The Republican journal., 1869-07-08
A LEAF FROM HISTORY
Statement Of Edman Spangler. A Victim Of
Edwin M. Stanton

The Washington correspondent of the New
York World furnishes that paper with the fol-
lowing statement of Etman Spangler, who
was tried and sentenced by Il military com
mission in May, 1865, on charge OF being
engaged in the plot to assassnatc President
Lincoln, and pardoned by President johnson :
STATEMENT OF EDMAN SPANGLER
have deemed it due to truth to prepare fol
publication the following statcment-at time
when | hope the temper of the people viii
give me L patient hearing-of my arrets, tri-
ii and imprisonment, for alleged complcit,
in the plot to assassinate President Lincoln
| have suffered much. but ] solemnly assert
now, as alwys have sinceI was arraignedf fol
trial at the Washington Arsenal, that | was
entirely innocent of anv fore or after knoWl-
rdge of the crime which John Wilkes Booth
cOmmittcd-Sayc what | knew in common
with everybody after it took place. further
@0emnlv assert that John Wilkes Booth, or
any other person. never mentioned to me any
plot, or intimation of plot, for the abduction
or ASSASSINATION of President Lincoln that
lid not know when Booth leaped from the
age al the theatre that he had shot Mr.
Lincoln: and that | did not, in any way, so
help mcleod, assist in his escape and | fur
lher declare that ! am entirely innocent of
any and all charges made against me in that
connection. | never knew either Surratt,
PAYNE, Atzcrodt Arnold or Harold, or any
II the so-called conspirators, nor did | ever
zee any Of them until they appeared in Gus
todg. While imprisoned with Atzerodt, Pavne
and Harold, and after their trial was over,
was allowed few minutes exercise in the
prison yard. | heard the three unite in
l7serting Mrs. Surratt's entire innocence, and
acknowledge their own guilt, confining the
crime, As they did entirely to themselves but
duplicating the witness, Weichman, in knowl-
edge Of the original plot to abduct. and with
furnishing information from the Commissary
uf Prisoners Department. where Weichman
was clerk.
| was arrested on the morning of the 10th
ul April. 1860, and with Rltterspaugh (also a
scene >hi1er) taken to the police station on
r street. between Ninth and Tenth. The
ergeanl after questioning me closely, went
With two policemen to search for Peanut John
(thc name OF the boy who held Booths horse
The nj ght bctOre) and made to accompany us
the headquarters of the police on Tenth
-trect where John and | We're locked up, and
Ritterspaugh was released. After four hours
confinement | was released. and brought be-
lore Judges Olin and Bingham, and told them
of Booth bringing his horse to the theatre on
The llth OF April (ls65). After this investi-
cation | said: What is to be done with
nc?" and they replied: I'VE know where to
lind You when you are wanted, and ordered
nay release. | returned to the theatre, where
/ remained until Saturday when the soldiers
took possession OF ii: bnt as the officer of
Tho guard gave an at tache aud mNself pass
sleep there. We retired at 10 p. m, and at
m. a guard was placed over me, who
manned until 4. m. Sunday morning, when
,,ala, III n1fI 10 @1,n
until Sunday evening. and on our return
This attache (Carlton by name) and myself
were arrested by Detective Larner. Instead
Of taking us to the guard house he said he
would accompany Us home to sleep there,
hul all went TO Police Headquarters on
Ienth street and when Garland asked if we
were wanted, an officer sharply said No"
returned to the theatre that night and re-
naincd the next day till | Went to dinner, cor
lrr seventh and & streets That over | re-
manned few minutes when Ritterspaugh
who worked at the theatre with me) came,
and meeting me said: II have given my eyi-
icncc and would like now to Get some of the
reward.
I'waked out with Ri,terspaugh for half an
hour, and on returning to lie down left word
that ii any one called for me 10 tell them that
| was living down. Two hours after | was
called down stairs Ii see two gentleman who
had called for me lhcv said that | was
wanted down street. On reaching the side
walk they placed me in Il hack and drove
rapidly To Carroll Prison. where | was confin-
de week. Three days afterwards Detective,
"r Colonel, Baker came to my room, and
questioned me about the sale of a horse and
buggy (Which belonged to Booth) and told
him all about it freely and readily. On the
day following | was called into the office of
E,, m tn hn yaN by-S
gent Dye, who merely nodded his head as |
entered and then he left. Oye subsequently,
testified that he wa, sitting on the steps ofthc
theatre Just before Booth fired the shot, and
10 seeing mysterious persons about.) | was
allowed on the fourth day of my imprison-
menl to walk the prison yard, but from that
evening ! was closely confined and guarded
until the next Saturday al midnight, when
"a> again taken TO the Office to see detective
who said, Come Span9lcr. I've some Jew
clry tor you He handcuffed me with my
arms behind my back, and guarding me to a
hack was placed in it and driven to the Navy
ard where my legs We're manaced and a
pain of Lille hanlcut1's placed on my wrists
was put in a boat and rowed to a monitor,
where | was taken on board and thrown into
small dirty room, between two water clos
Is, and on 10 a bed of filthy life pruservers
and blankets, with two soldiers guarding the
door. ! VA, kept there for three days / had
been thus confined three days on the vessel
when Capt. Mnnroe came to me and said :
"Spanoler, Eve something that must be told,
bul YOU must not be frightened. We have
orders from the Secretary of War, who must
be obeycd, to put bag on your head" Then
tWo men came and tied up my head so secure
ly that could not see daylight. l had plenty
Of food, but could not eat with my face muf-
tled up. Trle, there wasa small hole in the
bag near my mouth, but | conld not reach
iiat, As my hands We're wedged down by iron
At last, two kindhcarted soldiers took com
passion on me- and while one watched the
other fed me. On Saturday night man came
10 me and, after drawing the bag so tight as
10 nearly sutfocatc me, said to the guard
Don't let him 60 to sleep, as we will carry
HIM out TO hang him directly" | heard them
30 up on the deck, when there was great
rattling of chains. and other noises; and
while was trying to imagine what was going
IN. and what they intended to do, was drag
ged out by two men, who pulled me at times
III different directions. We, however, reach
I'd q boat, in which was placed, and were
rowcd a short distance. | could not say then
where we stopped, for my face was still COW
cred After leaving the boat, | was forced to
walk some distance with the heavy irons still
| +I,ap cI1NJnoIx-