Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-06-29
Statement of Edman Spang-
Ter. one of the Alleged
Assassination Con-
spirators.
Record of Military Justice
in 1865.
How an Innocent Man Was
Treated During His Trial.
Mrs. Surratt's Innocence
Established. -.
Prison Life on the Dry
Torgugas.
Tortures Inflicted Upon the
Prisoners by the Army
Disgraceful Page in Our
Annals.


Annals.
Correspondence of tho New York World.
WASHINGTON, June 23.-Edma1
Spangler, who was tried and sen
fenced by a militay commission in
May, 1865, on a charge of being en-
gagged in the plot to assassin ate
President Lincoln, and pardoned
by President Johnson, has made the
following statement, asserting his
innocence of all knowledge of the
crime, and detailing the cruelties
practiced on the prisoners before
and after conviction. Span9ler was
a scene-shifter at Ford's theater, and
was on the stage when John Wilkes
Booth shot Mr.. Lincoln and jumped
from the box. He also at times
took care of Booths horse. The
evidence against him was of the
fimsiest character, not being even
circumstantial, for it did not ap-
pear in that trial, or in the subse-
quent civil trial of Surratt, that
Spangler had any connection what
ever with any of the other so called
conspirators. Most everybody be-
lieved him innocent then, and the
Military Commission doubted his
guilt by sentencing him to six years
at the Dry Tortugas, and giving
the others life term. The Mill
tary Commission was organized to
convict, and al convicted. Abund-
ant testimony is now at hand to
show the vast amount of perjury of
that trial-peUury exacted by fear
and dictated by malice. Spangler's
allusion to the witness Weiehman
being in the abduction plot is i'm
portant. Weichman's testimony, it
will be remembered, hung Mrs. Sur
raft. The following is the state
ment sworn and subscribed to:
STATEMENT OF EDMAN SPANGLER.
l have deemed it due to truth to
prepare for publication the follow
ing statement-at a time when l
hope the temper of the people will
give me patient hearing-of nv
arrest, trial, and Imprisonment, for
alleged completely in the plot to
assassinate the late President Lin
coin. have suffered much, but /
solemnly assert now, as l always
have since l was arraigned for trial
at the Washington Arsenal, that l
am entirely innocent of any fore or
after knowledge of the crime which
John Wilkes Booth committed
save what l knew in common with
everybody after it took place. /
further solemnly assert that John
Wilkes Booth, or any person, never
mentioned to me any plot, or init
nation of plot, for the abduction
or assassination of President Lin
coin; that l did not know when
Booth leaped from the box to the
stage at the theatre, that he had
shot Mr.. Lincoln; and that / did
not, in any way, so help me God,
assist in his escape; and I further
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 cOnspirators, nor ibid l
ever see any of them until they APP
peared in custody. While imprison-
ed with Atzerodt, Payne, and
Harold, and after the trial was over,
| was allowed a few minutes exer-
else in the prison yard. | heard
the three unite in asserting Mrs.
Surratt's entire innocence, and
acknowledge their own guilt, con-
finingt the crime, as they did, entirely
to themselves, but duplicating the
witness, Weichman, in knowledge
of the original plot to abduct! and
with furnishing information from
the Commissary of Prisoners De.
partment, where Weichman was a
clerk.
l was arrested on the morning
of the 18th of April, 1865, and
with Ritterspaugh (also 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
policemen to search for Peanut
John 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 / was locked
up, and Ritterspaugh was released.
After four hours confinement l
was released, and brought before
Judges Olin and Bingham, and told
them of Booth bringing his horse
to the theatre on the afternoon of
the 14th of April QS65.) After
this investigation / said: "What is
to be done with me ?" and they res
piled: ave know where to find
you when you are wanted" and Or
dered my release. / returned to
to the theatre, where l remained
until Saturday, 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 10 P. NJ. and at l A.
NJ. a guard was placed over Inc,
who remained until 9 a. m. Sunday
morning, when / was released. l did
not leave the theatre until Sunday
evening, and on our return this
attache Garland was his nance and
myself was arrested by Detective
Larner. Instead of taking us to the
guard house he said he would ac-
company us home to sleep thele,
but we all went to Police Head
quarters on Tenth street, and when
Garland asked if we were wanted, an
officer sharply said mo" l re-
turned to the theatre that night, and