The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-18
Lincoln Conspiracy and
It's COnSpiratorSa.a.asas
copyrighted. 1902 by The Baltimore American

| DR.. Mudd had worked during the preva-
lence of the yellow fever with an unfalter-
| ing ZEAL until nature was well-nigh ex-
hausted. relieving in every way at his COM
mand and knowledge the sufferings OF hu-
manity, but when afflicted himself he was
left entirely to the mercies of his God and
| the limited knowledge of his two COM
| panions, which fact had the appearance OF
desire for his death on the part of those
at the head of affairs.
| We felt from the first that We had been
| transported TO Dry Tortugas to fall victims
to the many dreadful poisons of malaria
generated in that climate. Happily. we
| lived through il all. and 1 am permitted to
| give to the world at large some inkling or
the many wrongs. fortunes and sufferings
inflicted upon us during the period OF near
| ly four long years of exile. In the month,
/ of October, 1867, the fever having exhausted
itself and finally stamped out, and with II.
to a great extent, the harsh and rigorous
measures which had heretofore been adopt
ed in the manner of our imprisonment.
some OF the privileges which we had
| taken during its prevalence were curtailed,
but for the most part the others were not
| countermanded by the officer in command.
The officers who garrisoned the fort at
| this time, with the exception of two, fell
victims to the disease. A lieutenant
/ recovered alone through the kind care
| and watchful nursing and attention of
| Colonel Grenfell. who remained with him
| day and night. administering to his slight
est want. The officers who died of the dis
! ease were coffned and borne to their last
resting place by the prisoners Of the post,
i nv he 0f
| ficers. Even wives were carried in like
manner to the grave, the husband remain
| ing in his quarters.
| Everything went on smoothly after the
| fever until the month of December, 1867,
when there arrived upon the island no
| tary public, purporting to be from the
| State of Florida. His business at first
| was unknown, as it frequently happened
that strangers came into our midst ON
| visit to the commanding officer. His bus
| mess, however, was soon made known to
us. We were ordered separately to his
presence, and found he was one of the
| commissioners appointed by the congress
| sional committee to investigate into the
particulars Connected with the assassination
| of President Lincoln.
| Letters were shown us as coming from
| Benjamin F. Butler authorizing the notary
| to obtain our voluntary statements, etc.
We were forced into his presence-did not
| go acknowledgements by an armed
| guard. When / was sent for by him and
| seated he handed me his credentials to
| peruse, which / carefully did / returned
| them to him, stating that knew nothing
concerning the business he was upon; that
| a statement of all the facts / knew OF
| had been placed in the hands of the govern
| ment upon my arrest and that the govern
ment was perfectly conversant with all the
knowledge that l possessed, and, from my
| trial, knew more than / or anyone else did
| supposed to be Connected Herewith, and
refused to make any further statement.
A TALK WITH NOTARY.
! informed him that he was a stranger to
me; that he might be as base as those who
| had already dealt with me; that 1 did not
| trust him nor any other man, etc., stating
| that a burnt child dreaded the fire. He
| told me to consider it. and 1 was dis
missed and sent to my quarters. After con-
versing with my roommates over the matter
we each arrived at the conclusion that it
could do no harm to us, nor the living nor
| the dead, and concluded to conform to his
request.
| called, however. upon the commanding
officer. Major George p. Andrews. and stat
| ed my situation to him. / told him that 1
was a prisoner under his charge, and. as
such, demanded his protection. He told
me that should have it, and, thus feeling
safe, / gave a statement of similar pur-
| port as that first made.
During its writing the notary held out
| ia, OF av,lxv
self, but the others, to swear falsely, stat
ing that If we could implicate any others
we would be released from our imprison-
ment and carried to Washington as wit
nesses. His advent was about the time of
the attempted impeachment of Andrew
Johnson, President of the United States.
and his visit alone was to attempt to cause
us to falsely implicate Andrew johnson in
the assassination.
There was a great deal of unpleasantness
] pervading our interviews, and high words
followed when he wished me to append my
signature to an affidavit drawn up by him.
self. Throughout my statement he at
! tempted to place his construction upon 1t,
and obliterated my writings, until finally
1 requested 20 be informed whether he came
to write my statement himself or did he
come to obtain mine. 1 refused to sign my
name to his affidavit as drawn up by him.
self. stating that il inferred that of which
knew nothing He handed it to Major
Andrews. who was seated in the room, TO
read. The major could not see ii in the
same light that 1 did. stating that it was
| all correct, etc.
| Seeing that neither justice nor protection
would be given me. / stated that I would
not sign 1t. and IL he was not satisfied /
would destroy that which / had written
and end the interview; that 1 asked alone
J for my rights and protection in them from
| the commanding officer
A THREAT TO SHOOT.
| Major Andrews Immediately rose up and
spoke thus:
"Sir. l will take you out on the parade
grounds and shoot you
/ replied: 81 am your prisoner. major;
| you certainly can do with me as you please,
| and If you deem you have the authority to
shoot me, all that is left me, sir. suppose.
| Is to stand it."
| / not shot. however. neither did I
/ sign my name to the affidavit. but wrote
out one that suited my way of thinking
| also wrote my own statement without the
notary's assistance. and in the end complied