The Van Buren press., 1869-02-16

introduced me TO John Surratt,, Atzerou1
alias Port Tobacco -, alias Moseby,
making in all seven persons. j. Wilkes
Booth h ad sent word to Michael oLaugh.
lin to bring me up in good humor still
always in the darh) Then commenced
the plan for Selling the President Each
had his part TO perform First, was to
rush into the private.box and seize the
President, willis, Atscrodt, alias Port To-
bscco aud j. Wilkes Booth we're 70 hand
cuff him and lower him on the stage,
while - Moseby was to catch him and
hold him till we got down. Surratt aud
the unknown were to be on the other side
Of the Eastern Branch bridge to facilitate
escape. 1t was afterwards charged to
Moseby and Booth to catch him In the
box, and to lower him to me on the stage.
OLaughln and the unknown were to put
the lights out, and Sarrstt and Atzerodt,
alias Port Tobacco, 10 be on the other
side Of the bridge. was opposed to the
whole proceeding, and said 1t could not
be accomplished Ifever, which was an
impossibility, We could get him out Of
the box and to the bridge, we would be
stopped by the sentinel. Shoot the
sentinel" said Booth. said that would
not do, for il an alarm was given there
the whole thing was up, and as for me,
] wanted the shadow ofa chance for es-
cape and success. Michael OLsughlin
wanted to argue the same way, whereup.
on J. Wilkes Booth said, "You find fault
with everything concerned about It," |
said no, that wanted to have chance,
and intended to have it; that he could
be the leader of the party, but net my
exscutioner. Whereupon J. Wilkes Booth
remarked, in a stern, commanding and
angry voice /" Do you know you are
liable to be shot Remember your oath. "
/ told him the plan of basis hal changed.
and compact on the part of one broken
is broken by all Ifyou feel inclined to
shoot me you have no further to go; |
shall defend myself This, if remember
Alright, was ON a Friday. or maybe a
Thursday night, when said Gentlemen.
| IL this is not accomplished this week
forever withdraw from it, stayed up
till about or o'clock next morning,
Friday or Saturday, and then went to bed
/ remained indoors until IL, when arose
and went to my breakfast Michael
O'Laughlin and myselfroomed together,
both arose at the same time, and werf
always, in q measure, together. Went to
bed that evening about 80 o'clock.
This day that went to bed early we
| ,xot obn,t turo N tharaohonte. told mo I
spoke angrily the night Of meeting; said
l had been drinking ! told him no; l
| was in my sober senses, and meant every
word | said; il not accomplished this
week ! withdraw. Next day the thing
was to be accomplished on the Seventh
street road. and failed. On Sunday
stayed in Washington, and on Monday
or Tuesday returned to the city of Bal
timore, and thence to Hookstown. j.
Wilkes Booth in the meantime went to
New York, and returned to Baltimore
during the week-on Saturday, think.
He said he wished to see me on very ur.
gent business, and my father sent for me.
l came from the country, and he had gone
to Washington, whereupon l wrote him
the letter which was found in his trunk
The Richmond authorities, 80 far as /
know, knew nothing of the conspiracy.
The letter was written after my return to
the country, after finding he could not
wait to see me in Baltimore. During the
week came to the city and met Michael
OLaughln, who asked me to 60 to
Washington with him to finally arrange
his affairs went in the morning--Fri.
day, think--and returned same evening
nome, having cut loose forever from it.
Next day received letter from j. W.
Wharton, at Fortress Monroe, giving me
employment Went to the country, got
my clothing, and on Saturday, the LIST
day of April, left Baltimore for Fortress
Monroe, at which place have remained,
never corresponding with Booth or see.
ing him from the above named date TO
the present writing. The groundwork
was to kidnap the President without vic
lence. He never to me said he would
kill him Further than this know no.
thing, and am innocent of having taken
any active part In the dark deed commit
| leu. N. Oahu I'll ID ANNSLb
CONFESSION OF ATzIRoDT RELATIVE TO the
ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN.
had not seen John Surrat, for about
eight days before the murder Booth
told me few days before the murder
that he was in Washington. Kate
Thompson, alias Brown, came from Rich.
mond with John Surratt about the time
that Richmond fell. He had como pre-
viously with Gustavus Howell, now In
the Old Capitol Prison Kate Thompson
stopped &: Mrs. Surratts. and also Mt the
National and Rinnel Hotels. This wo
man was about 81 years OF age, spruce
and neat, medium size, black eyes and
fair complexion. She had q sister in
New York, who, it was said,was a widow.
Surratt was made known to her in New
York by signal conveyed by small
switch with waxed end and a piece OF
red ribbon on the butt, handled horizont
ally through the fingers. This sign was
given on hotel pavement on Broadway.
lie went with her South and hired horse
at Towards stables for the purpose.
| Harold came to the Kirkwood House
and left the knife, pistol aud coat on the
evening of tho murder, about halt past
six o'clock, rs was about leaving, ]
having told the clerk to tell whoever
might call that ] was gone out. This