Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-06-30

which John Wilkes Booth committed
save what knew in common with every
body after it took place. | further sol.
EMMY assert that John Wilkes Booth, or
any other person, neper mentioned to me
any plot, or intimation of plot. for the
abduction or assassination of President
Lincoln; that did not know when Booth
leaped from the box to the stage at the
theater, that he had shot Mr.. Lincoln ;
and that / did not, in any way, so help
me God, assist in his escape; and ! fur.
ther declare that am entirely innocent
Of any and all charges made against me
in that connection. never knew either
Surratt, Payne, Atzerodt, Arnold or
Harold, or any of the so-called conspira-
tors; nor did ever see any of them until
they appeared in custody. While i'm
prisoned with Atzerodt, Payne and Har.
old, and after their trial was over, | was
allowed few minutes exercise in the
prison yard. / heard the three unite in
asserting Mrs. Surratt's entire innocence,
and acknowledge their own guilt, con-
6ning the crime, as they did, entirely to
themselves, but duplicating the witness,
Weichman, in knowledge of the original
plan to abduct, and with furnishing in
formation from the Commissary Prison
ers' Department, where Weichman was q
clerk.
was arrested on the morning OF the
18th Of April, 1865, and with Rtters-
psugh (slso 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 police
men to search for Peanut John 1.-THE name
of the boy who held Booths horse the
night before) and made to accompany us
to the headquarters Of the police on Tenth
street, where John and we're locked up,
and Ritterspaugh was released. Alter
four hours confinement / was released,
and brought before Judges Olin and Bing-
ham, and told them CT Booth bringing
his herse to the theater on the afternoon
of the l4th of April (l865). After this
investigation said !" What is to be done
with me? aud they replied: I'VE 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 myself pass to sleep
there, we retired at ten p. m, and at one
a. m. a guard was placed over me, who
remained until nine am. Sunday moro
ing, when / was released. did not leave
the theaier until Sunday evening, and on
our return, this sttache Garland by
name) and myself were arrested by De-
tective Larner. Instead of taking us to
the guard-house he said he would accom-
pauy us home to sleep there, but we all
went to Police Headquarters on Tenth
street, and then Garland asked if we
we're wanted. An officer sharply said,
"No." | returned to the theater that
night, and remained the next day till
went to dinner, corner Of Seventh and G
streets. That over, / remained a few
minutes, when Ritterspaugh (who worked
at the theater with me) came, meeting
me, said: 81 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 to
say that / was lying down. Two hours
after / was called down stairs to see two
gentlemen who had called for me. They
said that was wanted down the street.
On reaching the sidewalk they placed me
in hack, and drove rapidly to Carroll
Prison, where l was confined q week.
Three days after Detective or Colonel
Baker came to my room, and questioned
me about the sale of a horse and buggy
(which belonged to Booth), and | told
him all about it freely and readily. On
the day following was called into the
Office Of the prison in order to be recog-
nized by Sergeant Dye, who merely
nodded his head as / entered, and then
he left. (Dye subsequently testified that
he was sitting on the steps of the thester
iust before Booth fred the shot, and to
seeing mysterious persons about.) L was
allowed on the fourth day of my impris-
onment to walk the prison yard, but from
that evening / was closely confined and
guarded until the next Saturday at mid
night, when i was again taken to the
office TO see q detective, who said:
Come. Spsngler, I've some jewelry for
YOU" He handcuffed me with my hands
behind my back, and, guarding me to
hack, was placed in 1t and driven to the
Navy Yard, where my legs were man
acled, and pair of Lille handouts
placed on my wrists. / was putin boat
and rowed TO monitor, where l was
taken on board and thrown into q small,
dirty room, between two wster-closets,
and on to bed Of filthy life-preservers
and blankets, with two soldiers guard
ing the door. | was kept there for
three days. / had thus been confined
three days on the vessels when Captain
Munroe came to me aud said: "Spang-
Ter, I've something that must be told, but
you must not be frightened. We have
orders from the Secretary of War, who
must be obeyed, to put q bag on your
head" Then two men came and tied up
my head so securely that could not see
daylight. l had plenty Of food, but could
not eat with my face so muffied up. True,
there was q small hole in the bag near
nv mouth, but could not reach that, &c
nv hands we're -edged down by the iron.
Al last, two kind-hearted soldiers took
compassion on me, aud while one watched
the other fed me. On Saturday night
man came 10 me and, after drawing the