The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-08

clerk the last time he came up from Old
Point Comfort. Va, to Baltimore. went
to my brothers home at Hookstown. Balti-
more county, and / returned March Is to
Baltimore. was informed at my fathers
that Booth had called to see me, and left
a card requesting me to call upon him at
Barnums Hotel. / found a letter there.
also. from him for me, in which he stated
he desired TO give it another trial the week
following. and. if unsuccessful to abandon
it forever The letter found in Booths
trunk was in answer to this letter, which
l innocently wrote to prevent his under
taking il.
On the same day. March q, 1865, ap-
piled to j. W. Wharton, at Old Point
Comfort for employment and received a
favorable answer TO my application on
March 81. 1866. O'Laughlin came to my
fathers, to which place / had returned
from my brothers, and requested me to
accompany him to Washington to see
Booth, for the purpose of obtaining $500,
which Booth had borrowed from him. /
went with him chat morning and returned
with him in the early afternoon train of
the same day AT the depot at Washing
ton We accidentally met Atzerodt. We
drank together and then parted from him.
1 never saw him from the 18th of March
until then, and never afterward until our
trial.
SURRATT IN RICHMOND.
We saw Booth. During our conversation
he told us that the President was not in
Washington. He also said that Surratt
had gone to Richmond, as he had under
stood through Weichman that Mrs. Slator
had arrived from Canada with dispatches.
and that the party who had been in the
habit of ferrying persons across the river
had been arrested by the government, in
consequence of which Surratt offered his
services to accompany her to Richmond.
asked if he had received my letter of
the 9th, and he replied that he had not.
| asked him, when the letter was received
to destroy it. He told me he would
! This interview on March 81 took place in
his room at the National Hotel, Booth,
! OLaughlin and myself being present. In
this conversation Booth stated that the en-
| terprise was abandoned. He also stated
! that he intended to return to his profess
sion. 1t was at this interview that
| asked Booth what L should do with the
arms / had. He told me to keep them, to
| sell them, do anything 1 desired with
| them. We left him at his room at the
! hotel about o'clock In the afternoon, and
! after that time i never received either
letter from him or any other communica-
| ton, nor he from me; neither have 1 seen
| him since.
| We returned to Baltimore in the early
afternoon train. ] parted with O'Laughlin
and went to my fathers. 1 here found a
letter from Wharton, In which he gave me
employment. The next morning went to my
brothers at Hookstown, and packed up my
valise preparatory to going to Wharton's.
| I then gave my brother revolver and
knife. One revolver 1 carried with me. My
brother drove me to the city, and 1 took
the boat that evening for Old Point and
commenced clerking for Mr.. Wharton on
my arrival there. which was April 2, 1865.
This ended my connection with the con-
spiracy, and 1 heard nothing further from
it nor from any of the parties connected
Herewith. / knew nothing about the as
sassination until the news reached Fort
Monroe, Va, by telegraph, about II o'clock
on the morning of the 18th of April, 1866.
PLACED UNDER ARREST.
1 was arrested at Mr.. Wharton's store,
Old Point Comfort, Va, on the morning of
April II, 1866. The assassination of Presi-
dent Lincoln was never mentioned or even
limited at in my presence by Booth or any
other person.
| (Sgned) SAMUEL ARNOLD.
In the presence of
GEORGE r. ANDREWS,
Major Fifth United States Artillery.
H,F BENNERS.
| /, Samuel Arnold, do solemnly swear in
the presence of Almighty God that the
foregoing statement, to which have at
tached my name, is true in every particu-
lar and is full and complete history of
my connection with the conspiracy to alb
duct or kidnap President Lincoln and a
history Of the several parts each was to
perform, and that 1t is true statement as
far as my knowledge extends of all facts
and persons connected with the conspiracy
to abduct or kidnap; that 1 have not at
tempted to conceal any of the facts relat-
ing thereto or to screen myself or any per-
sons connected Herewith, and that I had
no knowledge whatever that any attempt
was to be made to assassinate President
Lincoln, and Furthermore / will true an
swer make to any and all questions which
may be propounded to me in relation to
myself or any other person or persons
which were connected supposed to be
connected either with the abduction or as
sassination of President Lincoln.
SAMUEL ARNOLD.
Subscribed and sworn to before me the
Sd day of December, 1867.
w. H. GLEASON.
Notary Public