Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-08-06
A STRANGE STORY.

Inc IulihuclpAin SOiioopooSho Va 'aS
New York Herald sends the following curl
Gus narrative to that paper:
eyes, think understand what General
Grant referred to in speaking to Mr. Depew
of the imminence of second revolution in
this nation" said an old ex-Secret Service
officer at the Continental Hotel Monday
night. "It is o secret that has been we'll
kept, though it lowered for months over
the Washington government. After Lin
coins assassination it would have divided
the North on new and terrible lines. 1t
would have brought England into the
trouble beyond a doubt, because of Cana.
dian complications 1t would have been
fatal to our government and would have re-
suited in indiscriminate butchery."
"What is this secret?"
sIt relates to the assassination plot" was
the reply. "That conspiracy was hatched
before Lincoln was inaugurated the second
time. 1t contemplated the abduction OF
Lincoln for the benefit of another man.
I refer to Vice-President Johnson. He was
to be made the great man of the war. Lincoln
was to be got out of the way. johnson was a
Southern man. The struggle was then an ad-
mittedly hopeless one for the South, but 1t
was desirable to have man who could be
depended on for satisfaction, as Lincoln,
with Stanton behind him, could not .be ex-
pected to be lenient Remember: do not
say that Johnson was party to the conspl-
racy, but ask you to read General Buffers
arraignment of Johnson during theimpeach-
ment trial. Read it carefully between the
lines, and see what it means. | tell you
only this, that the list of men privy to the
abduction of Lincoln would, if printed to-
px,,,1co ha
have seen myself note from Johnson to
John Wilkes Booth asking him to meet him
at the Kirkwood House. Don't draw any
inferences I merely mean that they were
on intimate terms"
"When and where was the conspiracy or
ganized ?" was asked.
ut was the outgrowth of Stewards direct
interposition in the case of Beale, the man
convicted of the plot to liberate the prison
ers at Johnston's Island, in Sandusky Bay
Lincoln was appealed to and promised that
Beale should not die. Seward personally in
terfered and finally secured Beale's execu-
ton. A meeting was held at St. Cathe-
rines, Canada, q few weeks afterWard. The
plot was Matched there. 1t was born Of per-
sonal malice more than Southern sympathy.
The Beale case, and it alone, accounts for the
attack on Secretary Seward. But this ma
licious scheme of small cabal of vindictive
men grew into widely ramfed conspira-
cy. Most dreadful of all, it became known
among large circles in Washington. There
were plenty Of men in the Caplto! cn
March 4th who went there to hear different
man from Lincoln make the inaugural ad-
dress. 1t is terrible even now to think how
rotten the heart of the political centre OF
this nation then was. Tho surrender at APP
o
sooner than was expected. Lincoln's death
had been resolved upon and the date fixed.
But only comparative few knew that this
change had been made in the scheme.
II have often wondered if General Lee
had not obtained an inkling of the terrible
crime in contemplation and hastened the
capitulation. He never would have sane.
toned o dastardly act. After the shoot
ing the abiect fear manifested by some
people in Washington who had not been
attacked is remembered yet. Too many
people were hanged or not enough
The most experienced men in the
service were put on the case. But one
by one they were withdrawn. l was de-
tailed for special duty, but stuck to the con
spiracy. found was shadowed by other
people. I have always suspected there was
| a conference one very dark night between
Stanton, Wade and Grant that referred to
the secret information obtained about the
conspiracy. I was not present, though
| was in the house when it occurred. The
archives of the House Judiciary COMMITTEES
contain, or did contain, some of the mos
startling testimony imaginable. Genera
Butler and George S. Boutwell, knew al
that General Grant knew. If either man
would tell what he knows. though it is MOI
all the story, we might have the revelation
vet. What have merely hinted at shows
| how wise General Grant was to keep this
awful secret so long, and how indiscreet he
would have been to con6de it to anybody
This is undoubtedly made out of whole
cloth.