Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1869-07-02
Prison Rife In the Dry TOrtugns--
Statement of Edman spnngIer.

Elmln SplDgler, who was tried and SEN
fenced by a military commission in May,
1865, on charge Of being engaged in the
plot to assessinate President Lincoln, and
pardonsd by President johnson, has pre-
pared statement, asserting his innocence
of all kn0wicdg of the crime and detail
log the crueltes practiced on the prisoners
before and after conviction. Spangler, it
vii be- r.collrc,ed, was sccne-shif,er at
Fo,d'S Theatre, aud was on the stag9 in
that capacity when Wilkes Booth shot Mr..
l. ucolu, and jumped hom the box. He
also at times cared for Booths horse. The
evidence against him was Of the Gmiest
character. Nearly everybody believed him
innocent, aud the military commission only
sentenced him to six years at the Dry Tor
tugas, wlilo the others were sent for life.
Spapglcr's statement is sworn and sub
scrbed to, and appears among the Wash
ington Su;rc,poudeucs ga the New Yo k
World Of yesterday. lie says:
have deemed it due TO truth 10 prepare
for publication tho following siatcment-ai
a time when hope the temper # the peO-
| pie will give me a patient hedring-of my
| arrest, trial aud imprisonment, for alleged
| completely in the plot to assasslueto the
| late President Lincoln. / have suffered
1 much, but .olcmnly assert nov, as | al
| ways base sin ~ | Vas arraigned for trial at
| tue Washing on arsenal, that an entire y
| Innocent of uny foro or after Knowledge OF
/ the crime Whea John Wilkes Booth CON-
H.s I rHl
every body bner il took pllce, | further
sOlemnly assert that John " likes Booth
or any other person, ReUer mentioned to ms
any plot, or imtimRtilA Of plot, for the
abduction or assassination OF President
Lincoln that did not know when Booth
! leaped from tho box to the stage a. the
theatre that be had shot Mr.. Liuco'n and
| that did not, IN any way, 10 help me Goi
| assist In his escape ; and further deCiare
that | am entirely Innocent Of any and Al
charges made against me In that oonnec
ton. never knew either Surratt, Payne
Atzerodt, Arnold, or Harold, or any Of tn,
so called consprators, nor did | ever SCI
any Of them until they appeared In custo
dy. While imprisoned with Atzerodt
PAYNE and Har Id, and after their trial wa
ever, was alloMd a few minutes exerciN
Ia the prison yaId. heard the three unil
in asserting Mrs. Surratps entire Innocence
aud acknowledge their eNn guilt, con
aning the crime, as they did, entirely /
themselves.
The statement then details the particu
lars Of bis arrest, which occurred on ia
18th o. April, 1865 how he was handcutle
with his arms behind his back, aud convey
ed to the nayy.yard, whore his legs wer
manAcled aud psir Il Lille hand cuf
on bis wrists. lie was next conveyed TO
monitor and thrown into a small dirty room
Here he was kept for three days, wh'n h
was told by Captain Monroe that the Seer,
| tary OF War had ordered a beg to DO pu
on his head, which was done. lie coul
} then bother see nor eat, but through biol
cut into the beg near his mouth two kline
, hearted soldiers took compassion on hin
> sui while one watched, the other fed hin
} These tortures were continued until b
, trial commenced before tho military con
mission, and even lhoa he was carried br