The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1869-08-11
DISGRACEFUL CHAPTER IN AMERICAN
HISTORY.
MILITARY JUSTICE In 1866

MILITARY JUSTICE In 1866.
| HORRIBLE TREATMENT OF PRISONERS
AT THE DRY ToRrUSAs HOW ST. LIE
| GER GRENFEL WAS TREAfED-uIs
ESCAPE AND PROBABLE DEATH BT
DROWNING.
| The following statement tf Edman
Spanster, convicted by Military Com
mission, in 1865, of alleged completely
with Wilkes Booth in the assassina-
ton of President Lincoln; and sen
fenced to the Dry Tortugas, appears
i'll print:
have deemed it due to truth to pre-
pare for publication The following
statement at Il time when hope the
temper of the people will give me Il pa
tent hearing of my arrest, trial and
Imprisonment, for alleged completely in
the plot to assassinate the late Prcsi-
dent Lincoln. l have suffered much,
but solemnly assert now, as 1 always
have since / was arraigned for trial at
the Washington Arsenal, that l am en-
tircly innocent of any fore or after
knowledge of the crime which John
| Wilkes Booth committed save what !
knew in common with everybody after
it took place. 1 further solemnly as
sert that John Wilkes Booth, or any
other person, never mentioned to me
any plot, or intimation of plot, foI
the abduction or assassination of Pres
ident Lincoln; that I 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 cs-
cape !; and further declare that 1 am
entirely innocent of any and all charges
made against me in that connection
never knew either Surratt, Payne
Atzerodt, Arnold OF Harold, or any OF
the so-called conspirators, nor did
see any of them until they appeared in
custody. While imprisoned with At
zcrodt, Payne and Harold, and after
their trial was over, | was allowed j
few minutes exercise in the prison
yard. l heard the three unite in as
sorting Mrs. Surratt's entire innocence
acknowledging their own guilt, confin-
ing the crime, as they did, entirely te
themselves, but duplicating the wit
ness Weichman in knowledge of the
original plot to abduct, and with fur
nishing information from the Commits
sary of Prisoners Department, where
| Weichman was clerk.
/ was arrested on the morning Of the
10th of April, 1865, and with Ritters-
pauSh (also scene-shifter) taken t.
the police station on f street, between
Ninth and Tenth. The sergeant after
questioning me closely, went with two
policemen to search for Peanut Johr
! (the name of the hoy who held Booths
horse the night before) and made tt
accompany us TO the headquarters o.
the police on Tenth street, where ht
and were locked up, and Ritterspaugf
was released After four hours con
fnement ] was released and brough
before Judges Ohm and Bingham, .ant
told them OF Booth bringing his horse
to the theatre OH the afternoon Of til,
l4th of April, 1865. After this investi
CATION | said: .What is to be done
with me 2" and they replied: ave
know where to find you if wanted,
and ordered my release. l returned K
the theatre, where | remained unit
Saturday, when the soldiers took pos
session of it; but as the officer of tn,
guard gave AN attachc and myself !:
pass to sleep there, we retired ut 10 Z
NJ, and at 1 z. NJ. Il guard was place.
over me, who remained until 9 A. NJ
Sunday morning, when | was released
| | did not leave the theatre until Sun
day evening, and ON our return the at
tachc (Carnal by nancy and mysel
were arrested by Detective Larner.-
Instead of taking us to the guard-house
he said he would accompany us home
to sleep there, but VIC all went to pc
lice headquarters Oh Tenth street, ane
when Garland asked il he were wanted
an officer sharply said "No." return
ed to the theatre that night, and re
manned the next day till / went to din
nef, corner Seventh and G Streets
That over, / remained few minutes
when RitterspauSh (wlo worked at thu
theatre with me) came, and meeting
me, said, ~ have given my evidence
and would like now TO get some of thu
reward.'
| L walked out with. RitterspauGh fol
half an hour, and on returning to liz
down, left word that if any one callet
for me to tell them that | was lying
down. Two hours after, was callet
down stairs to see two gentlemen wht
had called for me. They said that
| was wanted down stairs. On reaching
tho Sidawa1l< they plare1 me in :, hack