Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1869-07-14


y Life on the Dry Tortugas as-Tortures in-
;, nlcted upon the Prisoners by Army Ofli-
cers-Disgnacefui Page La our Annals
S WASHINGTON, June 20.
Edman Spanglcr, who was tried and
0 sentenced by military commission in
1865, on a charge Of being engaged in
the plot TO assassinatc Presidens Lin.
coin, and pardoned by President John
son, mas prepared tho following state
, ment, asserting his innocence of all
knowledge Of the crime, and detailing
the cruelties practised upon the prison
ers before and after conviction. Span
Z gler was a sceneshifter at Ford s
Theatre, ond was on the stage when
John Wilkes Booth shot Mr.. Lincoln
and jumped from the box. He also at
times took care Of Booths horse. The
evidence against him was ofthe fiimsi.
est character, not being even circum.
stantial, for it did uot appear in that
trial, or 10 the subsequent civil trial Of
Surratt, that Spangler had any con-
ncction whatever with any of the other
fso-called conspirators. Most every
body believed him innocent then, and
the Military Commission doubted bis
guilt by sentencing him to six years at
the Dry Tortugas, and giving tho 9th.
ers life term. The Military Commits
sion was organized 10 convict, and il
conUicted. Abundant testimonyis is now
at hand TO show the vast amount OF
perjury Of that trial-perjury exacted
by tear and dictated by malice. Span
glers allusion to the witness Weichman
being IN the abduction plot is import
ant. Weichman's testimony, it will be
remembered, hung Mrs. Surrat.. The.
following is the statement sworn and
subscribed to:
STATEMENT OF EDMAN sPAEGLER.
! have deemed il due to truth TO pre-
pare Republication the following state
ment-at time when hope the tenn
per Of the people viii give me a patient
hearing-of my arrest, trial, and i'm
prisonment, for alleged completely in
the plot to assassinate the late Presi-
dent Lincoln. ! have suffered much,
but | solemnly assert now, as | always
have since | was arraigaed for trial al
the Washington Arsenal, that | am
entirely innocent OF any tore or after
knowledge Of tho crime which John
Wilkes Booth committed-savew what
knew in common with everybody after
il took place lturthcr solemuly assert
that john Wilkes Booth, or any other
person Aeper mentioned TO me any plot,
or intimatiOn of plot, for. the abduc-
tion or assassination of President Lin /
coin; that did not know when Booth |
theatre, that be had shot Mr.. Lincoln
add that did not, in any way, so help |
me God, assist in his escape; aud |
further declare that am entirely in
nocent of any and all charges made |
against me in thatconneclion. never
knew ethcr Surratt, Payne, Atzerodt,
Arnold, or Harold, or any OF the So
called eonspirators, nor did ever see
any of them until they appeared in
custody. While imprisoned with At /
zerods Payne, and Harold, and after
their trial was over,l was allowed
few minutes exercise in the prison
yard. / heard the three uj,ite in assert
ing Hrs. Srrdtt's entire Innocence, and |
acknowledge their OloA guilt, c0nfaing
the crime, as they did, eatireiy 10 them.
Seipes, bat impltcating the witness,
Weichman, ia kno,oiedge Of the original
plot 10 abduct J and l0ith furnishing in
formation from the Commissary Of
Prisoners Department, where WEIGH
man was a clerk.
| was arrested on the morning Of
the 10Th OF April, 1855, and with Rit-
lerspaugh (also scene shifler) taken
TO the police station on & street, be-
tween Ninth and Tenth. The sergeant
after questioningm closely, went with |
two policemen TO search for Peanut |
John (the name Of the boy who held |
Booths horse the night before) and
made TO accompany us to the head
quarters of the police on Tenth street,
where John and were locked up,
and Ritterspaugh was released, and 1
brought before Judges Olin and Bing-
ham, and told them Of Booth bringing
his horse to the theatre on the alter
noon of the l4th Of April (lS65). |
After this investigation | said "What
is to be done with mes' and they re-
piled: ave know where 10 6nd you |
when you are wanted, aud ordered |
myrelease, returned TO the theatre,
where l remained until Saturday,
when the soldiers took possession Of
il; but as the otficcrof the guard gave
an attache and myself pass to sleep
there, we retired at l0P NJ, and at
An guard was placed over me, who
remained uutil9A. NJ. Sunday morning,
when | was released. | did not leave
the theatre until Sunday evening, and
on our return this attache Garland by
namo) and myself were arrested by
Detective Larner. Instead Of taking
us to the guard.house be said he would
accompany us home TO sleep there,
but we ali went TO Police Headquar-
ters on Tenth street, and when Car
land asked if we were wanted, an Of
ficer sharply said "No." l returned
TO the theatre that night, and remain
cd the next day till went to dinner,
corner Seventh and 6 streets. That
over remained few inmates, when
Rtterspaugh (who worked at the
theatre with me) came, and meeting
me, said; ~ have given my evidence,
and would like now TO get some of
the reward.
walked out with Ritterspaugh for
half an hour, and on returning to lie
down left word that if any one called
for me 10 tell them | was lying down
Two hours after was called down
stairs to see two gentlemen who had
called TO see me. They said that was
wanted down street. On reaching the
sidewalk they placed me in hack and
drove rapidly 70 Carroll Prison, where
| was confined a week. Three days
afterwards Detective or Colonel, Baker
came to my room, and questioned me
about the sale of horse and buggy