Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1867-08-10
ALLEGED IMPEACHMENTssC CO 0NSPIR.
ACY.
Statements of Sandford Conover, alias
Dunham.

General of the United States. forwarded to the
President on the 5th instant an application of
Sandford Conover, alias Dunham, for pardon.
accompanied with several papers, aud among
them some extraordinary statements Of Con-
over. the prisoner, who, 1t will be remembered.
was re Gently convicted of perjury py the Grim
inai Court Of this District, and incarcerated for
that offence. HIS application seems to be pre-
dlcafed, IN part, upon supposed technical
irrrgularity in the consti ution of the jury, and
Is supported m ainly by the services which ne
is alleged 10 have rendered the cause OF Justice
in aiding the prosecuting counsel in the col
trial of John II Sun ratt for murder
The papers upon which his application is
grounded, and by which it is sustained. con-
sist of iour, IN a parcel, which, by endorse
Once on Saturday. the 27th of July, 1867. The
first is dated the 22d of July, and is written
upon the ordinary note paper used by men,
bers of the House OF Representatives, with an
engraved gnette caption, aud purports to oe
a note from Hon. J. M. Ashley. addressed to
Hon. J. H olt and Hon A. G Riddle, suggesting
the signing OF petition by them for Conover's
pardon.
The next paper is from Hon. A. g. Riddle,
late representative in Congress from Ohio,
BOW a member of the Washington oar, ad- :
dressed 10 the President of the United States
stating that early in April last he was retained
to aid the Government In the prosecution of
John H. Surratt. and took the general manage
ment OF the preparation Of the case, and that
the labor and fficulties of the case were great
and the Government Is under great obligations
20 CharIes A. Durham for much valuable in :
formation. both as to the facts aud witnesses
for the United States, and for the history of
and facts concerning the witnesses called for
the defence. Mr.. Riddle says -"It seems to
me that tor his services in this behalf the Gov
eminent should mark its appreciation Of them
in way not to be mistaken"
The next recommendation is from Hon. j .
Holt, who says II concur with the Hon A.
G. Riddle in his estimate Of the value and im-
Az a Fnn dnNn ~ r1A,
A. Dunham. as set forth in the foregoing letter
to the President. A principle Of public policy
leads governments to encourage. by all nsn-
Orable means, those charged with crime to
make disclosures which may, and often do,
result In unmasking even greater Offenders
than those who make them: and hence when
they are found to have acted voluntarily. and
In good faith. the highest public considerations
require that heir conduct shall be generously
appreciated" 1t may be proper to remark
that the Recommendation OF the Judge Advo-
same sheet ith that of Mr. Riddle, and not
upon Off cial paper
The last paper in the case 10 the petition Of
Conover himself, who does not base his appii-
cation on the above mentioned grounds OF ser.
vices rendered to the Government, hut trusts
mainly to technicality Saying: .sthat he was
tried and convited by jury not qualified to
try him; that the Jurors before whom he was
so tried and con demned were illegally selected
and drawn as decided by the court In the case
of John H. Surratt. the manner and torn Of
SuIratt and the petitioner being identical.
That in the discussion on the opening of the
trial OF Surratt. to the legal Qualification Of
the Jurors who had been summoned and en-
pannelled to try him, 1t was contended by the
prosecution. and decided by the court, that
said jurors were Internally and irregularly se-
lected and drawn and that any verdict they
might render upon any trial would be abso-
lutely void. The petitioner further says that
under the rules and practice OF the Supreme
Court OF this District, the above informality in
the selection and drawing OF jury does not,
after sentence uRder 4 verdict found by such
jury, constitute ground for q new trial or
other relief by the court: and that the ouly
remedy for such an illegal conviction lies in
an application to the Executive for pardon
Mr. Bnckley says:-.The above are all the
papers which have come TO my knowledge in
relation to the application tor pardon. When
considered In connection with other papers.
adventit.ously rece we'd. they excite peculiar
interest, an command careful atten ton. And
it is the extraordinary gravity of the import OF
these papers, last mentioned. in connection
with the source whence thev come. which
makes it my delicate duty to submit their con-
tents for your studious consideration, and to
suggest that some proper disposition ought to
be made OF them, in consonance with the dig
nifty OF the Government, and in Justice to all
parties. / Introduce them as follows:
"Ftrst, comm unicatiCn addressed to the
President OF the United States, bearing date
Washington. July 20, 1857, and signed "CnarIes
A. Durham - 1t will be seen that this person.
who is certified by gentlemen OF official and
professional responsibil ty, and Of distiu-
gulshed sagacity, to be capable OF great and
valuable service In the dtsclos ure of crime,
makes startling asseverations directly against
prominent members OF the National Lesisla-
ture."
Then follows the statement referred to- ac-
cnsiRg Hon. j. M. Ashley and others Of q con.
spfIacy to man ufacture testimony for an i'm.
peachment OF the President. After claiming to
ee aetuated 6y patriotic motives IN making the
disclosure. Conover. or Dunham proceeds:
''After obtaining my promise to render all
the assistance in my power. Mr.. Ashley ex.
planned to me the kind of evidence he thought
1t most advisable to present against You. He
thought 1t would be very plausl BILE to prove:
1st. That Booth had on several occasions
paid you familiar visits at the kirkwood
This, It was hoped. might be able to induce
some OF the old female servants to testify 20.
Ii this could not be done, then 1t should be
proved by come of my friends who happened
20 be At the house At the time who knew Booth,
&C., and saw the visits.
I'd. That you corresponded with Booth,
which should be shown by one or more per-
sons who had taken notes from Booth to you,
and your replies contents unknown) thereto
TO Booth. The witnesses should be persons
who profess to have been intimate with Booth,
and to have been enlisted by hum to take part
in the assas SIM alton. .s#& -
Sd. That the placing Of Atzerodt with wea-
pons at the kirkwood was only a sham-al
though AtZerodt was not aware OF ito make
II appear that you were intended as a victim,
and thus distract Ct all suspicion from you Of
was suggested, could be proved by persons
WHO could testify that they had been ind uced
toenter into the conspiracy with Booth, and
bad performed part in organizing it, &C.,
which persons, 1t was to be understood, We're
induced to testify under an assurance from the
Government that they should not be prose-
cuted for any part they had taken.
TIE resolution under which Buffers com.
mittee was appointed, it will be observed,
provides for the protection of such persons
Who are furnished with good excuse for not
coming forward before-by Offering immunity
to all who are connected with the conspiracy
who will now come forward and disclose
their knowledge on the subject. ss
4th. That Booth, just after the 4th OF March,
stated to intimate friends in New York, whom
he endeavored to enlist In the conspiracy, that
he was acting with the knowledge OF the Vice
President; that it had been arranged to kill
Lincoln On the day OF the Inauguration, which
duct on that occasion, which had provoked SO
much comment in the press; that you expected
the tragedy to be enacted then, and had taken
several potations TO compose and nerve you
for the event; and that you were not so much
intoxicated IS nervous and excited. X
cutfyitn fna,ng persons Of good standing and
moral character TO prove these matters aud ii
was agreed that l should do so as soon as
released. As an earnest that possessed the
ability to do what / engaged, and in order to
satisfy some Of their party who doubted the
exisence OF evidences TO connect you with the
ASSASSINATION conspiracy, Ashley and Butler
desired and pressed me to send for two or three
persons of whose intelligence and qualifica-
lions they conld satisfy themselves, and wnom
they coutd parade before their incredulous
friends. conse nted, and Ashley supplied ihe
facts Il WAS deeired they should know and
rel eat, and for wai ded them 70 II say friend
xsyif nlap ions a a INV m,