The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-01-23
THE LINCOLN ASSASSINATION.


ne CONCESSIONS Oh Arnold ana AtZerOut,
The recent publication in the american of the
confessions OF Atzerodt and Arnold has at.
tTacted great attention, and have been copied
stated h az Se ep S hs
copies of these confessions had been In the
hands of the Government from the time of
their being made, and that the trial of John IL.
Surratt being abandoned, we now felt at liberty
to publish them for the general information of
of the prisoners. being our possession. We also
thought that, in view OF the announced inten-
tion of Surratt to publish an autobtography, in
which he will doubtless attempt to clear him
self of all participation in the assassination,
that the testimony OF Atzerodt, made volunta-
rily few hours before his execution, was spe-
cially important.
The Baltimore Sun, which has been the spe-
cial champion of SurraCt, the Surratt family,
and all connected directly or indirectly with
the assassination, copied from our columns the
confession OF Arnold, but failed to publish that
plcated Surratt not only in the assassination,
but in all the plots of the assassns, which was
with merely an allusion OF its being confused
and uncertain on this point AS TO their pub-
lication at this time, the Sun adds, with what
motive no one need care to inquire" whilst the
Philadelphia Press imputeG their publication to
q desire TO create sympathy for the prisoners at
Johnson in his evident intention to pardon
them. The Press even goes further than this
and very foolishly contends that the confess
siOps are forgeIies, gotten up Tor the purpose,
and that "they are designed to draw OF atten.
tion from the real crime and its perpetrators,
what actually took place"
AS TO the confessions themselves, we have
known their existence and been aware of their
contents from the day they were taken and
have several times applied for permission to
publish them. This, however, could not be OBJ
tained until q few days since, when we imme-
diately laid them before the public
The confession of Atzerodt, which the sun
declined TO publish, the New York Times says
must explode like a bomoshell In SurratLs
little project of exculpating himself. Made
voluntarily In his cell the night before his exc.
p0tiOn this confession m a ha raoardad as
of interested motives in what it tells against
Surrett-testimony quite different from that of
the latter gentleman's forthcoming biogra-
phy which, as we are told, Is to be irresistible
Arnolu's testimony Che is now at the Dry
Tortugas, being acquitted of direct particIpa-
damaging. IL only goes to show that Surratt
was John W. Booths con1dant and "pal:''-
unknown TO us then, by the name Of John surratt;
most of his tBooth's) time was spent with him. We
lived for nearly Two months. seeing him perhapS
three four times during the week and when seen
business always on hand, Wis to see John surrat."
This confession was made voluntarily four
days after the assassination.
Atzerodps confession is more pointed. 81
had not seen John Surratt" he says "for about
eight days before the murder. Booth told me a
few days before the murder that he was In
Washington" Afterwards, on the same subject,
he adds:-
Booth told me that surratt was in the Herndou
we We're not atoEether at the Herndon House 600
told me Surratt was to help at the box that he ex-
don House down Ninth street. The words OF Booth
weTt;-I saw surIatt n az few moments ago. All the
night, and were not together"
We have no doubt that Surratt will make all
this quite clear in his Forthcoming biography" ."
Meanwhile, however, II will give him chance
to exercise his ingenuity, In order that he may
contribute TO what Commissioner Onld calls
1.-THE truth OF hlstory."-BdHhHore american ana
CJOsetke OF UedteTuQU,