The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-19
Lincoln Conspiracy and
It's COnSpirdtOrSasssasas
Copyrighted 1902, by The Baltimore Americana

regard to his request. He did so, and the
following day the obstruction was removed
Very soon afterward we received the news
of our pardons when we became callous TO
all surroundings, feeling that their tenure
of persecution and intense hatred which
had existed for four years was drawing TO
a close Before the departure of the Fifth
Artillery we received a telegram notifying
of our pardon, whereupon we received
the congratulations of each officer of the
post. whether real or fictitious it is beyond
my power TO state.
On March %, 1862 having received my
release from their custody by virtue of the
official pardon granted by Andrew Johnson,
President of the United States. issued in
our respective cases, we departed from the
fort, transportation alone being furnished
as far as Key West, Fla. The government
had deported US far from our homes to a
strange land and had discharged us with no
means at command TO return. Had il not
been for my father. who came for me. 1
would have been left penniess among
strangers, without means to reach my home
or to purchase subsistence to alleviate hun
ger. Like justice followed my footsteps
from Its beginning to its end
THE OFFICIAL PARDON.
Armed with the official authority which
restored me again to the world free man,
a pardon granted by the United States gov
eminent, copy of which is herewith APP.
pended, to wit:
Andrew Johnson,
President of the United States of America.
To all to whom these presents shall come,
greeting:
Whereas, On the Soth day of June in the
year 1866, one Samuel b. Arnold was. by the
judgment of military commission, con-
vened and holden in the city of Washington,
declared guilty of the specification where
in he was charged in the words and figures
following, to-wit: And in further prosecu-
tion of said conspiracy the said Samuel Ar
mold did, within the military department
and the military lines aforesaid, on or be-
fore the 9Th day of March, A. d. 1866, and
on divers others days and times between
that day and the 18th day of April, A. d.
1865. combine. conspire with and aid. coun-
sci, abet, comfort and support the said
John Wilkes Booth, Lewis Payne, George
A. Atzerodt, Michael OLaughlin and their
cOnfederates in said unlawful, murderous
and traitorous conspiracy and the execution
thereof as aforesaid; and
Whereas, The sentence imposed by said
military commission upon the said Samuel
Arnold was that he be imprisoned at hard
labor for life, and the confinement under
such sentence was directed to be had Iva the
military prison at Dry Tortugas, Fla, and
the said Samuel Arnold has been for more
than three years and six months, and now
is, suffering the infiiction of such sentence;
and
Whereas, The evidence adduced against
said Arnold before the said military COM
mission leaves room for uncertainty to
the true measure and nature OF the COM
plicity Of the said Arnold In the said muir
derous and traiterous conspiracy, and it is
apparent that the said Arnold rendered no
active assistance whatsoever to the said
Booth and his confederates in the actual
execution of said abominable crime; and
Whereas. The pardon of the said Arnold
is strongly recommended by the City Coun-
Gil and more than two hundred other citi-
zens Of Baltimore and vicinity:
Now, therefore. be II known that I, An
drew Johnson, President of the United
States of America, in consideration of the
premises, divers other and sufficient rea-
sons me thereunto moving, do hereby grant
to the said Samuel Il. Arnold full and I'M
conditional pardon.
In testimony where of I have hereunto
signed my name and cause the seal of the
United States to be affixed.
Done at the city of Washington
this first day of March. A. D..
| ISEAL.l 1862 and in the independence of
the United States the Ninety-third.
(Signed) ANDREW JOHNSON,
President of the United States.
WILLIAM H. SEWARD,
Secretary Of State.
| was at last free man.
TRUTH, NOT MALICE.
1 have in the foregoing pages strictly
| confined myself to the truth, compiled
| from a diary as daily taken not by me. /.
| has not been written through malice nor
vindctiveness on my part. but solely fol
| the purpose OF giving to the world the man
| ner of treatment adopted and pursued in
my respective case. both during the period
| awaiting trial, throughout the trial itself
! and even after sentence had been i'm
| posed. Also relative to the treatment OF
others undergoing sentence and confined
at Dry Tortugas. Fla.
The hatred engendered by the civil wal
| had not yet abated. The crime in which
was supposed to have been connected, and
for which 1 was imprisoned. was of such
an abominable and atrocious nature thai
| the hatred which at first had been instillec
into the hearts of the natire nation did not
subside during my entire Incarceration
| They looked upon me as a monster, from
the sentence imposed by the military com
I mission. and nothing could be brought t.
bear to change or modify their deep-rootet
| convictions.
Not even the government nor those II
high authority could be appeased. and the,
| still prosecuted, even after sentence hat
been imposed, and would have continued I,
do so had L remained under thei
charge. To have obtained justice at o.
| about the period of my trial was an impos
| sibility, as we'll as a fruitless undertaking
whilst the public mind was in such chaotic
| excitement and frenzy. Evidence wa
| hardly necessary to convict. The desir'
was only to crafty and appease the publi
mind, and to avenge the death of Abraham
| Lincoln.
The crime in itself was of such base
cowardly, damnable and atrocious natur
that it necessitated harsh measures. we
justice should have interposed its hand
| separating the innocent from the guilty
which was not performed in the beginning
nor through the entire period of my i'm
| prisonment.
| WILL HISTORY LIE?
History will associate my name as one o
the participators in the crime. but in dom,
so IL will lie. as | was as guiltless as an un
| born babe as to knowledge or connection II
any way whatsoever in the horrible crime
| When Gen. Thomas Ewing. who had beel
retained by me as counsel. came TO see m
in my cell he remarked that ne would hav
nothing to do with the case il / was in an,
way connected with the crime. l told hin
that l was as innocent as he was himsel