Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-01-23
LINCOLN.
The Abduction and Assassi-
nation Conspiracy.
Staten ent Of Arnold On His
Arrest.
Confession Of AtZerOdt.
Plans of the COnspiratOrs.

From the Baltimore American, Jan. Is.
Now that the trial of John Surratt, for
participation la the assassination OF Presi-
dent Lincoln, has been thrown out Of
court through the techuicalities Of the
law, and he is announced as preparing
for press narrative Of the whole trans
action, it may serve good pupose to give
publicity to the following statement Of
Samuel B. Arnold, one Of the prisoners at
the Dry Tortugas, made in Baltimore,
voluntarily, four days after the assassina-
ton. We also give the. confession of
AtZerodt, made in his cell on the night
before the execution. Both ofthese con-
fessions we have in our possession in the
hadwriting of the prisoners, and they
have hitherto not been made public,
under the expectation that they would
be used in the trial Of John Surratt.
The confession of Arnold was made in
the office of Marshal Nc Phail, on the 18th
Of April, 1865, Immediately on his being
brought to this city from Fortress Mon
| roe. He sat down at desk and volun-
tarily wrote it without any questioning.
The confession Of Atzerodt was made
in his cell, at Washington, on the night
before his execution. He asked for pa,
per- and it was written with lead pencil,
the disconnected manner Of it indicating
the state of mind of the prisoner:
CONFESSION OF SAMUEL B. ARNOLD, MADE
APRIL Is, 1865.
To Whom it may Concern Know
that |, Samuel B. Arnold, about the lat>
ter part Of August or first of September,
1864, was sent for by j. Wilkes Booth,
who was q guest at Barnum's Hotel in
the city of Baltimore, Maryland, to call
to see him. | had not seen the same j.
Wilkes Booth since 1852, when we were
both schoolmates at st. Timothy's Hall,
President l.. Van Bokelin then having
said hall as place Of tuition. His re-
ception of me was warm. Calling for
wine and cigars, we conVersed for short
time upon our former school boy days.
We were interrupted by knock at the
door, when Michael O'Laughlin was ush-
cred in. After formal introduction, we
sat slipping our wine, and all three
smoked a cigar. During smoking, he
having heard previously of my political
feelings or sentiments, he spoke in glow
ing terms of the Confederacy, and the
number of surplus prisoners in the hands
of the United States. Then ensued the
proposition by j. Wilkes Booth, and
which he g. Wilkes BOOTH thought
could be accomplished, viz. of kidnap>
ping President Lincoln, as he frequently
went ungarded out to the Soldiers
Home and he thought he could be
picked up, carried to Richmond, and, for
his exchange, produce the exchange for
the President OF all the prisoners in the
Federal hands.
He, j. Wilkes Booth, the originator Of
the scheme asked five would enter into
it. After yainting the chances OF success
in such glowing cOlOrs, We consented,
viz: Michael 0'L2ughlin and myself
We were bound not to diyulge it to liv@
ing soul. | saw him once more in Balti~
more, and then he o.. Wilkes BOOTH
left, to arrange his business up North,
first to New York, thence to the oil res
gions, and from thence to Boston, and
finally from there to Canada He was to
be back in month. | received letter,
which | destroyed, stating that ne was
laid up with erysipelas in his arm, and as
soon as he was able he would be with US.
Months rolled around and he did not
make his appearance until some time in
January. In his trunk he had two guns,
cap~cartridges, which were placed in the
gun>stOcks-Spencer rifles, think, they
were called-revOlvers knives, belts, car~
tridge>bOxes, cartridges, caps, canteens
all fully fixed for seryice-which were
to be used in case of pursuit, and two
pair of handouts, to handcuff the Presi-
dent His trunk being so heavy, he
gave the pistols, knives and hand
cuffs to Michael 0'Lsughlin and my
self to have shipped or bring to
Washington. He then returned from
Washington, to which place he had gone,
bought a horse, harness and buggy
wagon, leaving the team, etc, with us to
drive on to Washington. We started
from Baltimore about twelve OF one
O'Clock, after having shipped the box
containing the knives, handouts and pis-
tcIs, arriving in Washington about seven
| or half past seven the same evening. We
met him on the street as we were passing
| the theater. We alighted, took a drink,
| and he told US of the theater plan slightly,
| saying he would wait till we put the
horse away, and tell US more fully. He
had previously, as | now remember,
| spoken Of the chances at the theater if
we could not succeed in the other plan
at the Soldiers Home. We went TO the
theatre that night, he q. Wilkes BoOth)
telling us about the different back en-
frances, and how feasible the plan was
| He had rented stable in the rear of the
theater, having bought two horses down
the country. One was in the stable be-
hind the theater, the other at livery.
Met him next day; went together to
breakfast with him. He was always
pressed with business with man I'M
known to us then, by the name of John
Surratt !; most Of his (BOOth's) time was
spent with him. We were left entirely
in the dark.
Michael O'Laughlin and myself rented
a room on d street, No. APO, and obtained
meals at the Franklin House, on the
corner of d and Eighth streets. We
thus lived for nearly tive months, seeing
him perhaps three or four times during the
week, and, when seen, always but for a
short time, having still pressing business
always On hand, viz: to see John Surratt.
Michael O'Laughlin and myselfdrov out,
occasionally, the horse liveried at Mr..
Majors stable. We drove always (but
once) in the city and Georgetown; the
once excepted across the Eastern Branch
Bridge, when we went upward of five
miles, | suppose, and returned. This
was the only time l ever went over the
bridge How often j. Wilkes Booth
crossed cannot state, but, from his own
words, often: Thus was Michael
O'Laughlin's and my time spent for the
most part-dOwn at Rullman's Hotel
NOW Sinclair House, on Pennsylvania
avenue and Louisiana avenue, in drink
ing and amusements, with other Balti-
moreans beside ourselves congregating
there, all of whom knew nothing of our
business but that of selling oil stock. Oil
stock was the blind for them as we'll as
my family. During the latter part OF
March, while standing on Rullman's
porch, between ii and II o'clock P. NJ, a
young man-name unknown, as can
not remember names-about five feet
five or six inches high, thick set,
long nose, sharp chin, wide cheeks,
small eyes, (gray, l Think dark
hair, and well dressed-color !
don't remember-called Michael o.
Laughlin aside, and said j. Wilkes
Booth wished to see US both at Golfers
saloon, on the avenue. was then, fol