The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1869-01-29

<, time. having still pressing busine,
ID on hand, viz : TO see John Surrat
i, Michael O'Laughlin and myself dro1
TO out occasionally, the horse liyerie
L. at Mr.. Nailor's stable. We dro,
1T always (but once) in the city an
Georgetown; the once excepte
across the Eastern Branch BriGg
\. when we went upward of five miles
| suppose. and returned. This We
s the only time l went over the bridg,
How often j. Wilkes Booth crosse
- | can not state, hu:, from his ow
s- words, often. Thus was Micha.
:, O'Laughlin's and my time spent fo
the most part-dOwn at Rullman'
Hotel, (now Sinclair House), O
Pennsylvania avenue and Louisian
u avenue, in drinking and amusements
n with other Baltimoreans beside
n ourselves copgregating there, all c
whom knew nothing OF our busines
q bur selling oil stock. Oil stock wa
II the blind for them as well as m,
e family. During the latter part O
Q March, while standing on Rullman'
). porch, between IL and II o'clocl
Z. NJ, a young man-name unknown
as can not remember names-abou
: five feet five or six inches high, thicl
set, long nose, sharp chin, wide
cheeks, small eyes, (gray. think)
: dark hair, and well dressed (color
J don't remember), called , Michae
O'Laughlin aside, and said J. Wilkes
Booth wished to see us both at Go.
tiers saloon, on the avenue. / was
then for the first time introduced To
him, but forget his name. We walk
ed up together, Michael O'Laughlin,
this unknown and myself, were usher,
ed into the presence of j. Wilkes
Booth, who introduced me to John
Surratt, Atzerodt, alias Port Tobac-
co, --, alias Moseby, making in
all seven persons. j. Wilkes Booth
had sert word to Michael O'LaughliD
bring me up in good humor (still
always in the dark. Then com
menced the plan for seizing the
President. Each had his part to
perform. First, / was to rush into
the private box and seize the Presi-
dent, while Atzerodt, alias Port To
bacco, and J.. Wilkes Booth were to
handcuff him and lower him on the
stage, while - Moseby was to
catch him and hold him till we got
down. Surratt and the unknown
were to be on the other side of the
Eastern Branch bridge to facilitate
escape. 1t was afterwards changed
to Moseby and Booth to catch him in
the box and to lower him TO me on
the stage. O'Laughlin and the un-
known wefeto put the lights cut, and
Surratt and Atzerodt, alias Port To
hacco, to be On the other side of the
bridge. l was opposed to the whole
proceeding, and said it could not be
accomplished. II ever, which was al
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. i |
said that would not do, for if an alarm
was given there the whole thing was
ur, and, as for me, 1 wanted the
shadow of chance for escape and
success. Michael O'Laughlin argued
the same way, whereupon Booth
said, "You find fault with everything
concerned about it" / said not
that wanted to have 4 chance, and
| intended TO have it; that he could
be the leader of the party, but not
my eXecutioner. Whereupon Booth
in stern, commanding
and angry voice, "Do you know you
are liable to be shot? remember
your oath - / told him the plan or
basis had changed, and a compact
on the part of one broken is broken
by all. Ii you feel inclined to shoot
me, you have no farther 10 90;
shall defend myself. This, if 1 re-
Alright, was on Friday, or
nay be Thursday night, when l said:
il this is not accomplish .
ed this week, l forever Withdraw ,
rom it. i staid up till about g or Z
o'clock next morning, Friday or Sat ,
irday, and then went to bed. l re- ,
NAMED indoors until II, when |
.rose and went to get my breakfast. i
Michael o Laughlin and myselfroom- :
ID together. Went to bed that even q
ne about Z. O'Clock. This day that !
went 10 bed so early we met abou. !
or whereabouts told me j spoke .
.ngrily the night of meeting; said ! ,
lad been drinking. / told him no, j
vas in my sober senses, and meant y
very word l said; if not accom- T
'lished this week, l withdraw. Next n
lay the thing was to be accomplished 4
N the Seventh street road, and fail !,
d. On Sunday / staid in Washing
on, and on Monday or Tuesday II
eturned to the city of Baltimore, a
nd thence to Hookstown. Booth in A
be meantime went to New York, and :,
to Baltimore during the :,
1eek, on Saturday, think. He said u
e wished 10 see me on very urgent
usiness, and my father sent for me. II
came from the country, and he had Il
one to Washington, whereupon i " v
1rote him the letter which was :
ound in his trunk. The Richmond \
as far ss l know, knew n
othing of the conspiracy. The let p
,r was written after my return to a
he country, after finding he could n
OF wait to see me in Baltimore.-a, >,
,uring the week / came to the city " "
nd met Michael O'Laughlin, who e.
sked me to go to Washington with a,
i'm to finally arrange his affairs. l NJ
'ent in the morning--Friday, 1 think n,
-and returned the same evening u u
ONE, having cut loose forever from m
Next day l received letter from 10
W. Wharton, at Fortress Monroe, n
wing me employment. Went to p
le country, got my clothing, and on or
the 1st dsy of April, left al
altimore for Fortres Monroe, at d
hich place have remained, -
ever corresponding with Booth or =; ri
.eing him from the above named A
,te to the present writing. The n
-oundwork was to kidnap the Pres :,
ent without violence. He never to -
e said that he would kill him. Fur ~ =,
er than this I know nothing, and N
n innocent of having taken any &C ~,
We part in the dark deed commit 90
d. SAMUEL B. ARNOLD. on
r TIE PLAN OF ESCAPE on