The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1879-05-14

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DIR. Luke L. Blackburn, who has
been nominated by the Democrats of
Kentucky as their candidate for Gov
ernor, is q 6t man for the party to
honor. 10 The report of the trial Of
the co%Espirstors for the ASSASSINATION
Of Lincoln, aad Toe attempted assas-
sinarion Of Seward and others. DIR.
L r. Blackburn is q conspicuous per-
son.
On the 29tb of May, 1868, God
frey j. Hyams was sworn as a wit
ness, and testified as follows:
I am q native of London. England,
but have lived 10 the South for ten
or twelve ye,rs. Boring the past
wear | have resided az Toronto, Can
ada. About the middle Of December,
1863, | made the acquaintance of DIR.
Luke z. Blackburn | was introduced
to him by the Rev. Stuart Robson /;
= $50 > He asked me if wanted to
serve the Confederacy. He
took me up stairs TO o private room,
and pledged bis word as q Free Ma
Sod, and offered me bis hand in friend
ship that he would never deceive me.
= He said be would give me q
chance 10 get more glory and fame
than General Lee, and be of nero as
sistance to the Confederate govern
ment than if | took q hundred thou
sand soldiers to General Lees assist
ance. l pledged my word that l
would go. He then told me be
wanted me TO take q certain quantity
of clothing * = = to the United States.
and dispose of it at auction. | was
to take il to Washington, Norfolk,
aud as far into the army as | could
go, where the Federal Government
had the most troops, and when the
weather was the hottest. He did
not care how much | got TOR the
clothing, but he wanted me to dis
pose Of it as soon as possible, and
come away. He told me | should
have slOO, 600 for my services. ***
The letter, (handed to him some mo-
ments afterwsrd,) instructed me to
proceed from Montreal to Halifax. to
meet DR.. Blackburn. 1t was dased
Havana" / went. 50 When DIR.
Blackburn arrived be sent for me.
= + told ne the goods we're on
board the steamer Alpha.
then went to DR.. Blackburn and told
him | had got the goods of the
steamer. He told me the five trunks
tied with ropes were the one for nae
TO take, and asked ne if | would take
the vslise into the States, and send
it with Q letter, as q present to Presi-
dent Lincoln. | refused to do 70. .
The trunks had Spanish marks on
them, which he told me TO acrape Cd
Witness described his trip to Wash
ington with the trunks.) DR.. Black
burn asked me, by way of caution.
before leaving, if | had had the yell
iow fever. and on my saying no."
be said, you must have a preventa-
tive against catching it. You must
get some camphof and chew it while
you are handling these things, and
get some strong eigars-ihe strongest
YOU can get, and be sure to keep
gloves on while you sre handling
these clothes"
When l arrived in this city Wash
ington) l turned owe five of the
trunks to Messrs. W. J.. Wall 4 Co !,
and four of them to q mar by the
name of Myers, q sutler 10 either
General Sigel's or General Weiizel's
division.
DR.. Blackburn stated that his OBJ
ject in having these goods disposed
of in this way icas to destroy the arm.
les and anybody they came in con-
tact with. All these goods, be told
me, had been carefully infected viii
yellow fever and other contsgi, as
diseases. The goods which were in
the ~valise, which we're intended fyr
Lincoln, had been infected
with both yellow fever and smallpox.
As soon as | had disposed Of the
| immediately Jeff Washing.
ton and went straight to esnsds.
DIR. Blackburn > asked bow ! bad
d;sposed Of the goods and / told
bin.
On the s2d OF May, Sanford Con-
Oycr testified - follows:
The DR.. Blackburn 70 whom ] re-
erred 10 my testimony. is the same
nsn who packed q number OF trunksl
with infected clothing for the pur-
pose of Introducing p~estilence into
he States. In June last, i
heard of DIR. Blackburn uyjng to en-
,loy Mr.. John Cameron, Who lived
Montreal, to accompany him to
Bernsds. for the purpose Of tahins
OF goods infected with yellow
ever to the citiss of New York.
Baltimore. and Washington, but Nj.
cameron declined to 90. being fear
Of taking the yellow fever himself.
Compensation to the amount Of sew
rial thousand dollars was offered 70
him. : l heard DR.. Blackburn
az that be went from Montreal to
about . year ago last Jane,
or the purpose Of attending cases Of
fever. and collecting infected
'lothing.
at vas also proposed to destroy
Water Works in New York.
Dr.. Blackburn proposed 10 poison
he reservoirs, and made . calcnls-
ion az the amouut Of noinonoua mat.