Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-08-10
sPANDAUER,s CAREER.
A Witness Against Surratt-Mf. John
+. Ford's "Reminiscences.

A Witness Against Surratt-Mf. John
+. Ford's "Reminiscences.
From the Baltimore Sun, Today
Mr.. John T. Ford said yesterday that Ben
jamin Spandauer was not brought into promi-
nence outside Of Baltimore until John Surrstt
was charged with completely in Lincoln's assas-
sination. Mr.. Ford says that Spandauer at
tempted TO swear away Mr.. surratt's life. Con-
tinuing, he said: ''when the assassination 90
CURED John b. Surratt was in Elmira, N. Y.
He had been In conspiracy to abduct presi.
dent Lincoln and take him to the south, but
knew nothing whatever Of the assassination.
When he heard Of II he thought he would be
safer outside Of the country and went to Canada.
He was concealed there for awhile and shortly
after escaped to Italy in disguise. He Joined
the Papal zouaves there and was recognised by
some Americans travelling in Europe. His
whereabouts we're reported to the United States
authorities and he WAS indicted for completely
in the assassination of Lincoln. and subse-
trial for his life.
''Spandauer then appeared on the scene for
the first time. At this trial, which lasted
several weeks, the government attempted to
prove that surratt was in Washington on
April IA, 1865, but failed to find witnesses to
establish this. Spandauer appeared and Of
fered, for consideration, to furnish five
witnesses to prove the presence OF Surratt
in Washington on the night in question,
s and on his way from il, making his
the witnesses he proposed to put upon the
stand to swear away the life Of Surratt, and
in which he came very near being success
full. One of these, then residing ON Lombard
street near Frederick became frightened at
what he had agreed to do and its probable
tn NJ 81
Israelite, now dead, but who then lived on
Frederick street near Fayette, and revealed
to him the proposal that Spandauer had
made to him and four others. It was that
they were to go to Washington ~ witnesses
in the case and commit perjury, swearing to
story that Spandauer had concocted, for
which each was to receive 800. He asked
MIR. Wlel's advice, and was told to keep
quiet and to go on the stand if required, but
to swear to nothing but the truth. This he
promised to do, Mr.. Wiel assuring him pro-
lection. I was foreman of the grand fury
about this time, and Mr.. Wiel came to me at
once, both of us being Odd Fellows, though
knowing each other but slightly. 1t was mid
night when he called, and he told in q graphic
manner all that he had heard, winding up by
cursing spandauer as being a disgrace to his
race. He asked my advice as the false witness
had asked his. advised him, as he had ad-
vised his informant, to keep quiet about the
matter. ! went to Washington the next morn
ing and verified the information had received.
found Spandauer there and five names regis
tered at the National hotel These was told.
were those of men who were important wit
nesses in the Surratt trial. which was then in
progress. / then sought Surratt's counsel, the
Hon. Richard 1. Merrick and Joseph H. Brad
to be seen constantly lowering about the office
OF the United States district attorney, and every
evidence confirmed the statement had heard
in Baltimore. The man who had informed Mr..
Wlel OF the plot gave full account of what
Spandauer had told each man to swear to-
Each story fitted into the other, and had
the plot been undiscovered it would have been
damaging evidence against Surratt, anxious as
was the government to convict him to Justify
the hanging OF his mother. Two men were to
swear that they had met Surratt in Washington
on April A. 1865. The third, who was Mr. Wells
informant, was to testify that he had driven .
wagon from Washington to Baltimore over the
turnpike on the night of the Presidents muir
der, and that he had been met by Surratt Just
outsid' OF Washington about midnight who
asked to be allowed to ride with him; that he
consented and took Surratt to Baltimore The
fourth was to swear that he met Surratt in
Baltimore the next morning, and the fifth was
to say that he met him ON the train going to
Philadelphia on the same day. The government
had all these witnesses in the court room on
the last day of the trial, but none of them were
called upon to testify.
Enquiry by the defense had proved that no
train had left Baltimore for Philadelphia on
the day in question, the 18th of April, all hav-
ing been stopped by the government It was
thought that the government had gotten DOS
session of this fact and it was one Of their rea-
sons for not producing Spandauer's witnesses.
At the close of the trial. when the prosecution
rested their case, the counsel for the defense
asked if they were not going to call the other
witnesses who had been found by Spandauer,
The reply was No by Messrs. Edwards Pierre
pont of New York and A. G.. Riddle of WASH
ington. the prosecuting attorneys. At this
both Merrick and Bradley laughed derisively
at their legal opponents. The jury disagreed
and nolle pros. was finally entered. The case
failed because the prosecution could not prove
Surratts presence in Washington, though the
defense brought dozen witnesses to testify as
to his having been in Elmira, n Y, when
President Lincoln was shot. Some time after
it was learned that the government paid the
hotel bills of Spandauer's witnesses and all of
Spandauer's expenses in Washington"
Almost all the time since the trial Mr. Sur
raft has been living in Baltimore, leading q re-
tired life, and is held in high esteem by all who
know him. He dislikes to talk about the case
as the associations connected with it are pain.
full to him. Some time ago he had his life in
sured, and when the formal printed question
"How did your mother die2" was reached he
wrote ''She was murdered by the United States
poverumeut