The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1869-01-22
REPORTED CORNERSTONE"

voluntarily, four days after the assassi-
nation of President Lincoln, and the
confession of Atzefojt. made in his cell
on the night before the executien.-
Both of these confessions, says the A
merican "we have in our possession i'm
the handwriting of the prisoners, and
they have hitherto not been made pub
lie under the expectation that they
would be used in the trial of John Sur
ratt." The confession of Arnold was
made in the office of Marshal McPhail,
on the 18th of April, 1866, Immediately
on his being brought to Baltimore II ON
Fortress Monroe. He sat down at
desk and voluntarily wrote it without
any questioning. ssThe confession of
Atzerodt was made in his cell, at Wash
ington. on the night before his exeeu-
ton. He asked for paper, and it is
written with lead pencil, the discon-
nected manner oft Indicating the state
of mind of the prisoner The state
ment of Arnold details plan which
Booth had formed, and in which he Gar
nold) agreed to join, for kidnapping
and abducting President Lincoln-but
Booth never said any thing to him about
killing President Lincoln. He also
states that Booth knew and was in COM
munication with John Surratt. The
public are already familiar with the re-
ported plan for the abduction. The fol-
lowing incohereut statement is given as
that made by Atzerodt:
Harold came to the Kirkwood House
and left the knife, pistol and coat, on
the evening of the murder, about half
| past six o'clock, as was about leaving,
| having told the clerk to tell whoever
might call that l was gone out. This
was before Harold came in, Harold and
| then went to the Herndon House, Mrs.
Murray's, corner of Ninth and F streets.
1t was then about 8 o'clock, and saw
Booth, Wood and Payne in Woods
room. Here the proposed murder was
first mentioned. refused TO take part
in it, when Booth said, "Then We will
do It but what will become of you yen
had better come along and get your
horse" then left them and went to
the Oyster Bay on the avenue, and stay
ed some time; then to the stable and
got my horse and went up ID. street. -
the Rinnel House and got a drink. |
saw none 9th party after We separat-
ed about o'clock that evening. | then
went out G. street towards the Balti-
more depot; went between he old and
new Capitol; came on the avenue again,
and concluded to come back. l rode
down the avenue and the cavalry were
dashing by me. This was the first 1
heard Of the murder. | then went up
| Eight street, left the horse at the sta
bles opposite the Franklin House, and
then went to the Herndon House, and
| heard a little boy talking about the muir
der. then took car and went to-
wards the Navy Yard. This was about
| IL O'Clock, and met two young men
| named Briscoe and Spates, with whom
l had some talk. After walking some
distance took a car to the corner of
Sixth street and Pennsylvania avenue.
Here met man enquiring for place
| to sleep at. l took him around to the
| Rinnel House, and we retired to one
room with six beds in it. / left early
next morning and passed through
Georgetown on my way to Montgomery
county. No one left the hotel with me.
saw Mike O'Laughlin about week
before the President was killed. Inever
wanted OLaughlin and Arnold's aid;
met O'Laugh,in once or twice at Suth-
ard 5 and few times in the street.
When we were at Murrays, on the
| night of the murder, Harold said he had
| q letter from printer to Andy john
son. He said he was going to give it to
| him, and he wanted me to give him the
| KEY of my room, which refused to do,
Previous to the arrangement for the
| murder Booth heard that the President
was to visit a camp. The coach was to
be taken on Seventh street. Surratt
was to jump on the box, as he was the
best driver, and drive through Old
| Fields to the Long Bridge. This was
| about the middle Of March. O'Laugh-
| lin, Samuel Arnold, Payne, Surratt,
Booth, Atzerodt and Harold went to
the Long Bridge with two car3ines, and
were to wait for Us. They did so until
| midnight and returned to Washington
next morning. This failed. All was
quiet then for some time. Booth went
to New York, Arnold to Baltimore,
OLaughlin also, and Payne left for
New York. After:this Howell brought
| n woman across the Potomac. Howell
was made prisoner, and Surratt took
| her N orth, about week before the
| murder. Booth told me that Surratt
was in the Herndon House, on the night
of the murder, the 18th of April, we
were not altogether at the Herndon
| House. Booth told me Surratt was to
help at the box, that he expected others
| in the box. Booth went from the Hern-
| don House, down Ninth street. The
words of Booth we're 81 saw Suiratt a
few months ago." All the parties APP
peared to be engaged at something on
| that night and we're not together
Booth appointed me and Harold to kill
Johnson, in going down the street I
| told Booth we could not do it. Booth
| said Harold had more courage and he
would do it, and should not go to my
room for fear he would disturb MIR.
johnson. He left me 20 go for Booth.
| This was after nine o'clock, l went to
| the Oy ster BAY, and Harold came in
and said that Booth waited to see me.
Harold left me here. promised to get
| my horse and come. l was not at the
| Kirkwoed House after two o'clock. |
have no recollection of being there after
| that. / had nothing to say at any of
the meetings. One of the attempts was
| at the theatre; the gas to be put out &c.
No discussion was had about failure,
| and what to do in that case. The coil
of rope at Lloyd's was to stretch across
| the road to trip the cavalry. | know
nothing about Spangler's rope; be-
| lieve him innocent. Booth told me an
| actor was to be the best ass slant in the
| theatre to turn offthe gas. Arnold and
O'Laughlin were to grab the President
and take him off; and Booth said, when
applied to for money, he would go to
New York and get some, as he had it
there. Mrs. Surratt, Mrs. Slater, Mai.
Banon and John Surratt left Washing
ton together: got horses at II oward's.-
Mrs. S., stopped at Surrattsville. John
Surratt and Mrs. Slater crossed, and
Banon and Mrs. Surratt came back
Banon was III the rebel army. don't
think Banon knew anything about the
conspiracy. sold horse for Booth
and thought the affair was about over.
The murder was preached first on the