The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1869-08-07

STATEMENT OF rpnAN srASoLra.

York World Of June 24th:
Edman Spanglcr, who was tried ant
sentenced by military commission IL
May. 1868, ou n charge Of being engaged
in plot to assassinate President Lincoln
and pardohed by President job son, ha'
prepared the following statement. assert
lng his innocence Of all knowledge Of the
crime, aud detailing the cruelties prac
tised on prisoners before and after con
viciion. Spangler was n scene shilter
and was on The stage when John Wike,
Booth shot Mr.. Lincoln and jumped from
the box lie also al times took care ol
Booths horse. The evidence against him
was of the flimsiest character. not being
even circuulstantial for il did not appcaI
in that trial, or in the subsequent civi
trinl of Surratt. that Spansler had any
connection Whatever with any Of the
s0 called conspirators Most everybody
believed him innocent then, aud the Mil
itary Commission doubted his guilt by
sentencing him to six years in Dry Tor
tugas, aud giving the others life term
The Military Commission was organized
TO convict, aud il convicted. Abundant
testimony is now at hand to show the
vast amount of perjury of that trial
perjury exacted by fear and dictated by
ulalice. Spanglcr's aIlusion to the wit.
ness Weichmau being in the abduction
plot is important. Wcichman's testimo.
ny, it will be remembered, hung Mrs.
Surratt. The following is the statement
sworn and subscribed to-:
STATEMENT or EDMAN sPAHoLER.
| have deemed it due to truth TO pre-.
pare for publication the following state.
ment-at a time when hope the temper
of the people will give nlc patient hear
ing-of my arrest, trial. aud imprison.
mcut, for alleged completely 10 the plot
to aSsassinate The late President Lincoln
| have suffered much, but solemnly az
sert now. as | always have since was ar
raigncd for trial in the Washington AR.
senal. that am entirely innocent Of any
fore or after knowledge OF tho crime
which John Wilkes Booth committed
save what ! knew 10 common wiz. every.
body after it took place | further sol
eunly assert that John Wilkes Booth, or
any other person, never mentioned TO me
any plot, or ibtima,ion Of plot, for the
abduction or assassination Of President
Lincoln that did not know when Booth
lcaped from the box 10 stage az the thea.
trc. that he had shot sir. Lincoln aud
that did not ia any way, 50 help me
God. assist In Isis escape aud | further
declare that | ain entirely innoeen, Of any
aud all charges made against me in iha,
connection. never knew either Sur
raft. PAYNE. A,zerodt, Arnold or Harold.
ar any Of the so-called conspirai"rs, nor
did | ever sec an5 Of theui until they ap.
.carcd in custody. While imprisoned
with Aizcrdot, Payne aud Harold. and af.
Ter their trial was over. / was allowed q
lew minutes exercise in the prison yard.
/ heard the three unite IN asserting Mrs
SurTat'> = entire innocence. and acknnwl
edge their own guilt. confiulng 'hc crime
as they did. entirely TO themselves. but
duplicating the witness Wcichman, ii
kuowiedgc of the original plot Ia ahduet
and with lnrnishin. information froln The
Commissary of PRISONERS ID partmcnt
where Weichm1n was a clerk.
was arrested on the morning Of The
18th OF April, 1865. aud with Ritters
paugh. (also a scene-sh.fter) taken 10 The
police station on T.. street. between Ninth
aud Tenth. The sergeant. after ques
iioning me closely. went with TWO police
men Ia search f"r Psnnt John (ihc name
of the boy who held B"oth's Nurse iIl.
night betorc) aud made to accompany u
to the headquarters Of the police ot
Tenth street. where John aud | wcr,
|. ckcd up. and Rn:erSpauah was released
After four hours confinement | was re
Iea-eI. aud brought before Judges 0lll
and Bingham. and told them Of Bootl
bringing his horse To the theatre ON th'
i4th of April (Is65). After this inves
iigaiion said: "What is to be done
with me 2" and they replied: I'VE
know where to find you when you are
wanted, and ordered my release. / re
turned to the theatre, where | remained
until Saturday, when the soldiers tool
possession OF it; but as the officer of lht
guard gave an attache and myself pas
TO sleep there, we retired at l0 p NJ, ant
at A. NJ, guard was placed over me
who remained until 8 A. NJ, Sunday morn
lug, when | was released. | did no
leave the theatre until Sunday evening
aud On our return this attache (Carant
by name) and myself were arrested b,
Detective Larner. Instead of taking Il
to the guard house he said he would &C
company us home to sleep there, but W
all went to the Police Headquarters ol
Tenth. street, and when Garland asked
we were wanted, an officer sharpl
said .sNo" / returned to the theatr
that night, and remained the next da
till went to dinner, corner Seventh an,
q street. That over | remained fes
minutes, when Rittcrspaugh (who worke
ut the theatre with mc) came, and meet
ing me, said : 81 have given my evi
dence, and would like now to get some G
4 the reward.
i | walked out with Ritterspaugh 70
half an hour, and on returning to Ii
down left word that if any one called 70
me to tell them that was lying down.
j Two hours after | was called down stair
TO see two gentlemen who had called me
They said that | was wanted down stree
On reaching the sidewalk they placed M
in hack and drove rapidly to Caro-
i p ison, where I was confined week.
J Three days afterwards Detective, or Coli
mel, Baker camc to my room, and ques
tionlng me about the sale of horse an
!, buggy (Which belonged to Booth), and
told him all about it FREQ ~ aud readil,
i a. L. a.. P.lln..;. -. aIl.L =,