The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-06-28

Edman Spangler, who was tried and sentepS
ed by military commission IN May. 1888, on {
charge of being engaged in the plot to assas
sinate President Lincoln, and who was pardon
ed by President johnson at the close OF his
administration, has prepared statement, as
serting his innocence Of all knowledge OF the
crime, and detailing the eruelties practiced or
the prisoners before and after conviction
Epangler. it will be recollected. was scene
shifter at Ford's Theatre, and was on the
stage in that capacity when j. Wilkes
Booth shot Mr.. Lincoln and jumped from
she box, He also at times cared for Booths
horse The evidence against him was oil
the limsiest character. Nearly everybody be.
Neved him innocent, and the military commits.
sion only sentenced him to SIX years at the Dry
Tortugas. while the others were sent for life.
The commission was organized to convict, and
1t convicted, Abundant testimony is now at
hand to show the vast amount Of perjury o.
that trial perjury exaotssd by fear and dictated
by malice. Spangler's allusion to cthe Witness
lWeichman being in the abduction plot is I'M
portant. Weiohman's testimony, twin be
remembered, hung Mrs. ,SurrAtt. The follow
ing is tho statement sworn and subscribed to,
'sTATEAENT or EDMAN snANaLRR.
have deemed. 1t dne TO truth to- prepare for
publlca tion,the following statemepf-tat time
when L hope ahe temper OF the people will
give me q patient; hearing. -of,my arTest, t1tal
and impfisonmenti for alie9e d comp1city in
Lincoln. have suffered much, but solemn
" assert now, as Ialways have since was ar
raigned ior trial st. the Washington Arsenal,
AnowledRo OF the crime which John Wilkes
Booth ctmmitfe d-save what 1 knew in com :
mon Wit With everybody after it took place. II
any plot, or intim tion OF o plot, for the adbuc-
tion or ASSASSINATION Of President Lincoln:
that did not know when Booth leaped from
boz The stage at he thssetre that
not, in any way. SO help me God, assist in his
escape; and further declare that am entire
~ innocent. Of any and all charges made
either Surratt. Payne, Atzerodt, Arnold, or
Harold, or any OF the 30 called conspirators'
nor did ever see : OF them until they ab-
Feared in, custody " Nhile i,nprlsol ed with At
was over, was allowed a few miuut es' exercise
In the prison. yard heard the three unite n
asserting Mrs Ssavdtts entire Innocence, and
acknowledge then. 0s6,s qusH, oontining the
c1anae, as Mey did, entirety to themselves, but
7snpiicattng the ecitaess. Weichn,aa. in knowl-
edge OF the original plot TO abduct and with
furnishing information from the Commissary
: OF Prlsoners' Department, where Weichmap
was q clerk. i ii ~, c-,.rtt.t~
HIS ARREST AND BARBARous TREArMENr.
The statement then details the particulars
Of his srrest, which occurred on the 10Th Of
April, 1855. He continues: ----
was alfo ved on the fourth day ofmy i'm
prisOnmentt TO walk the prison yard, but from
that evening I y % closely confined and guard
ed until the next Saturday at midnight, when,
live, who said: 'Colne, spanaler, I've some
jeWelty for you" He handcuffed me with NV
hands behind my back, and guarding me to 9
hack, was placed In 1t and driven to the Navy
OF Lllhe haL dcutfs placed on my wrists. I was
put in q boat aud rowed to q emonitor, where
yag taken on board and, thrown ia q small.
si,r.y y room. between Two water closets
1rs and blankets. with two soldiers
9hiss dsys. / Sss besh thus Hsonansd shr} re 3
to o. me and said !: ..spangier, I've Something
that must be toIo. but you must not be fright
ened. We have orders from the Secretary OF
War, who must be obeyeG. to put bag on
head SO securely that could.not see daylleht.
I had plenty Of food, but could not eat with my
face 80 muftied up. True, there was small
hole in the bag near my mouth, but could
by the iron. At last. two kind-hearted soldiers
the.other fed me-: :On Saturday night man
caq,s ts me. and after dTa wing the bag so tight
sDOnt let him go to sleep, as we will carry
him out to- hang him directly" heard
thseEn s 20 up on the aeck, when there
wag g1eat rafting ofachans and other
sgs hss Sss % ts %ss9s e Gs's
WAa dragged out by tM0IS SenIssWho both pulled
eas tmes IN 0ppo lite fsseSsaons. We, how
s% rsas5ea sbops boat u Which was Placed ard
then where we stopped, for my face was still
t9 @ yak somei dist lance, Cwith the heavy irons
and anads to,as0end three or four alghts OF
stairs; and as stood AZ the .tep Waiting, some
ONE stEufk, me- . severe blow on the top OF fhel
hsa Ss Thoh AtnaSSsa apa hak thssE ne over
xemair ed imam unconscious condition tor Aev-
oral hnnrs!e The next morning some one came
With bread and coffee. 4. easI
..,q...,,. TRIAL ASD CONVICTION. ltf.y
remained -hera several days. suffering tor
ture from the bag or padded hood over my face.
was shaven. 1t was then replaced. Some
hours after General Hartrauft came aud read
tome several charges. that Was engaged in o
plot to assassinate ths Prestdent, aud the Gay
and still hooded before all Cf ;us members. l
renamed but short time, when / was return
ed to my cell for another might and day, and
then again presented in this court. MIR. Ring
charles against me, and askedsf had any OBJ
5ectlon TO the court and replied, mo" and
made my plea OF mot gully" Thev them
! a1swered b affifMat,sely,, General Hunter. the
President os .he Court insisted that should
mot be allowed counsel, Hs was, however,,
ovefruied, bnt ID was SEVERAL days before wasV
permitted legal and, the court, In tfRe mean.
8sno, salnng evidence with closed doors. o.
every sdjOufnnaent Ut the coHrt II only for an
noT Was returned to my csll ana tlie closely
Mtting mood placed over my head. 4 bis COLI
sinued Mll june 10 1866. when was' relieved
frOP the torture OH g bag, bug my bands and
aimbn bn1eHAeinodheayily enapacled ,,l
! ! s,,,p o. ~, aAr Iss xAows OF asns. suasArr
u Tbs fret tune I sser saw Mrs, Sursratt wan In
ahe Carroll UrsOn yard, on Capitol Hill aid