Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-06-24
TELEGRAMS TO THE STAR.
This AfteFneen's Dispatches.
THE ASSASSINATION CONSPIRACY
SWORN STATEMENT OF sPANeLER
The Murder Of President Lincoln.
Who Were in the Plot,
Did Wefchmann Know Of ia.
sPangler Says Mrs. sarrau was Not
Guilty.
He Asserts His own Innocence.
Did Wefchmann Knew st "A,
He Asserts III. own Iunsc.
His Arrest. Trial and Impri.snmeu n,
Especial Dispatch 70 the Stsrl

Especial Dispatch TO the Stsrl
INV YORK, June 2i.-Edman Spangler, one
OF the alleged consprators in the plot TO assas
sinate President Lincoln, who was sentenced
oy military commission in lS65 to six years
Imprisonment at the Dry Tortueas and
pardoned by President johnson in March last.
has made full statement under oath, (which
is published here this morning,) Of his arrest,
trial and imprisonment. SpangIer, II will be
remembered, was carpenter and scene shIfter
at ford's Theater and was on the stage when
Booth jumped from the box. In the opening
OF his statement Spaugler says that he heard
Payne, Atzerodt and HeroId implicate the
witness Weichmann in knowledge Of the plo,
to aoduct the pres ident Hesays:
81 have deemed it due to truth TO prepare for
publication the following statement-ata a time
Wnen hope me temper OF the people will give
me patient hearing-of my arrest, trial, and
Imprisonment for alleged Completely in the
plot 10 assasstnate President Lincoln / have
sunerf much, but solemnly assert now as 4
aiwaxs nave slnce was arraigned for trial At
the washington Arsenal, that I am entirely
innocent OF any fore or after knowledge of the
crime which John Wilkes Booth committed-
save what knew in common with everybody
1ter u took place. / further solemnly assert
that John Wilkes Booth or any other person
never mentioned TO me any plot, or any init
nation OF any plot for the abduction or
assassinaton a;s OF President Lincoln; that
A>SSes
stage from the box At the theatre that he had
snot mr.. Lincoln and that did not in any
way, so help me God, assist in his escape; and
1 further declare that am entirely Innocent OF
any and all charges made against me iu thai
connection, never knew either Payne Sur.
ratt, Atzerodt, Arnold, or Herold, or any OF the
so.called conspfrators; nor did ever see auy
OF them until they appeared In custody While
Imprisoned with Atzerodt, Payne and HeroId.
and after the trial was over, was allowed a
lew minutes exercise IN the yard, 1 heard the
tnree unite in asserting Mrs. Surrau's entire
Innocence and acknowledge their own guilt
connning the crime as they did entirely TO
themselves but implIcating the witness WEIGH
man an knosuledee OF the original plot to abduct,
ana with furnishing information from the cffice
OF the Commissary General Of Prisoners, where
he was a clerk"
Spaneler then goes on to detail his impris.
onment, how be was arrested, released and re-
arrested, the suffering he endured from the
padded hood drawn over his held during his
lncarceratisn and the punishment inflicted on
prisoners at the Dry Tortugas. He mentlons
tnat one punishment was TO load q prisoner
win irons, then tie rope around his body and
throw him into the water and let him sink,
out before drowning to draw him out again.
ne gives names and dates TO support these as
sertions.