Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1869-07-28
Il Leaf fran, History.


Statement of Edman spangler, Victim of Edwin
NJ. stanton-RecOrd of Military Justice in 1865
Deeds of the Terrible " Council Of Ten Repeated
The Washington correspondent of the
New York World furnishes that paper
with the following statement of Edman
SpangleT, who was tried and sentenced
by military commission in May, 1865,
on a charge of being engaged in the plot
to assassinate President Lincoln, and
pardOned by President Johnson.
STATEMENT OF ED1IAN sPANGLER.
I have deemed it due to truth to pre-
pare for publication the following state
ment, at time when hope the tenn
per of the people will give me a patient
hearing of my arrest, trial and impris-
Onment, for alleged completely in the
plot to assassinate President Lincoln. I
have suffered much, but I sOlemnly as
sert now, as I always have since l was
arTaigned for trial at the Washington
Arsenal, that was entirely innocent of
any fore or after knowledge of the crime
which John Wilkes Booth committed
save what knew in common with ev-
erybOdy after it took place. l further
sOlemnly assert that John Wilkes Booth,
or any other person BeUCT mentioned to
me any plot, or intimatiOn Of a plot, for
the abduction or assassination of PTesi-
dent Lincoln; that did not know when
Booth leaped from the box to the stage
at the theatre, that he had shot Mr.. Lin
coin; and that l did not, in any way, so
help me God, assist in his escape; and 1
further declare that | am entirely innO-
cent of any and all charges made against
me in that connection.
7 11ny-nr know nitnnr SIIPr1tt poJ-To
AtzerOdt, Arnold or Harold, or any of
the sO-called cOnspiratOrs, nor did I ever
see any Of them till they appeared in
custody. While imprisoned with AtZer-
Odt, Payne and Harold, and after their
trial was over, I was allowed a few min
Utes' exercise i'll the prison yard. I
heard the three unite in asserting Mrs
SUrrattiS entire innocence, and acknOwl-
edge their own guilt, cOnfining the crime,
as they did, entirely to themselves, but
duplicating the witness, Weichman, i'll
knowledge Of the original plot to abduct,
and with furnishing information from
the COmmissaTy of Prisoners Depart
ment, where Weichman was a clerk.
I was arrested on the morning of the
18th of April, 1865, and with Ritters-
paugh (alsO a scene shifter), taken to the
police station on E street, between Ninth
and Tenth, The sergeant, after ques-
tiOning me closely, went with TWO pO-
licemen to search for Peanut John (the
name of the boy who held Booths horse
the night befOre), and made to accom-
pany us to the headquarters of the pO-
lice on Tenth street, where John and I
were locked up, and RitterspaUgh was
released, After four hours confinement,
I was released and brought before Judge
fnI ,f
Booth bringing his horse to the theater
on the 14th of April, 1865. After this in
vestigatiOn, I said "What is to be done
with me ?" and they replied: We know
where to find you when you are wanted"
and ordered my release. / returned to
the theater, where | remained until Sat
urday, when the soldiers took possession
of it; but as the officer Of the guard gave
an attache and mysely 2 pass to sleep
there, we retired at ten =. NJ, and at l
A. NJ, q guard was placed over me, who
remained until A. NJ, Sunday morn
ing, when l was released. I did not
leave the theater until Sunday evening,
and on our return this attache Carlton
by name) and myself were arrested by
detective Lamar. Instead of taking us
to the guaTd-hOuse, he said he would ac-
company us hOma to sleep there, but w5
all went 10 ponce headquarters on IenJn
street, and when Carlton asked if we
were wanted, an officer sharply said
"po" 7 IretUrned to the theater that
night, and remained the next day till /
went to dinner, corner Seventh and G
streets. That over 1 remained few
minutes, when Ritterspaugh (who work
ed at the theater with me) came, and
meeting me, said: 81 have given my
evidence, and would like to get some of
the reward
] walked out with Kitterspaugh for
half an hour, and on returning to lie
down, left word that if any one called
for ME, to tell them that I was lying
down. Two hours after, ! was called
down stairs to see two gentlemen who
called for me. They said l was wanted
down street. On reaching thesidewalk,
they placed me in hack and drove
rapidly to Carroll Prison, where ! was
confined a week. Three days afterward
detective, or Col. Baker came to my
room, and questioned me about the sale
Of Q horse and buggy (Which belonged to
BOOth) and told him all abOutit freely
and rapidly. On the day following, I
was called into the Office of the prison,
i'm order to be recognized by Sergeant
Dye, who merely nodded his head as !