Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-12-07


"Innncent Condemned
The man, the pign1y. under the protec-
ton of the law. gained the point, and
condemned innocent persons to death ant
imprisonment-they gratified their ambi-,
ton and Shed innocent blood without a
shudder-but before Gods tribunal they
will be made to answer and the murderer:5
and assassnS will be known. | will not
permit any one 10 interview mel would
not. verbally speak 10 any man upon the
suhject-for a burnt child breads the fire.
When arrested ] spoke but five. words.
which were reported just the reverse as
spoken, the witness not looking TO the
innocence of the man, but deSirous Of
proving guilt. to gain portion of the
huge reward offered for apprehension and
conviction. He even put in his claim.
but through my father and Mr.. Manlsby.
ms claim was turned down.
Under existing circumstances shall
forever keep my lips closed to interview
ers, and. should I ever come before the
public. it shall be in black and white sworn
TO before a. notary public. Of course.
know nothing of the assa ssination plot The
kidnapping was oe such a quixotic nalurc
that there is nothing in it, and with the
last no overt act was committed there
fore no proceedings could be established
under the law. I will cease to write OF
the narrowing subject, it but angers ne"
Guilt But n Thought.
In subsequent letter. consenting to
the publication, Mr.. Arnold says. in part:
My guilt was but a thought; the gov
srnment made II a crime. Thoughts exist
III the minds Of men, but remain dormant
never coming to the surface, never. exc
cuted: hence 10 make such a crime in
my particular case would make it Grim
ina in the case of all. However, such
J.: - y -,
my statement I deal with facts alone
indisputahie facts. They describe the hor-
rible tortures inflicted before. during, and
after trial. in fact, condemned before any
kind Of evidence had been addUced before
the court. 1t also describes the dreadful
scenes Witnessed during my Incarceration
1T the Dry Tortugas. giving in detail those
acts besides the officers who perpetrated
them.
Neither malice nor prejudice prompts
my action. No nan in this country loves
his country more than, ] do. None are
more patriotic, none more just, honora BILE,
or truthful, possessing heart Of kind
ness ana tenderness, equal to that Of 4
woman. I can produce witnesses Of the
very best blcod and standing in the State
10 vouct Tor my manhood. They have
known me from my earliest boyhood and
can voucn for my purity of heart. To-
day. in my old age. I am by them re-
si,ected and loved.
The cloud which for nearly forty Years
had hung over my head prevented me
from obtaining lucrative employment
besides it so sha6owed my life that 1
had almost become a nlisanthropist. was
never better sat tisfied than in my OWL Sc
clusion and retirement. My treatment
had been of such a nature that had 10
desire 10 mix with mankind. [ had lost
all confidence in the human race. Now
going. on 60 years of age, my heal tn is
shattered and crippled from rheumatlsn:
contracted during my Incarceration.
have passed the age to even find employ
ment to bridge over the short span be-
tween the present anu my death.
i'Iot That FnIied.
The manuscript of Arnold, i'll relation
TO its preparation, extends over long
period of years. That portion in which
inception Of the plots to liidnap President
Lincoln. with their successive failures.
and the reasons therefor, giving names,
dates. and locations connected Herewith
was written in the year 1867. while Ar
mold was confined in the Dry Tortugas,
Florida. and attcsted to before notary
of the pubic and special commissioner
aprointed by the Congressional Comnls-
sion to investigate into the circumstances
surrounding the assa sslnation of the Pres
idcnt a second portion of the same doc
umcrt gives a succession of questions
nut TO Arnold as to his life, etc, by the
notary public.
At that time, the writings stopped for
many years. but in the early lllnetleS Mr.
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