evidence which
regarded a. sufficient before . jury to con.
vict n criminal.
Question BY Mr. Eidridgc-I repeat the
| question whether you have not told mem
bers Of the house Of representatives that
you had evidence in your possession which
satisfied you that Mr.. johnson had taken
part in or was implicated in the assassina.
ton Of Mr.. Lincoln?
Answee--I have. and that l believed
that. from all that was able to gather du
ring this investigation, Mr.. johnson had d
guilty knowledge Of the assassination.
| vaestion-lou have said That before.
repeat the question as l put il before, and
want an answer TO il specifically.
Mr.. AsA.ey-ilave not answered i,s
Nj Edridss- No, cir +; think net Ire
pea, the question.
Mr. Ashley had no, that class of eyi
dcnce which would satisfy the great mas
of men, especially the men who do not con
cur with re in my theory about it. | hav,
always believed that Presidents Harrison
Taylor and Buchanan were poisoned an,
olscnrd for the express purpose Of puttinl
the vice presidents in the presidential Of
| fee Ia the first two instances it was sue
cessful. Ii was attempted with Mr.. Blu
chsnan, and failed il succeeded with Tay
Tor and Harrison. Then Mr.. Lincoln wal
assasinated, and from my standpoint
could come to . conclusion to which impair
al men, holding different views, could no,
come. Il would not amount to legal evi-
d.ace.
Ma Ashley then proceeded to testify that
ne never submitted any evidence, nor had
ne made any change that Mr.. johnson wss
npnSsted in the assassination plot. He
auus "fconcluding his evidence. that be
pau Sen'csa Conover's wife soms money
'o' p'o'ess'o'ia services in obtaining wit
nesses.