Vermont daily transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1868-1870, 1869-01-20

CONFESSION OF ARNOLD, ONE OF THE
CONSPIRATORS-FULL DETAILS
OF THE PLOT TO KID
NAP MIR. LINCOLN.

| OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES DETAILS
OF THE PLOT TO KID
NAP MR.. LINCOLN.
A confession made by Arnold, one of
the assassination conspirators, was made
public on Monday, and contains full
account of the plot, preceding the dar-
ker one of assassination, to kidnap
President Lilcoln and hold him as q
hostage for the release of re el prison
ers. The confession of Arnold was made
voluntarily on the 18th of April, 1865,
and has hitherto not been made public,
under the expectation that it would be
used in the trial of John Ssurratt. The
editor of the Baltimore 1mericdn has
the confession in the handwriting of
Arnold, as we'll as the confession of At
zerodt, made in his cell, at Washington,
on the night before his execution. Ar
nold's confession is as follows:
To WhOm it may concern know
that /, Samuel B. ArEold, about the lat
ter part of August or the first part Of
September, 10 A, was sent for by j T..
| w lIlNcS DOOtD, " III was Il SUtSU ttU DAT
NUNS Hotel, in the City of Baltimore,
to call and see him.
l had not seen the same J. w. Booth
since 1852, when we both were school.
mates at st. Timothy's Hall, President
L. Val Bokelin then having said hall as
place of tuition. His reception of me
was warm, he calling for wine and
cigars. We conversed short time
upon our former schoolboy days. We
were interrupted by knock at the door,
when Michael O'Laughlin was ushered
in. After a formal introduction we
sat slipping our wine, and all three
smoking. During the smoking, he
having heard previously of my political
terms of the Confederacy and the num-
Der of surplus prisoners in the hands
of the United States.
Then ensued the proposition of j.
Wilkes Booth, and which he 81. Wilkes
BOothD thought could be accomplished,
viz. of kidnapping President Lincoln,
as he frequently went unguarded out to
the Soldiers Home, and he thought he
could be picked up, carried to Richmond,
and for his exchange procure the eX-
change of all the prisoners in the Fed
eral hands.
He, J. w. Booth, the originator
would enter into it. After painting the
chances of success in such glowing
colors we consented, viz, Michael o.
Laughlin and myself. We were bound
not to divulge it to living soul. / saw
him once in Baltimore, and then he, j.
Wilkes Booth, left to arrange his bust
ness up North-first to New York,
thence to the oil regions, and from t here
to Boston, and finally to Canada.
He was to be back in a month. / re-
ceived letter, which l destroyed, stat
ing that he was laid up with eIysipelas
in his arm. and as soon as he was able
around, and he did not make his appear
ance until some time in January.
In his trunk he had two guns, caps
and cartridges, which were placed in the
gun stock, (Spencer rifles, | think they
were called,) revolvers, knives, belts,
cartridge-boXes, cartridges, caps, can
teens,- fully fixed for service, which
We're to be ready in case of pursuit, and
two pair of handouts to handcuff the
President.
His trunk being so heavy, he gave
the pistols, knives and handouts to
Michael O'Laughlin and myself, to
He then returned from Washington, to
which place he had gone, bought horse
harness and buggy wagon, leaving the
team, &C., with us to drive to Washing
ton.
We started from Baltimore about II or
O'Clock, after having shipped the box
containing the knives, handouts and
pistols, arriving in Washington about
seven or half-past seven the same even
ing. We met him on the street as we
We're passing the theatre.
We alighted, took a drink. and he
iold us of the theatre plan, slightly,
saying he would wait till he put the
: horse away and then tell us more fully.
| He had pre- 3iously. as now remember,
spoken of the chances at the theatre il
we could not succeed in the other plan
at the Soldiers Home.
/ We went to the theatre that night,
4 he, U. w. B. } telling us about the diff
4 ferent back entrances, and how feasible
5 the plan was. He had rented stable
} In the rear Of the theatre, having bougE
J two horses down the country. One was
: in the stable behind the theatre, the
, other at livery.
Met him next day when we went to-
| gether to breakfast with him. He was
J always pressed with business with u
= man iunlsnGwn to us them by the name
of John Surratt, Most Of his, (Booth's)
!, time was spent with aim. We We're en-
tirely in the dark.
/ Nj. O'Laughlin and myself rented a
, room on ID Street, No. APO, and obtained
meals at the Franklin House, on the
, corner of d and 9Th streets. We thus
I;ua1 for m 40 plu txuO hu oaatnrs n m