Middletown transcript., 1870-12-17

of the same day took the cars for Mon
treal, arriving there the next day. put
up at the St. Lawrence Hotel, registering
myself as John Harrison" such being
my two first names Shortly afterwards
saw General Edward G. Lee, to whom the
dispatches were directed, and delivered
them to him. Those dispatches we tried
to introduced as evidence on my trial, but
his Honor Judge Fisher ruled them out,
despite of the fact that the Government
had tried to prove that they had relation
to the conspiracy to kill Mr.. Lincoln.
They were only accounts of some money
notwithstanding more or less. A
week or so after my arrival there, Gen
eral Lee came to my room and toll me he
had plan on foot to release the Confed-
crate prisoners then in Elmira, New
York. He said he had sent many parties
there, but they always got frightened, and
only half executed their orders He asked
me if | would 60 there and take sketch
of the prison, find out the number of pris-
oners, also minor details in regard to the
number of soldiers on guard. cannon,
small arms and etc. readily accepted
these new labors, owing to the fact that |
could not return to Washington for fear
of detectives. The news of the evacua-
ton of Richmond did not seem to disturb
the General much in his plan, as he doubt
less thought then that the Confederacy
wanted men more than ever, no one dream
ing that it was virtually at an end. l
was much amused at one expression made
use of by an ex-reb with regard to the
suddenness of its demise: g D-n the
thing, it didn't even flicker, but went
right out" Laughter and applause !
In accordance with General Lees order,
| went to Elmira, arriving there on We'd
nesday, two days before Mr.. Lincoln S
death, and registered at the Brainard
House, as usual, as " John Harrison /"
The following day went to work, and
made a complete sketch of the prison and
surroundings. About 10 clock on Fri
day night | retired, little thinking on that
night blow would be struck which would
forever blast my hopes and make me a
wanderer in foreign land. | slept the
night through and came down the next
morning little dreaming of the storm then
brewing around my head. When took
my seat at the table about 9 clock, A. NJ .
gentleman to my left remarked: p" Have
you heard the news?' /" No, I've not, "
replied " What is it 2" " Why Pres
ident 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 morn
ing to get off such jokes as that. " It's
so,' he said, at the same time drawing
out paper and showing it to me. Sure
enough, there | saw an account Of what
he told me, but as no names were men
toned, it never occurred to me for an in
stant that it could have been Booth or any
of the party, for the simple reason that l
had never heard anything regarding assas-
sination spoken of during my intercourse
with them. | had good reason to believe
that there was another conspiracy ahoat
in Washington. In fact we all knew it..
One evening. as | was partially lying
down in the reading room of the Metropo-
Titan Hotel, two or three gentlemen came
in and looked around as if to make sure
that no one was around, They then COM
nenced to talk about what had been done,
the best means for the expedition, &c. 1t
being about dusk, and no gas light, and
partially concealed behind writing desk
was an unwilling listener of what oc-
Cured. told Booth of this afteaward,
and he said he had heard something to
the same effect. 1t only made US all the
more eager to carry out our plans at an
earlier day for fear some one should get
ahead of us. We didn't know what they
were after exactly, but we were well satis-
fed that their object was very much the
same as ours. Arising from the table l
thought over who the party could be, for
at that time no names had been telegraph
ed. l was pretty sure it was none of the
old party. l approached the telegraph
Office in the main hall of the hotel for the
purpose of ascertaining if j Wilkes Booth
was in New York. I picked up blank
the number or the house | hesitated a
moment, and then tore-the paper up, and
then wrote one - w b." with direc.
tions, which I was led to do from the fact
that during our whole connection we rare
ly wrote or telcgraphed 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
Weichman is They were sent to him
because he knew of the plot to abduct
President Lincoln. 1 proclaim it here
and before the world that Louis J. WEIGH.
man was party to the plan to abduc
President Lincoln He had been told all
about it, and was constantly importunine
me to let him become an active member
I refused, for the simple reason that |
told him he could neither ride horse moi
shoot pistol, which was fact Laugh
ter. These were two necessary accom-.
plishments for us. My refusal nettled
him some so he went off as it afterwards
appeared by his testimony, and told some
| Government clerk that he had n vague