The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-12-08


half executed their orders. He asked me If l
would 20 there and take a sketch of the prison,
find cut the number of prisoners also minor |
detail in regard to the number of soldiers on |
guHu, cannon, small arms, etc. l readily ac- |
celo,d these new labors, owing to the fact that |
] could not return TO Washington for fear of the
detectives. The news of the evacuation OF |
Richmond did not seem to disturb the General
much in his plan, as he doubtless thought then
that the Confederacy wanted men more than
ever, no one dreaming that it was virtually at
an end. was much amused at one expression
made use of by an ex-Reb with regard to the
suddenness of its demise:-"D-n the thing, it
didn't even flicker, but went right out"
daughter and applause.) In accordance with
General Lees order, went to Elmira, arriving
there on Wednesday, two days before Mr.. Lin
coins death, and registered at the Brainard
House, as usual, as John Harrison" The fol-
lowing day went to work, and made complete
sketch of the prison and surroundings. About
10 o'clock on Friday night retired, little think
ing that on that night
BLOW WOULD BE STRUCK
which would forever blast my hopes and make
me a wanderer in foreign land. l slept the
night through, and came down the next morn
ing little dreaming of the storm then brewing
around nv head. When took my seat at the
table about o'clock A. NJ. gentleman to my
left remarked, "Have you heard the news z"
'No, I've not" l replied. what is it"
"Why
PRESIDENT LINCOLN AND SECRETARY SEWARD
HAVE BEEN AsSAssINATED."
] really put so little faith in what the man said
that made a remark that it was too early in
the morning to get off such jokes as that TITS
So" he said at the same time drawing out q
paper and showing it to me. Sure enough there
/ saw an account of what he told me, but as no
names were mentioned it never occurred to me
for an instant that it could have been Booth or
any of the party, for the simple reason that l
had never heard anything regarding assassina-
tion spoken of during my intercourse with
them. had good reason to believe that there
was
ANOTHER CONSPIRACY AFLoAT IN WASHINGTON.
In fact, we all knew it. One evening" as |
was partially lying down in the reading-room
of the Metropolitan Hotel, two or three gentle
men came in and looked around as if to make
sure that no one was around. They then COM
menced to talk about what had been done, the
best means for the expedition, etc. 1t being
about dusk, and no gas light and partially con-
cealed behind writing desk, was an unwill-
ing listener to what occurred. l told Booth of
this afterward, and he said he had heard some
thing to the same effect. 1t only made us all
the more eager to carry out our plans at an
early day for fear some one should get ahead OF
us. We didn't know what they were after
exactly, but we were well satisfied that their
object was very much the same as ours. Arising
from the table, thought over who the party
could be, for at that time no names had been
telegraphed. was pretty sure it was none of
THE OLD PARTY.
approached the telegraph Office in the main
if j. Wilkes Booth was in New York. picked
up a blank and wrote "John Wilkes Booth"
giving the number of the house. l hesitated
moment and then tore the paper up and then
wrote Cne
with directions, which was led to do from the
fact that during our whole connection we rarely
wrote or telegraphed under our proper names,
but always in such manner that no one could
understand but ourselves. One way of Booths
was to send letters to me under cover to my
quondam friend,
LOUIS j. wEICHMAN.
Doubtless you all know who Louis j. WEIGH
man is. They were sent to him because he
knew of the plot to abduct President Lincoln
proclaim it here and before the world that
! Louis j. Weichman was a party to the plan to
abduct President Lincoln. He had been told all
about it, and was constantly importuniDg me
| to let him become an active member. l re-
fused, for the simple reason that told him he
| could
NEITHER RIDE HORSE NOR SHOOT A PISTOL,
which was fact. Oaughter.) These were two
NECESSARY ACCOMPLISHMENTS
for us. My refusal nettled him some; so he
went off, as it afterwards appeared by his testi-
mony, and told some Government clerk that he
had vague idea that there was plan of some
kind on hand to abduct President Lincoln.
This he says himself: that he could have spotted
every man on the party. Why didn't he do 1t ?
| Booth sometimes was rather suspicious of him,
| and asked me if thought he could be trusted.
Said 1, Certainly he can Weichman is
AsoUTHERN MAN"
and l always believed it until / had good reason
to believe otherwise, because he had furnished
information for the Confederate Government,
| besides allowing me
ACCESS TO THE GOVERNMENT RECORDS
after office hours. l have very little to say of
| Louis j. Weiehman. But l do pronounce him
a base-born perjurer; murderer of the meanest
hue. Give me a man who eau
STRIKE hIs VICTIM DEAD,
but save me from man who, through perjury,
will cause the death of an innocent person
| Double murderer!!! He'll possesses no worse
feBd than a character of that kind. (Applause.
Away with such character. leave him in the
PIT OF iNFAMY,
which he has dug for himself, a prey to the
lights of his guilty conscience. (Applause.)
] telegraphed Booth thus:--
~. w. B., in New York;
"lf you are in New York telegraph me.
John HARRISON, Elmira N Y"
The operator, after looking over it, said, 81:
it j. w. B.?" to which l replied, yes" He
evidently wanted the whole name, and ha6
scarcely finished telegraphing when a door
right near the office, and opening on the street
"Yes, there are three or four brothers of them
John, Junius Brutus, Edwin, and j. Wilke:
Booth" The whole truth flashed on me in ar
instant, and l said to myself
''MY GOD! WHAT HAVE DoNE?"
The despatch was still lying before me, and
reached over and took it up for the purpose o.
destroying 1t, but the operator stretched forti
his hand and said "We must file all tele
grams" My first impulse was to tear it up, bu
pitched it back and walked out. The towI
was in the greatest uprear. flags at half mast,
! L. H.. OssI 4 Ill., Al.