The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1869-04-21
The National Perjurer.
AN ORIGINAL LETTER FROM CoSovER THE
CHAMPION sWEARER.

From the Cincinnati Enquirer, 2S.l
1t took sixteen centuries of war and mis-
government, of rebeIlion and revolution IN
Great Britain to produce Titus Oates.
But we in the United States are hot-bed
Tor exotic plants. Tn less than one century
after our independence we produced Sc
cOnd edition of the original, without his
courage and nerve. We allude to c. A.
Durham alias Sanford Corover, who en-
deavored, before the Military Commission
which pretended to try the assassins of
President Lincoln, to swear away the lives
OF John Il. Surratt, Jefferson Davis, c. c.
Clay, Geo. n. Sanders, Beverly Tucker and
Others.
1t is well known that Durham alas
Conover was subsequently convicted of
perjury, and sentenced by the Washington
Criminal Court to the Albany Pententia-
ry Tor period of ten years, from which in
year or two afterward, he was pardoned
ny President johnson, upon the recon-
mendation it is said, of Joseph Holt, the
Judge Advocate of the Military Bureau.
We have before US letter written by
Durham, dated Richmond Va, August Is.
1868, to friend, which has never been
published. 1t is an explanation of the ex
traordlnary course which he pursued, and
which led to his incarceration in the peni-
Tertiary. Durham had been in the Con-
federate service, and was one of its ennis
saries in Canada at the time the war closed
Alter the conclusion Of peace he endeavor-
cd to make his way back to the United
States. lie was arrested by some Govern
ment detectives in Ogdensburg, New York
and was conducted to Washington on or
about the period of the holding of the in
famous Military Commission, in May or
June, 1865. He went there as an unwil-
ling witness, as be states, but fearing that
he, personally, would fall under the ven
geance of the Government as an ex-Cop-
federate, he lent himself to all its designs.
de swore that Thompson, Sanders & Co.,
N Canada, 10 his personal knowledge,
were privy to the assassination. In the
letter before US be says:
Your other inquiry, whether honestly
believe Thompson and Sanders were con-
nected with Booth in the assassination. ia
perhaps sufficiently answered already, but,
as the question will admit of a categorical
answer, will be the more explicit, saw,
then, that while the testimony given by
me before the commission was literally
true, even to the minutest detail, vet
Thompson, Sanders and some others inn.
plicated had, in my opinion, and can al
most say to my certain knowledge, no
criminal connection with Booth or any of
his co-conspirators, and had no more idea
that Lincoln would be assassinated than
he had himself. \
1.-The stories of Merrill and Montgomery
are tissue of the most atrocious false
hoods ever uttered. They are destitute Of
a single material fact that is true. They
were fabricated to dovetail with my testi-
mony. This may seem strange, as one, if
not both, of these witnesses were emamip-
ed before l was, but it is nevertheless true,
as can clearly be shown"
We may add here that neither Merrill nor
Montgomery were ever arrested or brought
to any responsibility for their testimony.
Further on in the letter from which we
quote Durham is very bitter upon Judge
Holt, the Government prosecutor before
the Military Commission. lie says:
Holt is thirsting for more victims.
He is thiIsting for the blood OF Davis and
Clay above all others. Knowing there ex-
lists no evidence of any criminality on their
part. be is bound to supply the want
As soon as became satisfied of his
desires sought to ingratiate myself in his
favor, and he now regards me as the most
competent and reliable of his CONDUCTORS.
The subsequent as well as the previous
course of Conoyer showed that Holt did
not misjujge him-that he was adapted to
an emergency.
The pardon Of Conover was effected by
Judge Holt upon the ground that he had
rendered important service to the Govern
ment while in the penitentiary, by his in
formation in the John III. Surratt trial is
it necessary to say anything further than to
remark that the man convicted of perjury
IN the trial OF the mother was released for
valuable information given to the Govern
| ment in the trial of the son.
PROTECTION IILUsTRArED.-The Wash
T IL