The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1869-01-29

lie was permitted to depart the ne
ID morning, thankful that !, escap,
1t unharmed from the murderous rasc:
T. and fully resolved never again
a place confidence in an entire stra
I, ger, whatever profession he mig
'e represent. j, NJ. Ii.
1t ASSASSINATION OF MIR. LINCOL,
Vt Confessions of Two of the Prisone,
" Statement of Arnold OO His Arres,
Confession Of Atzeroaa a--fhe Co,apii
ify Of John nSurratf.--Plans of tls, y'o
G sPirators--Their Places of Meetis,
.&e.--rhe Abduction and Assassin
tiOn Conspiracy. F.f...I
f From the Baltimore American.
f Now that the trial OF John Surra
e for participating in the asssssinatio
: OF President Lincoln has been throw
cut of Court through the technical
? ties Of the law, and he is announce
as preparing for press a narrative {
) the whole transaction, it may sery
, a good purpose to give publicity t
/ the following statement OF Samuel
Arnold, one Of the prisoners at th
Dry Tortugas, made in Baltimor
voluntarily, four days after the as
sassination. We also give the cor
fessions of Atzerodt, made In his ceI
on the night before the execution
Both OF these confessions we have i
our possession in the handwriting O
the prisoners, and they have hithert,
not been made public under tn
expectation that they would be use,
in the trial of John Surratt.
The confession of Arnold was mad,
in the office of Marshal McPhail, OF
the 18th of April, 1865, immediatel,
on his being brought to this city
from Fortress Monroe. He sat dowr
at desk and voluntarily wrote i
without any questioning.
The confession Of Atzerodt was
made in his cell, at Washington, or
the night before the execution. He
asked for paper, and it is written
with a lead pencil, the disconnected
manner of it indicating the state OF
mind of the prisoner:
CONFESSION OF SAMUEL B. ARNOLD.
MADE APRIL Is, 1865.
10 whOna 10 may concern:
Known that /, Samuel B. Arnold,
about the latter part of August or
first part of September, 1864, was
sent for by J. Wilkes Booth, who was
a guest at Barnum's Hotel, in the city
of Baltimore, Nd, TO call to see him.
1 had not seen the same j. Wilkes
Booth since 1852, when we both were
schoolmates at st. Timothy's Hall,
President L. Van Bokelin then hav
ing said Hall as a place of tuition
His reception of me was warm. Call
ing for wine and cigars, we conversed
for a short time upon our former
schoolboy days We were interrupt
ed by q knock at the door, when
Michael O'Laughlin was ushered in.
After formal introduction, we sat
slipping our wine, and all three smok
ed O cigar. During smoking, he
having heard previous of my political
feeling or sentiments. spoke in
glowing terms of the Confederacy
md the number of surplus prisoners
n the hands of the United States.
Then ensued the proposition by j.
Wilkes Booth, and which he (J.
Wilkes Booth) thought could be nc
viz: of kidnapping
President Lincoln, as he frequently
vent unguarded out to the Soldiers
lone and he thought he could be
picked up and carried to Richmond,
md for his exchange produce the
for the President of all the
prisoners in the Federal hands.
He, j. Wilkes Booth, the origina
or of the scheme, asked if we would
inter into it. After painting the
'hances of success in such glowing
olors, we consented, viz: Michael
)'Laughlin and myself. We were
'ound not to divulge it TO living
oul. / saw him once more in Balti-
nore. and then he (J. Wilkes Booth)
eft to arrange his business up North,
rst to New York, thence TO the Oil
regions, and from there to Boston,
nd finally TO Canada. He was to be
ack in a month. / received q letter,
7hich L destroyed, stating he was
aid up with erysipelas in his arm,
nd as soon as he was able he would
e with us. Months rolled around,
nd he did not make his appearance ;
ntil some time In January. In his
runk he had two guns, cap cartridges
'hich were placed in the gun stocks {
Spencer rihes think they were
alled-revolvers, knives, belts, car, {
'idge-boxes, cartridges, caps, can {
fully fixed for service {
'hich were to be nsed in csse of pur- {
nit, and two pair of handouts to I
the President. His trunk 6
eing so heavy, he gave the pistols, t
nives and handouts 10 Michael r
'Laughlin and myself, to have '
lipped or bring to Washington. He b
len returned from Washington, to /
hich place he had gone, bought a |
orse, harness and buggy wagon,
aving the team, DC, with US to '
rive on to Washington. We started f
ON Baltimore about twelve or one 8
clock, after having shipped the box n
obtaining the knives, handouts and t
Id pistols, arriving in Washington {
bout seven or half past seven the e
me evening. We met him on the L
rect as we were passing the theater. a
e alighted, took drink, and he a
Id US of the theater plan slightly, b
ying he would wait till we put the "
,rse away and tell US more fully. =
e had previously, as / now remem- b
,r, spoken of the chances at the the il
er if we could not succeed in the j
her plan at the Soldiers Home g
e went to the theatre that night, he Il
7. Wilkes Booth telling US about S
e different back entrances. and how B
asible the plan was. Hehad rented W
stable in the rear OF the theater. n
wing bought two horses down in 81
e country. One was in the stable d.
,hind the theater, the other at the g
very. Met him next day; went id
gether to breakfast with him. He m
as always pressed with business IL
Ith a man unknown to us then, by al
e name of John Surratt; most of t;
S (Booth's) time wss spent with te
m. We were lett entirely in the