The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-06-26
YitI,n>ond 1ispatth.
rrpDaY. JUNE rs, 1869.


.ut of EdmRu Spangrer, Vic.
s'a If Edwin s6. Stnnton---Reeor& Of
n.m ".,sry Justice I'm rSS5---How am In
Ion, Man was Treated.
h"..-cspondeacc of the New York World.
,f,Srrycrox. June aSs-Edman Span
y. rbo vas tried and sentenced by a
r 'g.. commission in May, 1865, on a
T''-s # being engaged in the plot to as
T"':r r,,c President Lincoln, and rardoned
Sr,"cs;dent johnson, has prepared the fol-
ar statement, asserting his innocence
y,,T knowledge of the critne and detailing
q, a." ,rucitics practiced on the prisoners
I"y ,..o and after conviction. Spanglcr was
Fe'oaec.shifter at Ford's theatre, and was
S w. stage when John Wilkes Booth sho;
o, TI,pcoln and jumped from the box. He
W. - fines took care of Booths horse
a.. evidence against him was of the film
wv. character. not being even circumstan-
.,i inr il did not appear in that trial, or
n' 80 subsequent civil trial of Surratt, that
..,nr,cr had any connection whatever with
- the other so-called conspirators.
~, ,Il everybody believed him innocent then,
tho military commission doubted his
he Tortugas-giving the others life
avn. .- The military commission was Or
...,ei 10 convict, and Il conricted. Alum
1,,, testimony is now at hand to show the
r -,., amount of perjury of that trial-per-
.'-y cyactcd by fear and dictated by malice.
...r-Icr's allusion TO the witness WEIGH
.- being in the abduction plot is import
Wcichman's testimony, it will be re-
-.,ohcrcd, hung Mrs. Surratt. The follow
49,. 5. the statement sw6rn and subscribed
STATEMENT OF EDMAS SPAEG LER.
rhgvc deemed it due to truth to prepare
~ publication the following statement
s,siimS when | hope the temper of the
.sorlc will give me patient hearing-of
,ny arrest, trial, and imprisonment, for
,rc-cd completely in the plot to assassinate
,br late President Lincoln. | have suffered
,~nrb. but | solemnly assert now, as |
.'zayg have since was arraigned for trial
the Washington Arsenal, that | am en-
,-tv innocent of any fore or after know
rsl.c Of the crime which John Wilkes
nth committed save what | knew in
common with everybody after it took place.
further solemnly assert that John Wilkes
Ea,b, or any 6thef person, neUe+ mentioned
,amc any plot, or intimation of q plot, for
,lc abduction or assassination of President
Lincoln: that | did not know when Booth
rs,rri from the box to the stage at the theatre
ina. he had shot Mr.. Lincoln; and that
lid not in any way, so help me God, assist
~ his escape: and further declare that |
nm entirely innocent of any and all charges
made against the in that connection. l
,nc- knew either Surratt, Payne, Atze-
-,r, Arnold, or Harold, or any Of the So
c,rlcd conspirators; nor did | ever see any
n them until they appeared in custody.
While imprisoned with Atzcrodt, Payne,
and Harold. and after theil trial was over,
| WA allowed few minutes, exercise III
the prison ward. Ihedrd the three unite IN
l,>,rt.nl ifrs. SmrattS entire innocence,
caI oclnorlcdqe their o,rn guilt, continuing
II, rimc, rs they did, entirety to them
s.''r>, but implicated the witness WEIGH
man IN inoricdgr Of he original plot TO
nrh,t. md rH Furnishing information
from the Commissary of Prisoners Depart
mcn', where Wcichman was clerk.
was arrested on the morning OF the
18th Of April. 1863, and with Rittcrspauglr
Da.so sccuc-shiftcr) taken to the police
station on f street between Ninth and
Tenth. The sergeant, after questioning
me closely, went with two policemen tc
search FOR Peanut John Che name of the
j"y who held Booths horse the night be-
iorcD and made to accompany us to the
headquarters Of the police on Tenth street,
where john and were locked up, and Rit'
trr,yaugh was released. After four hours
confinement | was released, and brought
before Judges DIN and bingham, and told
them Of Booth bringing his horse to the
theatre on the afternoon OF the l4th OF
tpril, 1868. After this investigation
N4ii, What is to he done with me ah'
they replied, eve know where to find yo'
when YOU are wanted and ordered my re
ease. | returned TO the theatre, where
remained until Saturday, when thcsoldier
took possession of it. but as the Off
Ger OF the guard gave an attache
and myself pass to sleep there, we re
tired ut 10 p. NJ, and at l \. NJ. Il guart
vas placed over me, who remained until
4 VI. Sunday morning, when l was re
leased did not leave the theatre unit
Sunday evening, and on our return this al
,echcc Garland by namc) and myself were
arrested by Detective Larncr. Instead O.
taking us 10 the guard-housc he said hi
would accompany lis home TO sleep there
hut We all went TO police headquarters, or
Tenth street, and when Garland asked II We
were wanted, an officer sharply said, ono
returned TO the theatre that night, and re-
NAMED the next day till | went 10 din
Ter corner Of Seventh and q streets. Tha
over, remained few minutes, when Rit
terspaugh (who worked At the the theatre
with mel came, and meeting me, said :"
have given my evidence, and would like nov
% g"; some of the reward.o -.
walked out with Ritterspaugh for haH
an hour, and on returning to lie down left
word that if any one called for me to tel
them that | was lying down. Two hours
after was called down stairs to see two
Gentlemen who had called for me. They
SAID that l was wanted down the street
On reaching the sidewalk they placed me
in 4 hack aud drove rapidly to Carroll Pri
SOB, where was confined 4 week. Three
days afterwards Detective Tor ColoneD Ba
Srr came to my room and questioned m'
about the sale Of horse and buggy (Which
belonged 10 Booth), and told him all abou
freely and readily. On the day following
vac called into the Office of the prison in
order to be recognized by Sergeant Dye
VINO merely nodded his head as | entered
ANA then he left. Dye subsequently, testified
that he was sitting on the steps of the the
"irc just before Booth fired the shot, and tt
seeing mysterious persons about.] / was
allowed on the fourth day Of my i'm,
F'sonmcnt TO walk the prison yard, but
from that evening l was closely confined
ana guarded until the next Saturday