Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-23

most Important testimony was used, tie
evidence OF Gen. Gran. Secretary 5 anton
and Chtet Justice base being taken in
i0il.$ rms abstract made five columns of
Inc Tribune. In order TO lessen
the expense OF the production
1oAng, as WAS his right
atter having made the purchase,
d9piieated the matter for the late George
W. dams to the Cinclnnati Commercial,
Lne chicago Times and the st. Louis Re-
puellcan, and the cost was thus divided
lfstWeen -FOUR newspapers. Harris, when
ne learned this, claimed that Young was
oolged to pay him $l75 per column for
eaen newspaper in which the testimony
was published. He actually brought suit
against Young for that amount, but the
court decided against him.
another Interesting newspaper SCOOP,
although 1t was not q leak, was the pub
ncation OF j. Wilkes Booths diary, john
"A. Bingham. member OF Congress. and
afterwards United States Minister to ia
pan, was Judge Advocate of the military
tribunal that tried Mrs. Surratt and the
Lincoln assassination conspirators. AS
YOU all know, a great doubt has always
existed as to the guilt OF Mrs. Surratt. In
subsequent debates in Congress Gen.
B-nJamin +. Butler frequently held this
acertain memorable debate he boldly pro-
claimed that If the contents of a diary
Wnlcn had been found on the dead body Of
y. wilkes Booth were ever made public
IL would disclose the fact that it con tanned
the proof OF Mrs. Surratts innocence,
which proof had been UNANIMOUSLY sup
pressed by the government. When BIng-
nam made movement as though TO repel
such an accusation, Gen. Butler dramati-
cally drew memorandum book from the
breast pocket of his overcoat and held it
alott, but did not uttera word. Bingham
Instantly sank back in his seat. Henat-
urally supposed that Blu Ter had obtained
copy OF a diary such as he had spoken
of. AS matter of fact the memorandum
book contained nothing but blank leaves.
WHY Ben was playing what u poker
player would call "bluf hand"
Andrew johnson was ANNOYED by the
circulation given to Gen. Buffers decla-
ration. 1t was generally known tbat q
diary had been found on Booths body.
Secretary Stanton had it in his possession,
but with his customary malignant Sensi-
tiveness he refused to let any one see il.
President johnson finally asserted his
prerOgative and demanded possession of
the book. 1t was very Interesting. but it
did not throw any light on the gu stiOn OF
Mrs. Surratt'S guilt or inn0cerce. TIE
Presidents private secretary was W. W.
Warden; he was the Washington cores
pendent Of the Baltimore Sun. and, be-
sides, he was in the pay of the New York
Tribune bureau to supply it with all the
Information he consistently could. 70
him Andrew johnson intimattd that he
would not be averse to the publ location OF
Booths diary, and permitted him 10 make
a cOpy of it. He brought it to Jim Young
al.
Newspaper Row that he diary was out,
but no one could get the track of it. The
next morning the Tribune and the Baiti-
more sun bad "a big cheat" The cores
pendent of the Springfield Republican,
when taken to task Tor his failure 10 pro-
cure the diary, answered his editOr-in-
chief. famous old sam Bowles, in these
words:
''i'm not like Jim Young, Tor Pve got a
home to 20 to and don't have to prOwl
around until dayhrea6."
1 can't drop the subject of leakage in
government documents without telling OF
the Philadelphia man attached to Ger
man newspaper VINO had the Presidents
message in bis possession iorty-eight
hours prior to its presentation to Con-
gress and did not make use of 1t. 1t hap
cened three or four years ago. Through
a mistake on the part Of some one in the
post office copy OF the message was de-
livered at the office of the German Demo-
crat two days prior to the specified time.
The man into w hose bands it Tell promptly
returned 1t to the postmaster and felt very
mucn pleased with himself when he was
rapturously thanked. | suppose his con
duct was very creditaDle, but | never re-
lated the occurrence without 1t being
greeted with chorus of '-haw-haws." |
halD thjukinU that (1nrm2u
friend vas not aware of the fact that he
could very easily have made a couple OF
thousand of dollars out of that docu-
ment.
And he would have done no wrong if he
had.