The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1867-08-16
AsTeUSDING REVELATION!
to Involve President John
son an the Lincoln AsSaSSinatiOn
OF One of the Conspirat
I'M. Ashley and B. II. Butler the Ring
leaders I'm the plot!

J.M. Ashley and B. +. Butler the Ring
leaders I'm the plot!
The Attorney General of the United
States has recently come into possession
of documents which show, beyond dis
pute, that j. NJ. Ashley, member OF
Congress from Ohio, and B. T. Butler,
member of Congress from Massachu-
sets, the leaders of the impeachment
party in Congress, had entered into a
conspiracy, with one Charles A. Dun
ham, alias Sanford ConOver, to pro-
cure suborned witnesses to prove that
President Johnson was implicated in
the assassination of ex-PreSident Lin
coin. This man Dunham, or COnOver,
is the same who was recently convicted
of perjury, and who is now incarcera-
ted in the Albany penitentiary. From
the documents in possession of the At
torney General, it appears that Ashley
was quietly at work to secure the par
don of Dunham, with view, doubt
less, of qualifying him as witness a
gainst the very man who was asked to
pardon him. To this end, at the sug-
-gestion of Ashley, letter to the Presi-
dent recommending such pardon, was
drawn up and signed by Hon. A. G..
Riddle, of Ohio, and endorsed by JO-
seph Holt, Judge Advocate General.
A petition for the same purpose, sign
ed by Dunham himself, was also pre-
sented to the President. The recon-
mendation signed by Riddle, is dated
July %, 1867, and its endorsement by
Holt, the day following. Dunham's
petition is dated July 26, 1867. Three
days afterward, when Dunham dis
covered that he would not be pardoned
and that the order for his transfer to
the penitentiary had been given, he
wrote out and forwarded to the Presi-
dent, a statement revealing the diabol-
ical attempt of Ashley, Butler and 9th
ers, tOprocure persons who wouldswear
falsely to the connection of President
johnson with the plot to assassinate
Lincoln. With this statement, Dun
ham also sent certain memoranda of
what the subOrned witnesses were to
swear to, and a number of letters writ
ten to him by Ashley. Dunham's
sets forth among other
things. that at the instance of Ashley
and Butler, he had persons brought to
the prison in which he was confined.
who were willing to be suborned; that
Butler and Ashley met them there
that Ashley instructed them in what
they should testify in short that Ash
ley and Butler, in connection with a
Rev. Mr.. Matchett, conspired with
him, Dunham, in his prison, to pro-
cure perjured witnesses to testify against
President Johnson before the Judicial
ry Committee. Among the things
which were to be proved by this subor-
nation, were, that J. w. Booth visited
Mr.. johnson when Vice President, at |
The Kirkwood House; that Booth and |
Mr.. Johnson corresponded by letter;
hat Booth, just after the 4th of March,
stated to intimate friends in New York,
hat in his design to assassinate Lincoln
lie acted with the knowledge of Vice
President Johnson. These things were
put in the mouths of the per-
ons whom Durham had brought to
he Jail, at the instance of Ashley and
Butler. Such is the account given Of a
most atrOcious attempt to form a most |
Infamous conspiracy against the Chief
Executive of this Government. AS to
he truth of the statement, time will |
ell. Dunham, who makes the con-
essiOn, was a tool in the hands of Holt,
Ashley, Butlerand theleading Radicals
n Congress. Holt and Riddle recon-
mend his pardon on the ground that he
rendered great service, "without solici-
alton, IN the interests Of truth and jus
ice," in the Surratt case, and Holt
says, "a principle of public policy leads
governments to encourage, by all hon
orable means, those charged with
rhine, to make disclosures which may |
md often do result in unmasking even
greater offenders than those who make
5hem." Whether Charles A. Dunham,
1lias Sanford Conover, has, in his dis
closures just made, unmasked seven
greater offenders than himself" let the
people judge.
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YANKEE VS.. DUTCH.