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

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quently testified that he was sitting on
the steps of the theater just before Booth
fired the shot, and seeing mysterious
persons about
was allowed on the fourth day of my
Imprisonment to walk the prison yard,
but from that evening I was closely con-
fined and guarded until the next Sunday
at midnight, when I was again taken to
the office to see q detective, who said,
"COme, SpangleT, I've some iewelry for
you" He handcuffed me with my arms
behind my back, and guarding me to a
hack, I was placed in it and driven to
the navy yard, where my legs were ma
nacled and q pair of Lille handouts
placed on my wrists. I was put in a
boat and TOwed to a monitor, where /
was taken on board and thrown into
small, dirty room, between two water
closets, and on a bed Of filthy life pre-
servers and blankets, with two soldiers
guarding the door. I was kept there for
three days. had been thus confined
three days on the vessel when Cap
tain MunTOe came to me and said:
SpangleT, I've something that must be
told, but you must not be fTightened.-
We have orders from the Secretary of
War, who must he Obeyed, to put q bag
on your head.n
Then two men came and tied up my
head so securely that could not see day
light. had plenty of food, but could
not eat with my face mUttied up. True,
there was a small hole in the bag near
my mouth but 1 could not reach that, as
my hands were wedged down by irOn.-
At last, two kind-heaTted soldiers took
compassion on me, and while one watch
ed the other fed me. On Saturday night
man came to me, and after drawing
the bag so tight as to nearly sUtfOcate
me, said to the guard: Don't let him
20 to sleep, as we will carry him out to
hang him directly" I heard him go up
on the deck, when there was a great rat
tling of chains and other noises; and
while l was trying to imagine what was
going on, and what they intended to do,
l was dragged out by two men, who both
pulled at me at times in different direc-
tiOnS.
We, however, reached boat, in which
I was placed, and were rOwed a short
distance. I could not say then where
we were stopped, for my face was still
covered. After leaving the boat, l was
forced to walk some distance with the
heavy irons still on my legs. Twas then
suddenly stopped, and made to ascend
three or four flights Of stairs; and as l
stood at the top waiting, some one struck
me a severe blow on the top of the head,
which stunned and half threw me over,
when I was pushed into a small room,
where | remained in an unconscious con-
ditiOn for several hours. The next NOR
ming some one came with bread and cOf-
fee. I remained here for several days,
suffering torture from the bag or padded
hood over my face. 1t was on Sunday
when it was removed and l was shaven.
1t was then replaced.
Some hours after, Gen. Hartranft
came to me and read to me several char
ges; that was engaged in a plot to as
sassinate the President; and the day
following I was carried into a military
court and still hooded before all its MEM
bers. remained but short time when
| was returned to my cell for another
night and day, and then again present
ed in this court. Mr.. Bingham, Assist
ant Judge Advocate, read the charges
against me, and asked if I had any OBJ
lection to the court, and replied {" No."
and made my plea of "nOt guilty. ~
They then wished to know if I desired
counsel, and when I answered affiTma-
lively, General Hunter, the President Of
the court, insisted that I should not be
allowed counsel. He was, however,
Overruled, but it was several days before
was permitted legal aid, the court in
the meanwhile taking evidence with
closed doors, On every adjournment of
the court, if only for an hour, I was re-
turned to my cell and the clOsely-fitting
hood placed Overmy head. This cOntin-
ued till June 10, 1865, when I was reliev-
ed from the torture of the bag but my
hands and limbs remained heavily ma
nacled.
On one Sunday, while [ was confined
at this place (the Washington ArseQaD,
I was visited by a gentleman of middle
stature, rather stout, with a full beard
and gOld-framed spectacles. He noticed
my manacles and padded head. I after
wards learned that he was Mr.. Stanton,
the Secretary of War. Tt is proper to
state that when the hood was placed on
me, Captain MunrOe said it was by or
der of the Secretary of War. My first
thought was that I was to be hung with
out trial, and the hood was preparatory
to that act.
The first time I ever saw Mrs. Surratt
was in the Carroll Prison yard, on Capt.
tOI Hill. l did not see her again until
we were taken into court the first day at
the arsenal. My cell was on the same
corridor with hers, and had to pass it !
every time was taken into court. Il
frequently looked into her cell, a small |
room about four feet wide by seven feet !
long. The only things in the cell was
an old mattress laid on the bricks and an
army blanket. I could see the irons on |
her feet, as she was generally lying on |
the mattress, and was the last one |
brought into court. She occupied a seat |
in court near the prison door. The seat |
was twelve inches nigh, and the chains |
between the irons on her feet were so |
short that she always had to be assisted |
to her seat. She was so sick at one time |
that the court was compelled to adjourn. |
On the 18th of July, about midnight,
I was conveyed to a steamboat, and az
rived the next day at Fort Monroe, and .
was thence taken to the gUnbOat FlOTi- |
da. managed to get along cOmfOrta- |
bly, for a while, though to some of our
prisoners the officers were very cruel.
During the latter part of last October |
] was placed in irons and compelled to .
work with an armed sentinel over me. |
I did not know the reason for this, for I |
was uncOnciOus of having given offence, |
and had cOnfOTmed to every regulation.
I was then closely confined and allowed .
to communicate with no one for four .
The pretense for this, l after
wards learned, sprang from an attempt
of DR.. Mudd to escape.
Col. st. George Leger Grenfel, aged IS
years, was taken sick and went to the
doctor to get excused from work. The
doctor declined to excuse him, He then
went to the Provost Marshal, who said
that he could not excuse him if the doc
tor couldn't. Grenfel then tried to work
and failed. They then took him to the
guard-hOuse, tied him up half day,
and then took him to the wharf, tied
his hands behind him, tied his legs to-
gether, and put rope around his waist.
There were three officers, heavily armed
who drove spectators from the wharf; l
could see and hear from my window.
The Colonel asked them if they were go
ing to throw him in the water, and they
answered 't4es.n He then jumped in,
and because he could not sink, they drew
him out and tied about forty pounds of
iron to his legs and threw him into the
water again, and after he had sunk
twice they pulled him out again, and
then compelled him to 90 to work.
The officers who had him il hand
were Lieut.. Robinson, Lieut. Pike and
Captain Geo. w. Crabb, assisted by Ser
geant Michael Gleason and Assistant
StOre-keeper, G. II. Jackson,
VINO tied the iron oa his legs. Capt
Samuel PEBBLES tied up GTenfel for say
ing that 'he was capable of doing any
thing Col. Grenfel was forced to scrub
and do other menial work when he prov