Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1869-01-26
the LINCOLN ASSASSINATION.
Confession OF Arnold and
Atzerodt. Now First
Made Public.
Plans or the Conspirators.

Plans OF the C0nspirators.
From tie Baltimore American, Jan. 10.
Nsw that the trial Of John Surratt. for
in the assassination Of Presi-
dent Lincoln. has been thrown out Of court
through the tschnicalities Of the law, and
be is announced ~ preparing for pres. a
Of the whole transaction, il may
serve coed purpose to give publicity to
the following abatement Of Samuel Is. Ar
mold, enc Of the prisoners at the Dry Ters
tugas, made IN Baltimore Voluntarily, four
days after the assassination. wesleo give
the csnisssisn 81 Atzeredt, msds in his
cell on the night before the execution. Both
Of these confessions We have in our posses
siss, in the handwriting Of the prissnsrs.
aud they have hitherto not been made pub
lic,. under the expectation that they BE-
used in the trial Of John Surratt The
confession Of Arnold was made In the 0f>
Zoe Of Marshal McPhail, GU shs 18th Of
April. 1855, Immediately on his being
brought 70 this city from Fortress Monroe.
lie sat down at desk, and Voluntarily
wrote il without ANY qusstienirg. The
confession Of At1srodt vas made in bis
cell at Warrington. on the night before
his execution. lie asked for paper, and il
is written With . lead pencil. the discsn-
nso,sd manner OF it indicating the state oi
MUD OF the prisonu.
CONFUSION o. sAxrEL ARNOLD.
TO WHOM fr MAY CoScsaN. Know that
/. Samuel B. Arnold, about the latter part
Of August or fret part Of September, 1864.
vas ssnt for b. J. Wilkes Booth, who was
. guest at Barnurn's Hotel, in the city Of
BaitimsIs, MI, to call to see him. had
not sesn the came J. Wilkes Booth since
1852, whom We both were schoolmatss At
81. Timsthy's hall. President l.. Van Boke-
lin then having said hall % place Of tut
ten. Calling for wine aud eigsrs. we con-
vsrss1 . short time upon our former school
boy days. We we're intercepted by knock
At The dsor, whom Michael OL,ughlin vas
ushsrsd in. Alter . formal introd uction,
We set suppisg our wine. aud oil thrs .
smoked cigar. During smoking, he bsv-
Ing heard previously Of my political feel
ings Or sentiments. spoke in glowing terms
81 the eenfsdsracy, and the number 81 sur-
plus prisoners in the hands Of the United
Statss. Then snsued the proposition BY
J. wilkes Booth, and which he q. wiki q
Booth thought osuld bs accom- llshsd, viz
Of kidnapping President Lincoln, as he fire.
| qusntly went unguardsd out to the Sol
disrs' home; and be thought that be could
BE- picked up. carried to kichmend, aud for
his exchange produce the exchange for the
| president Of oil the prisoners in the federal
hands.
lie, J. Wilkes Bse,h, the originator Of
the scheme, asked il No wsuld enter int
it. Alter pa.ating the chances in such
glowing cslsrs, we consented, viz: Michael
OI.aughlin and myself We we're bound
nos T. divulgs il TO . living ssul. saw
him in baltimore. and then he 81. Wiki o.
Bssth) left 10 arrange his business up
north. first - New York, thence to the oil
regions. and frsm there 70 Boston, and
finally T. Canada lie was to DO back in q
month. lrscsivsd . l sttsr. which l dss-
trsysd stating that be vas laid up with
erysipslas in his arm, and as soon 40 he
vas able he would be with US. Months
rolled around, aud he did net make his app
pearance until some time in January. In
his trunk he had I've guns, cap cartridges.
which were placed in tho gun stecks-
Spencer rifles think they we're called = rs-
vclvsrs. KNIVES, belts, cartridge bozss. car
uidgss, caps, cantssns-all fully fixed for
service, which were 10 be used in case Of
pursuit, and two pair Of handouts to hand.
cuff the President. His trunk being 80
heavy, he gave tho pistols. knives, and
handouts to Michael. O'I.aughin and mysolf
to have shipped Or bring to washin gtsn.-
lie thcn returned from Washington, to
which place he had gone, bought . horse.
harness, and busgy-waEon, leaving the
team, &C., with US to drive on to Washing
ton. We started from Baltimore about II
or l s'clsck, after having shipped the boz
containing the knivss, han dcuffs, and pistols
arriving in Warrington about z Or half pas,
the same evening. We met him on the
street - ~ were passing the theatre. W.
aliehte Cd, took drink, and he told % Of the
theatre plan, slightly. saying he would
wait until We put the horse away, and tell
Us more fully. lie had previously, ~
the theatre i've could net succeed in the
ether plan ct the soldiers homo. Wsweni
to the thoatre that might, he 81. Wilkes
Booth) telling us about the different back
entrances, and how feasible the plan was.
lie had rented stable in the rear Of the
theatre, having bought two horses down
the country. oue was in the stable beh nd
the theatre, the other at livery. Met him
nsyt day went togethet TO breakfast With
| him. He was always pressed with business,
y III a man unknown to us then, by the
name of John Surratt most Of his Booths
| time was spent with him. We were left
| entirely in tie dark
Mlch,el OI.,ughlin and myself rented a
room on u strcst. No. 420, and obtained
meals at the Franklin House, on tho corner
of d. and Eighth streets. We thus lived
for nearly two months, seeing him perhaps
three or four times during the week, and,
whom seen, always but for . short time,
having stiiI pressing business on hand,
viz: to see John Surratt. During the lat
ter part Of March, while standing on Rull.
mans perch. between II and IL o'clock p
NJ. young msn-na unknown, 80 |
ctnn0t remember nAmss-about i've feet
five Or elk inches high, thick set, long
nose, sharp chin, wide checks, small ewes
(grsy. l think dark hair. and we'll drsss-
sd-c'lsr don's remember called Mich.
eel O'Laughl,n side. and said J. Wilkes
Booth wished 70 see 10 beth at Cs,isr's 50
loon, On the avenue. vas then for the
drst time introduced to him, but forgot hi
aams. W. walked up together. Michael
O'Laughlin, this unknown, and myself
were ushsred into the presence 81 J.
Wilkes Deeth, who introduced me to Jshn
Surratt, Atssrsdt. alias Port Tobacco -
alias Aossby, msking in all seven persons.
j. Wilkes Besth had sent werd to Michael
O'Laughlin 70 bring me up 10 Rssd hu-
usr (sttl always in the dark. Ties CEN.
nsncsd The plan fer Selling the President.
Each had his part to perform. First,
Vas 70 rush int tAs private bex and seize
the President, whilst Atxersdt, alias Port
Tobacco, and J. Wilkes Bseth we're 10
haadou6 him eod lower him On the stage.
whilst - Msssby wss T. catch him and
held him till Ne get down. Surratt and
The unknown were 70 b on the ether side
Of the Eastsrn Branch bridge y facilitate
escape. Il was after wards changed %
Asssby and Booth e catch him in ths boz.
and - lower him to me on the stage
O'Laughlin and the unknewn were 70 put
the lights out. and Surratt and Atzsredt.
alias Port Tobacco, to be on the other aide
Of the bridge. l WAS opposed to the whole
proceeding, and said it could net be accom-.
plishsd. II ever. which was an impsssibil.
ity, W could get him out Of the box and to
the bridge. We would DO stepped BY the
sentinel. "Sheot the sentinel said Booth.
| said that would not do for il an alarm
WAS given there, the whsls thing vas nm
and, 80 for me, l wanted the shadow Of a
r.