The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-06-18
three deputy marshals-
Red Thunder viii be tried before the
United States circuit court at Devils
Lake
DOOM OF THE cONsPIRAroRs.
Scenes at the Trial OF the AssassiDs Of
President Lincoln.

The courtroom in which were tried
In May, 1865, the eight conspirators ar
raigned for being concerned in the plot
against the lives of the heads of the
government was place of fascinating
and perhaps morbid interest, writes
Noah Brooks IN. Century, but it was
finally opened totthose who could pro-
cure passes from the president Of tho
court. The roopaiin, which the trial was
held is part OF nefgreat United States
arsenal establishment, attached to
which is the penitsntiary in which the
coaspirators were confined. 1t is on
the banks of the Potomac, insthe sub
urbs of the city, Entering an old
fashioned brick building, one was
shown into 2 large. bare room on the
ground floor, where rat a couple OF
staf officers receiving the credentials
of those who applied for admission.
They sent these to the court. where
an officer inspected them. and returned
them, if satisfactory, with the desired
card of admission.
A narrow fight, of stairs brought the
visitor TO small cham bsrin the second
story, where a lot of orderlies were
lounging about. and an officer inspect
ed ones pass. After another flight Of
stairs, another inspection of the pass
permitted one to enter the courtroom,
which was in the thirdSstOry. 1t was
m apartment about TWENTY-FIVE feet
wide and thirty feet long, stheientrance
being at the end opposite the apeniten-
tiary. Looking up the ECON zone saw
that it was divided lengtfrwiseiinto two
parts. the portion on the right being
occupied by the court, sittingtaround
long. green-covcred table, Gen Hunter
ct one end and Judge Advocatet General
Holt with his assistants at thetother.
The part of the room whichsUassnot
occupied by the court was rallied Off
and was taken up with few'se1tssfor
reporters and spectators generally .Gvho
were crowded confusedly about, fand
rested as best they could against the
bare, whitcwashed walls of the room.
AT the farther end OF the apartment
was a wooden railing, behind which ION
narrow, raised platform. sat the'a',-
cused men, all in solemn row, with
an armed soldier sitting between every
two persons. At the left-hand corner
behind them was a heavy iron door
opening into the corridor along which
were the cells OF the prisoners. Each
one of the accused was manacled nand
and foot. and sat grirnly against the
wall, facing the court and the wit
nesses, the witness-stand being raised
box in the center of the room.
The appearance and demeanor OF the
court. it must be admitted, were neither
solemn nor impressive. The members
of the commission sat about in various
negligent attitudes, and a general APP
pearance of disorder was evident. Many
ladies were present, and their ire
pressible whispering was continual
nuisance to the reporters, who desired
to keep track of the evidence. The
witnesses were first examined by the
judge-advocate, the members of the
court putting in a question now and
then, and the counsel for the prisoners
taking up the cross--ssSamination each