New-York tribune., 1869-01-19
THE ASSASSINATION or PRESIDENT LIN
COLIN

ALLEGED CONFESSIONS or ARNOLD AND
ATZERoDT.
The Baltimore American of yesterday INTRO
duces two remarkable papers as follows:
Now that the trial John Surrat for participation in
the assassination President Lincoln has been thrown
out OF Court through tho technicates OF tho law.
aud ho ia announced preparing for press u
narrative OF the whole transaction. it may serve q
good purpose TO give publicity 70 the following state
ment OF Samuel b. Arnold, Of tho prisoners at the
Dry Tortugas, made In Baltimore. voluntarily. foar
days after the assassination We also give the con.
fesslon Of Atzerodt made in his cell on the night be
the execution Both Of these confessions have
our in the handwriting the prisoners and
they have hitherto not been made public. under tho
expectation that they would be used In the trial OF John
Snrratt The confession of Arnold was made the office
OF Marshal McPhail the 18th OF April 1865. mmedi-
acly his being brought to tins city from Fortress
Monroe. He sat down at desk and voluntarily wrote II
without any questioning The confession OF Atzerodt
made In his cell at Washington, the night before
lis execution He asked for paper and 1t Is written with
lead pencil the disconnected manner OF It indicating
the state Of mind of the prisoner
concern" and first that he met Wilkes Booth al
Barnums Hotel. Baltimore. in september. 1861 By spe-
cia invitation He had been his sch00mate at ST T1no
thys Hail. in 1884, and had not met him since The meet
ing was very social one at iirSt Michael
turned upon the Confederacy. Of which all
proposition by j. Wilkes Booth OF Kidnapping President
Lincoln carrying him TO Richmond. and so compel an
aud OLaughn consented to enter INTO the conspiracy.
aud swore to divulge the secret TO no one. Months
then made his appearance with trunk In which
he had guns cap cartridges, Spencer ries revoly
ers, knives belts cartridgeboxes, cartridges caps,
teens all fully hxed for service which were TO be used in
Of pursuit and two pair OF handouts to andcn the
President He gave the pistols knives and handouts
OLaughlin aud Arnold, to ship to Washington. They
carried them TO Washington, and, after arriving
pan but they were left in the dark for month two
lie was continually In the company OF man named
John Surratt. who was then unknown to them. They
entirely Idle in the tne explaining the facs
by talking about oil stock speculatons In the latter
part of March, ls6S. Arnold met Booth. surratt.
The plan OF selling the President was then definitely
agreed upon and each assigned his part The lights
seio the President while Azerodt and j. Wilkes Booth
were TO handcuf him and lower him on tho stage
Moseby was 10 catch and hold him TIL we got down:
3urrat and another be on the other side OF
the Eastern Branch bridge TO facilitate escape IL was
aterward changed to Moseby and Booth 20 eaten MN III
tho box and 10 lower him Arnold the stage. OLaugh
lin and the 10 put the lights out ana Sur
ratt and Azerodt to be on the other sde Oh ts @
coud get him OF the box and TO the wou
be stopped by the sentinel STo. not d so or sn alarm
was given there the whole thing was up and US LOT s
Michael OLOughiin wanted to argue tho same way
Booth irritable and threatening Ihe nvG.dnh 60
up without settlement no iS So@IedSe Of the conspiracy
In few days after Arnold cut loose irou ~ ensiog ~
got employment st Fortress S neysr heard Booth
that such could be The result alter TSs rsns plan Am q,
ont ~ i6e heater was 70 place him IN the buggy lur
chased for the purpose and cross Eastern brsncn
surratt and Atzerodt TO follow them TO wheTe
boat was concealed; turn the horse loose, place ,he
President IN the boat and the Potomac to the V
ginia Shore and thence 20 make their way 70 Nohnonn
Burratt knew the route and was to act as pllou -
Besides these written statements OF Arnods no soa
spondent OF Doctors Mudd Garland sndiQueen.
Atzerodt confessed 10 having been personally conccr
directly involves John surrat ali that portaned to tha
capture OF the President