The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-08
Lincoln Conspiracy and
It's COnSpirdtOrSasasasas
copyrighted. 1902, by The Baltimore Americana

Brutus, to Washington TO persuade him TO
come home, so Booth told me. Booth told
me that he did not wish his brother 10
know how many horses he had, as he knew
that his brother would ask for an explana-
ton to why he kept so many. He asked
me then to go down to Cleaver's stable,
and 1 did so. He told Mr.. Cleaver that
had purchased the horse and he was turned
over to me.
About a week afterward 1 went to the
stable and paid the livery on the horse and
rode him up to the corner of d and Eighth
streets and turned him over either to
O'Laughlin or Booth. 1 never saw the
horse afterwards. Booth afterwards repaid
I me for the board of the horse
Booth was absent from the city of Wash
ington for the best part of the month of
February. On his return he stated that he
had been to New York. On the night of
March Is, 1865, about II or 1890 o'clock,
O'Laughlin and myself were about leaving
Rullman's Hotel on our way to our room,
when Booth sent messenger Herold) who
at that time was unknown to me, request
ing US to accompany Herold to Golfers eat
ing saloon. QHerold, 1 learned frem O'Laugh-
lin, had been introduced to him that day
by Booth during their buggy ride)
We accordingly went up and We're ushered
into the room, where, seated around a ia
bic, were Booth, Surratt, Atzerodt, alias
Port Tobacco, and Payne, alias Mosby,
all of whom, with the exception Of Booth
| and Surratt, 1 had never seen nor heard
| of before. We were then formally intro
duced. Oysters, liquors and cigars were
obtained. Booth then remarked that those
/ tn
| sist in the abduction of the President The
| plan of abducting him from the theater
was then introduced and discoursed upon.
| Booth saying that if it could not be done
from the lower box II could from the up
per
THE PARTS ALLOTTED.
| He set forth the part he wished each one
| to perform. He and Payne alias Mosby
were to seize the President in the box,
| OLaughlin and Herold to put out the gas;
l was to jump upon the stage and assist
them as he was lowered down from the
box, and Surratt and Atzerodt alias Port
| Tobacco, were to be on the other side of
| the Eastern Branch bridge to act as pilots
and to assist in conveying him to the boats
which had been purchased by Booth Booth
said everything was in readiness.
The gist of the conversation during the
meeting was as to whether it could or
| could not be accomplished in the manner
proposed. After listening to Booth and
| the others. firmly protested and objected
to the whole scheme. and told them of its
utter impracticability. l stated that pris-
| oners were being exchanged and that the
object of the abduction had been accom-
| plished; that patriotism was the motive
that prompted me in joining the scheme,
not ambition. and that / wanted a shadow
of chance for my life and that intended
having it.
Then an angry discussion arose between
Booth and myself. in which he threatened
to shoot me. / told him that two could
| play at that game, and before them all ex-
pressed my firm determination to have
| nothing more to do with 1t after that week.
| About o'clock in the morning the meeting
broke up and O'Laughlin and myself went
| TO room at Mrs. Van Tyne's.
The next day, as l was standing in front
| of Rullman's Hotel, Pennsylvania avenue,
in company with O'Laughlin, Booth came
| riding by on horseback and stopped and
| called O'Laughlin. He conversed with him
short time, and then O'Laughlin re-
| turned, saying that Booth wanted to see
| me. / went to the curb and met him.
Booth apologized to me for the words he
had used at the meeting, remarking that
he thought that 1 must have been drunk
in making the objections that did in ref
erence to his proposed plan of carrying
out the abduction. 1 told him no-drunken-
ness was on his and his party's part; that
1 was never more sober in my life and
that what L said the night before 1 meant.
and that the week would end my connec-
ton with the affair.
ANOTHER PLAN PATCHED.
On March II. 1865. about 2 o'clock. Booth
and Herold met O'Laughlin and myself
Booth stated that he was told that the
President going to attend threatical
performance out on Seventh street, at a
soldiers encampment hospital at the
outer edge of the city. Booth had pre-
viously sent a small. black box, contain.
ing two carbines, a monkey wrench, am.
munition and four pieces of rope, by the
porter of the National Hotel to room
at Mrs. Van Tyne's. Not wishing it to re-
main in our room. O'Laughlin sent the boz
| to an acquaintance of his in Washington
This box was sent to our room in the early
part of March, 1861 L think, and was re-
moved i'm about week or ten days.
I After Booth and Herold met OLaughlir
| and myself and made arrangements to 81
out to the performance on Seventh street
| Booth Herold and O'Laughlin went fol
| the box containing the two carbines, etc
The understanding was that Herold was t.
take the box with Booths horse and bugg!
to either Surrattsville or T. b., and there
| meet US, in case the abduction sue
cessful This was the last time l saw
Herold until our trial.
O'Laughlin returned and We took on
dinner at the Franklin Hotel, as usual
| After dinner met Booth and accom-
panied him to the livery stable near tn
Patent Office, at which place Booth OBJ
tanned horses for US. OLaughlin and
then rode TO our rooms on ID street AM
made all our necessary arrangements, eacl
arming himself. O'Laughlin and | thel
rode out TO where the performance was t
take place.
We stopped at a restaurant at the foo
of the hill to await the arrival of the othe
parties They not arriving as soon as w
expected, we remounted our horses an,
rode out the road about a mile. We thel
returned and stopped at the same restau
rant Whilst in there Atzerodt came in
having lust arrived with Payne A shor