Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-04-03

was one of these. It became known that he
was a friend of Booth. In order to get a
confession from him a rope was placed
around his neck, the other end of 1t thrown
over a beam, and he was ordered to tell
what he knew He was lifted or his feet
Under such circumstances a man will tell
his neck. Weichmann mad up his story
out of whole cloth and when he was in
safety he did not have the moral courage
to contradict it as any honest man would.
He was a moral coward. He was that way
as n school boy. At school 1t was forbidden
to have novels. 1 had one in my desk and
Weichmann opened the desk n took It
out. Through some chance 1t fell into a
teachers hands. When l accused WEIGH
mann Of having taken it out. he swore by
all that was holy that he did not do so. al
who saw him. AS I said. the child is father
to the man. The boys at school would not
have anything to do with him. He was
/ continually hanging around the. teachers
and running to them with tales.
A Forced Confession.
att would have been an easy matter for
| Weichmann to have confessed that he was
frightened into a false confession in the
capitol prison. Many men have lone the
same thing. I remember on one occasion
I was travelling the Underground Route
in Southern Maryland, in company with a
number of Confederates. One of the party,
a nephew Of Judge Roger A. Prior. was ar
~ ny q VI az NAooRo. A1iCy
gut a rope around his neck. threw 1t over
a limb of a tree and jerked him of his feet.
He confessed everything to them Told the
officer in charge exactly who We were, and
evidence against US was without a flaw.
After being liberated. this young man, re-
aliZing what he had done. went to the
judge and told him that he had lied in his
so-called confession, that he was so fright
ened that he would have said anything.
He said that he did not even remember
- - - RI -~-A 49,, -
were all liberated. Looka the difference be-
tween Weichmann and this young man. The
cost Of my trial about Impoverished me, and
friends in Baltimore sent me money. 1 re-
ceived from them checks for from $1,000 to
5000 at a time. My detectives had to fol-
the North. The latter tore a leaf out of
an Albany hotel register. where I had
signed the day before Lincoln was muir
dered. But l was able to secure other reg
made my presence in Washington during
those exciting times impossible. I also
summoned many prominent citizens OF Ell
mira, all strong Union men. whom l had met
there, and they testified to my being in
that city on the dates claimed. My counsel
demanded that l give them the name of
tho Union colonel who let me into the pris-
on. but I refused. 1t would have ruined
him. although it would have caused my
acquittal. My lawyers threatened to throw
up the case unless l revealed his name. but
1 Cecilneo. DurinS tne tr1al 1eheral Mer-
rick pointed out to me a group of Jews in
one corner of the room and asked me If I
ever saw them before. I said I had not.
He told me that they were going to swear
that they drove me into Maryland the
morning after Lincoln's death. General
Merrick went to the National I~ntelligencer
of Washington and exposed tine enire plot.
The next morning that paper came out and
stated all the facts and the Jews mysteri-
ously disappeared. Weichmann has held a
public office in Philadelphia from the day
of the first trial until now"
Booth lies buried in beautiful Greenmount
cemetery, in this city. and is in the same
grave with his father. mother, two sisters
a brother. His famous brother never
entered Washington after Lincoln's death.
It is generally believed there that John III.
Surratt had nothing to do with the crime,
but 1t is believed that he was In the con-
spiracy to abduct. OF the eleven who were
tried. four were hanged. five died natural
deaths and two are yet alive
HANSON HISS.