LINCOLN ROOM 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 
 LIBRARY 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2012 with funding from 
 
 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 
 
 http://archive.org/details/defenceprisonexpOOarno 
 
Defence of A Lincoln Conspirator 
 
DEFENCE 
 
 and 
 
 PRISON EXPERIENCES 
 
 of a 
 
 LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 STATEMENTS 
 
 and 
 
 AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL NOTES 
 
 By 
 SAMUEL BLAND ARNOLD 
 
 HATTIESBURG, MISSISSIPPI 
 One Hundred and Ninety- 
 Nine Copies Printed for 
 THE BOOK FARM 1943 
 
Heartman's Historical Series Number 66 
 
 Copyright 1943 
 Charles F. Heartman 
 
MT3'TLJU>5 
 
 Samuel Bland Arnold was born in the District of 
 Columbia, on September 6, 1834, and died in 1906. Dur- 
 ing the War Between the States he served as a Confeder- 
 ate soldier for two years, and then returned to his native 
 Maryland. He was a schoolmate of John Wilkes Booth 
 and became, with Michael O'Laughlin, the first recruit 
 in the Lincoln conspiracy. 
 
 Arnold, the Confederacy sympathizer, was greatly 
 exasperated by Lincoln's failure to exchange war prison- 
 ers, and was somewhat easily persuaded to become a 
 participant in a plot to abduct the President into the 
 Confederate lines and hold him for ransom, in exchange 
 for Confederate officers and soldiers. 
 
 Arnold was present among the six or seven young men 
 who rode, on March 16, 1865, towards the Soldier's 
 Home, where Abraham Lincoln was expected to attend 
 the performance of "STILL WATERS RUN DEEP." The 
 conspirators, armed to the teeth, expected to capture the 
 President of the United States. The pJan came to naught, 
 because the President did not show up. 
 
 Booth unfolded his larger plan. Arnold balked and 
 protested. It was one thing to abduct the President, and 
 by doing so achieve a brilliant military feat; but assassi- 
 nation! Not for him. He withdrew and went home, but 
 he made a serious mistake. He wrote Booth a letter to 
 that effect, also urging him to destroy that letter. The 
 unreliable Booth did not do so, and Arnold was drawn 
 into the net and of course had to stand trial. 
 
 For those who think that Edwin M. Stanton and his 
 satellites had a little Gestapo of their own, let it be said 
 that it is one of the deficiencies of democracy that those 
 who are given tinhorn power occasionally abuse their 
 authority. But not for long. Arnold, who was condemned 
 to life imprisonment, was pardoned on March 21, 1869, 
 by President Johnson. The following pages show that 
 he was punished enough for his youthful folly. 
 
 The first printing of this Document Humaine should not 
 be defiled by footnotes, etc. Only a barbarian would 
 
do so. It should be given as written. That I have pointed 
 out the caligraphical errors grieves me somewhat, be- 
 cause it interferes with the continuity, and must therefore 
 annoy the reader. Not having done so, might, however, 
 lead to the accusation of careless proof reading. 
 
 The following manuscript consists of two separate 
 units: The first contains a Statement and Deposition, 
 made in December, 1867, at Dry Tortugas or Fort Jeffer- 
 son, Florida, before the Commissioner appointed by the 
 Congressional Committee to investigate the assassination 
 of President Lincoln. The second is an autobiographical 
 defense, written in 1904, in vindication of his character. 
 
 Charles F. Heartman 
 
Defence of A Lincoln Conspirator 
 
 THE TRIAL AND ITS OBJECT 
 
 When the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, President 
 of the United States, occurred in 1865, in the City of Wash- 
 ington, the Courts of Justice were each in full operation 
 for the disposal and trial of any case which might be 
 brought before those tribunals. They were created and 
 enacted by law for the purpose of administering justice in 
 its every sense. The war was virtually over and no armed 
 force (sic) were near the seat of Government to prevent 
 the full operations of the Courts. Pandimonium (sic) 
 reigned in the Northern section of the Country, Extend- 
 ing from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The nation was 
 aroused to the highest pitch of frenzy and cried aloud for 
 vengance (sic), upon the slayer of Abraham Lincoln. Un- 
 der the circumstances to appease the public voice and to 
 satisfy their cries for revenge, the Government summarily 
 closed each and Every Court within the District of Colum- 
 bia. Before them justice such as it was intended should 
 be meted to those in any way suspected of complicity in 
 that execrable and diabolical crime, could not be obtained, 
 consequently thro Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War 
 marshal law was proclaimed, all courts peremptorily closed 
 and a Military Commission appointed and convened for the 
 trial of those who were in any manner suspected of being 
 implicated in that infamous crime. Here was a Court com- 
 prised of members of Each of whom were the most bitter 
 enemies of those who should be brought before it. Twas 
 a violation of Magna Charter (sic) in that it deprived the 
 citizen of being tried by a jury of his countrymen, and un- 
 constitutional in its Every branch. Military Commissions 
 as proclaimed by the late Gel. (sic) Benjamin F. Butler, 
 were for the most part created for conviction alone — hence 
 trial before them was a foregone conclusion. It was simply 
 
 [9] 
 
10 DEFENCE OP A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 & no more than modified Lynch Law. When the Honorable 
 Reverdy Johnson appeared before the Court to argue its 
 constitutionality, he was grossly insulted by some of the 
 members composing the Court. He immediately withdrew 
 leaving them in the revolutionary methods addopted (sic) 
 masters of the situation. Johnson like unto many others, 
 owing to the intense excitement prevailing at the time 
 throughout the country declined their services in defense 
 of those held upon the charge. Thus in its very incipiency, 
 it plainly established the animus of those composing the 
 body of the Court. From Judge Advocate General Holt and 
 Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War, down the justice to 
 be administered as planned by them had a smooth surface 
 to move upon. When first brought before the Court, to 
 plead to the charge and Specifications, preferred headless 
 men appeared, hooded and weighted down in irons, noth- 
 ing visible to them, neither the Court nor its surroundings, 
 Everything as dark as Egypt. After inspection by the 
 Court the hoods were removed, but in irons entered our 
 plea to the Charge & Specifications. The hoods were aft- 
 erwards removed at Court sittings, but the irons were a 
 permanent fixture to the end of the long drawn out trial. 
 Judge Adv. Genl. Holt, with his associates Bingham of Ohio 
 and Burnett of New York occupied Seats at the S. E. por- 
 tion of the room, in close proximity to the bench extending 
 the full length of the court room, upon which the accused 
 were seated. Members of the Court sat at a table runing 
 (sic) East & West, opposite the witness rostrum and vis- 
 itors to the other side of the Court room, facing both Court 
 & prisoners. The room was divided into two sections, one 
 part occupied by the Court in general, the other in which 
 witnesses remained until called, there being a door leading 
 direct from the witness room into the Court room. Judge 
 Holt sat immovable and upon his stern and hard face not 
 a particle of Expression could be traced. He looked like 
 some grim Statue, carved in stone, neither the face nor the 
 eye emiting (sic) the slightest expression, he to all intents 
 & purposes, leaving the work already mapped out by him 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 11 
 
 to his associates, who from the evidence already obtained, 
 through blood money, heavy rewards having been offered 
 by the Government for the apprehension and conviction 
 of those supposed to be connected in the crime. Rewards 
 so bountifully offered by the Government, brought to the 
 front hordes of perjurors, men without souls, who for gain 
 and gold would stoop to anything that was base to obtain 
 it. Men who had been connected in the abduction plot, had 
 remained in the city of Washington for months, right under 
 the very eyes of the Government and its hordes of detec- 
 tives, under Genl. L. C. Baker, chief detective of the Gov- 
 ernment, and they were perfectly ignorant of its existence. 
 The secret was kept so closely guarded, that none outside 
 of those actually engaged in it possessed any knowledge 
 pertaining to it, but, no sooner than the crime had been 
 committed, then hordes presented themselves as witnesses. 
 If this was a fact and they possessed the knowledge sworn 
 to before the court, they were equally as guilty as those 
 who virtually committed the crime. Hundred (sic) came 
 forth and to the front with evidence to assist the Govern- 
 ment in its prosecution of those held under the charge, all 
 based upon the reward offered by the Government and he 
 who could swear the best and the longest, expected to re- 
 ceive the largest share of the reward. If the evidence upon 
 our trial had been pure, one word to the Government would 
 have prevented the crime, but they preferred it seems to 
 have allowed the crime to be committed, before they 
 vouchafed (sic) to make it known. Now evidence like 
 unto this, are lies and a tissue of falshoods (sic) from be- 
 ginning to End. It was unknown to any, outside of those 
 actually connected with it. It was perjured villians and 
 scoundrels whose mass of testimony given, was for the sole 
 purpose through their perjury to obtain the reward so 
 bountifully offered by the Government for the apprehen- 
 sion and conviction of those supposed to be implicated in 
 that unholy crime. Under the circumstances Judge Holt 
 was in no manner uneasy. He had his pupils, Sandford 
 Connover, his Dr. Merritt, his Mrs. Hudspeth, his Wm. 
 
12 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 Spandauer and many others as witnesses, who were able 
 to prove anything and everything needed for conviction. 
 The Witnesses and the prosecution and proceedings be- 
 fore and during our trial, were each a part of the other 
 and so closely intertwined together, that it was impossible 
 to distinguish one from the other. That Edwin M. Stan- 
 ton, that master mind of cruelty should have reproduced 
 as he did, the iron masque, in Canvass (sic) in our special 
 cases, ironed like felons tried in chains and condemned 
 through arch perjurors, is a blightning (sic) stigma upon 
 the honor of the nation. All these things were administered 
 before either the guilt or the innocence of any had been 
 established, plainly and forcibly proving the manner and 
 kind of justice to be administered. How the Court viewed 
 and looked upon those hooded and headless human beings 
 when presented before them is unknown and a matter of 
 conjecture. A more disgusting a more revolting and 
 satanic a spectacle could never have been drawn or con- 
 ceived by the human mind. Edwin M. Stanton's master- 
 piece of inhumanity and cruelty should forever stand a 
 monument to the memory of its inventor. What a parody 
 on the administration of justice. It was but a Court of 
 vengance (sic) and as such carried it out in its full de- 
 tail to the very letter. The Court was created and con- 
 vened to condemn alone, was used to serve the personal 
 ambitions of Stanton & Holt, fully establishing their deep 
 seated hatered (sic) against others under the outward 
 cover of we its victims, in their mad desire and senseless 
 hate to tarnish the fair names and reputations of those 
 men called by the voice of their people to represent and 
 guide them in their struggle to uphold Constitutional Gov- 
 ernment as handed down by its original framers. Fail- 
 ure however followed in its wake through the Employment 
 of that Arch perjurer Sandford Conover, the Star Wit- 
 ness before the Military Commission. Asst. Judge Adv. 
 Bingham of Ohio seemed to have been upon the most friend- 
 ly terms with Sandford Conover. I saw him in the wit- 
 ness room approach Connover, button hole him with his 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 13 
 
 right hand and placing his left upon his shoulder Enter 
 into earnest conversation for sometime after which Con- 
 nover disapeared (sic) from the court for a short time, 
 only to return again with startling disclosures collected 
 on his visit to Canada. There he unswore to all he had 
 before sworn to here previously before the Court and on 
 his return unswore to all he had sworn to in Canada. To 
 credit a witness like unto this was premeditated murder 
 outright. Peter Pepper was a pigmy by the side of Sand- 
 for (sic) Connover. To my mind it is very doubtful, if 
 ever he placed his foot upon the soil of Canada, for a more 
 villianous liar never existed or ever appeared before in a 
 public prosecution. To have Employed such a man, such 
 a base scoundrel, whose perjury upon our trial had been 
 of such a glaring nature as to have called forth from the 
 public at ,the time protest, was of such questionable char- 
 acter, as almost to establish collusion on the part of both 
 Stanton and Holt with Connover. Even this did not check 
 them in their designs. To have Employed Connover to 
 produce and hunt up evidence against Jefferson Davis and 
 others was but courting fate. Both Stanton and Holt 
 knew him to be a perjurer of the deepest dye and to have 
 endeavored through such a witness and his associates to 
 gather evidence against Jefferson Davis and others was 
 of itself a base and unpardonable act. It mattered not 
 to them whom they Employed so they gained their desired 
 end. Tis the ladder by which many an ambitious man has 
 either ascended or fallen. Judge Holt looked upon his 
 past services to his country, as proof above suspicion and 
 in defense of himself, Connover having been entrapped 
 before the Committe (sic) appointed by the House of 
 Representatives to investigate Jefferson Davis' complicity 
 in the crime, intimated that he had performed his work 
 through instructions received from Judge Holt. Judge 
 Holt came out in a published phamlet (sic) in his defense, 
 setting forth among other things that he had been duped 
 by this man Connover, yet before he had employed him, 
 he knew him to be a perjurer. He called upon the Sec- 
 
14 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 retary of War Stanton to uphold his spotless character 
 requesting that a board of inquiry be convened in his case. 
 The Secretary of War refused his request, deeming his 
 past services to his country and his record of such a nature 
 that a court of inquiry was unnecessary for his vindica- 
 tion. The two were one then and had been during the 
 entire period of the war and so remained to the end and 
 anything which in its nature could be brought to bear 
 against either was so deeply burried (sic) within the ar- 
 chives of the Government that to probe for it or to find 
 it would would have been not only a herculean task, but a 
 fruitless one. Those whom they would have destroyed in 
 their senseless hate as well as themselves have passed over 
 the river where the reputation of each are fully known, 
 through the all seeing eye of the Great Jehovah. From 
 we poor mortals of earth they could hide their sins of 
 commission and omission, but before God their Creator, 
 all is known. Though they have burried (sic) from sight 
 the deeds done in the body, here, in Eternity all will be 
 made known. The introduction of Connover as a witness 
 before the Committe (sic) of the House of Representa- 
 tives, was a part directly arising from my trial before the 
 Military Commission, Judge Holt and Stanton pressing it 
 through the perjurer Sandford Connover and other bought 
 evidence paid for by the Government as will be found 
 recorded in Judge Holt's phamplet (sic) published in his 
 defense and the conclusion arrived at from my arrest, tor- 
 tures and cruelty practiced throughout the trial, the state 
 of the public mind at the time, etc., my conviction leads 
 me to beleive (sic) that Stanton and Holt were in colusion 
 (sic) with Connover and others, in their endeavor to wreck 
 and tarnish the spotless reputation of Jefferson Davis and 
 others through no other motive than to serve their own 
 ambitions and to gratify their personal hate. I do not 
 state this as a fact, but from all surroundings, it is the 
 only logical conclusion to be deduced, from the proceedings 
 of the Court, the criminal records of those which have 
 come to light among the witnesses Employed, in the build- 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 15 
 
 ing from a mere moale (sic) hill a collosal (sic) edifice, 
 so as to embrace in its wide spread net men of as noble 
 characters as ever dwelt within the confines of the United 
 States. I reserve to myself the self same right to express 
 my opinion and views in matters pertaining to my trial 
 the Court itself and any individual connected therewith 
 in like manner as the Country has assailed me & my char- 
 acter imputing crime whereas I was totally innocent, there 
 not being one iota of evidence adduced to establish guilt 
 or guilty knowledge of, or aided, assisted or abetted in any 
 way or form in that henious (sic) crime. The letter writ- 
 ten to Booth March 28th, 1865 in reply to one received 
 from him, requesting me to give the abduction another 
 chance, led me to write it. It plainly in wording proves 
 my entire severance from him, and the mere fact of his 
 having left it in his trunk to betray me into the hands of 
 the Government when he perpertrated his damning act, 
 shows malice, rancor and venom and revenge, owing to 
 my abandonment and severance from him in the renewal 
 of his contemplated abduction plot. The Govt officials 
 twisted and contorted it, in its every sense and from it 
 based the Charge and Specification involving Jefferson 
 Davis and others in the plot. I couched my letter to him 
 in language, thinking I would have the tendancy (sic) of 
 checking him in his renewal of the once abandoned scheme. 
 When I last saw him, I enquired of him, had he received 
 it, he replied Yes. I then requested its destruction, which he 
 promised to comply with. How he complied the future told. 
 He left it for the purpose of my arrest and to avenge him- 
 self upon me owing to my severance from him. His act com- 
 mitted against me is proof positive, that I was in no man- 
 ner connected with him or others. Sandford Connover 
 acted his part to the very letter before the Military Com- 
 mission in our trial, but the part he assayed to play be- 
 fore the Committe (sic) appointed by the House of Rep- 
 resentatives to connect innocent persons in the crime & 
 the cohorts he had collected together for the purpose of 
 implicating Jefferson Davis and others, fell through, con- 
 
16 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 science pricked the soul of Snevel Campbell and others 
 and revealed his villiany (sic) in all its phases and landed 
 him in the Penitentiary for ten years. History to attempt 
 to fasten crime like this upon others, through such base 
 and repulsive measures and witnesses, should falter, ere 
 to the world they proclaim as historic facts — crime at- 
 tributed to me, through such testimony. History will yet 
 do me justice. It may not be in this generation, but in 
 generations yet to follow when my innocence will be fully 
 established for "truth crushed to earth will rise again." 
 My views and firm convictions as herein expressed, are 
 not entered thro malice. For nearly forty years, from the 
 manner in which I was tried, the expression of my counsel 
 — and subsequent things brought to light, I have become 
 to believe that my solution of the entire subject is correct 
 and true. From the 25th of April 1865 to the 10th of 
 June the hood encasing my head was constantly kept on 
 and only removed during the sittings of the Court. The 
 guards often in their haste to perform the mandatory or- 
 ders from the War Secretary would reach my cell before 
 me and place the hood upon my head before being locked 
 in my quarters. They seemed to be imbued with like deep 
 hatred of those occupying higher positions. That the or- 
 deal through which I passed did not craze me remains a 
 mystery, as the effect produced, was similiar (sic) as if 
 it had been encased in a poultice, so expressed by the Sur- 
 geon in charge. After the trial I was releived (sic) of 
 the hood, but not the irons, this being too much releif (sic) 
 to be granted at one time. Bibles which had been pre- 
 sented, through some Christian heart, from which some 
 consolation could be obtained by the perusal of its pages, 
 were removed and taken away. We were in their estima- 
 tion unworthy to read Gods holy words. Works of fic- 
 tion could be read, but not Gods holy word, they would not 
 only kill the body, but would have damned the soul — if 
 vested with the power. The same relentless hate which 
 followed me through that torturous (sic) trial continued 
 to the end. Those who were executed were placed in the 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 17 
 
 condemned cells about 2 or 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Bibles 
 I suppose were then furnished them I having requested 
 thro Genl. Hartsauth, that my father might send me one — 
 he informed me he would obtain them from the Young 
 mens Christian Association, which no doubt he did. How- 
 ever the time was so limited, between the reading of the 
 sentence of the Court and its being carried into effect that 
 to read it was an impossibility, in the then excited state 
 of the minds of those condemned they being executed about 
 9 o'clock the next morning. Their hate was most bitter 
 and deep rooted. Even forgetting the God who had cre- 
 ated them, in their desire not only to destroy the body, but 
 also to dam (sic) their souls. When infirmed (sic) by 
 Col. McCall of the execution, I was horrified at the inde- 
 cent haste in their execution. My sentence like unto the 
 others was held in abeyance, perfectly ignorant of the fate 
 awaiting me — I thought at times they intended executing 
 us in sections and thus days came and passed under the 
 strain of horrible conjectures. Sometime in July we were 
 called, one by one, and the sentence of each made known. 
 When removed to serve the sentence of the Court, midnight 
 was again selected as the most fitting hour. Midnight 
 actions had followed my every footstep from the moment 
 the Military Arm of the United States Government had 
 touched my body. Removed from Fort McHenry, Balti- 
 more, at midnight, weighted down in heavy irons, to Wash- 
 ington — removed from there to the old Penitentiary at the 
 time use (sic) by the Government as an Arsenal, at the 
 same hour — midnight, charges and Specifications handed 
 me to read by the dim glimering (sic) of a lantern — at 
 the same time — midnight — reproduction of scenes of the 
 Dodge's (sic) of Venice, where victims walked across the 
 bridge of sighs. — My countryman, under such circum- 
 stances I ask, could justice be secured. No I answer, nor 
 was it Ever intended that it should be — Tried by undying 
 and senseless hate, convicting through perjury, eminating 
 (sic) from hate, deported with same following me, in the 
 wake of the Man of War which was conveying me to my 
 
18 DEFENCE OP A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 isolated and water bound home and even then not content, 
 their hate unsatisfied and unasuaged (sic), by the pangs, 
 the sufferings and tortures already inflicted, created other 
 causes never Existing, to further persecute and torture 
 their innocent victims. 
 
 In conclusion I will enter into some of the details attend- 
 ing my trial giving my personal views in regard thereto 
 at the time and from subsequent knowledge gained after 
 the trial. I do not give them as facts, but claim, they are 
 as much facts, as that which was produced upon my trial, 
 the only difference being that mine are firm convictions 
 alone, whereas on the other hand, the evidence adduced 
 was but a mass of perjury. Let the people of the Nation 
 entertain their own views on the subject, after they are 
 fully conversant with the mode of trial and witnesses tak- 
 ing part therein. Through it I have suffered for years, to 
 which no further suffering can be added now and the time 
 will yet come, tho late, that my name will be cleared from 
 the foul accusations heaped upon me through the machina- 
 tions of officials of the United States Government. 
 
 It was in the latter part of August or about the first of 
 September A. D. 1864 that J. Wilkes Booth hearing I was 
 in town, sent word to me that he would like to see me at 
 Barnums Hotel in the City of Baltimore, at which place 
 he was then stopping. I had not seen Booth since the 
 year 1852, at which time we were fellow Students of St. 
 Timothys Hall, Cantonsville, Md, the Rev. L. Van Bokkelen 
 being then President of said Institute. I called upon him 
 and was kindly received as an old school mate and invited 
 to his room. We conversed together, seated by a table, 
 smoking a cigar, of past hours of youth and the present 
 war, said he had heard I had been South &c when a tap 
 at the door was given and O'Laughlin was ushered into 
 the room. O'Laughlin was a former acquaintance of 
 Booths, from boyhood up, so he informed me. I was in- 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 19 
 
 troduced to him and this was my first acquaintance with 
 O'Laughlin. In a short time wine was called for by Booth, 
 and we drank and freely conversed together about the 
 war, the present condition of the South and in regard to 
 the non-exchange of prisoners. Booth then spoke of the 
 abduction or kidnapping of the President, saying if such 
 could be accomplished, and the President taken to Rich- 
 mond and held as a hostage, he thought it would bring 
 about an exchange of prisoners. He said the President 
 frequently went to the Soldiers Home, alone and unguarded, 
 that he could be easily captured on one of these visits, 
 and carried to the Potomac, boated across the river and 
 conveyed to Richmond. These were the ideas advanced by 
 Booth and he alone was the moving spirit. After a de- 
 bate of some time, and his pointing out its feasibility, and 
 being under the effects some little of wine, we consented 
 to join him in the enterprise. We alone comprised the en- 
 tire party to this scheme at that time as far as my knowl- 
 edge extends. We seperated (sic) that afternoon and I 
 returned to my brothers near Hookstown, Baltimore Coun- 
 ty, Md. Booth stating he would leave for New York the 
 next day, to wind up his affairs, and make over his prop- 
 erty to different members of his family, reserving enough 
 to carry out his projected scheme, and would soon return. 
 Booth said he would furnish all the necessary materials 
 to carry out the project. He showed me the different en- 
 tries in his diary of what his engagements paid him in his 
 profession and I judge from what I have heard his income 
 therefrom to be from $25,000.00 to $30,000.00. He also 
 informed me he owned property in the Oil regions of PennA 
 and Boston. He was taken sick while at home and upon 
 his recovery he arranged his business and went to the oil 
 regions, from which place he wrote me enclosing twenty 
 dollars for expenses, requesting me to look around and pick 
 out a horse for him. This is all the money I ever received 
 from Booth, or any other person in connection with this 
 undertaking. He went from the oil regions to Canada, 
 and shipped his wardrobe to Nasaw, as he afterwards in- 
 
20 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 formed me. Booth returned to Baltimore some time in 
 November or December 1864. He had purchased whilst 
 North some arms to defend himself in case of pursuit, viz : 
 2 Carbines — 3 Pairs Revolvers — 3 Knives and two pair of 
 Hand Cuffs. Fearful that the weight of his trunk might 
 attract attention he asked me to take part of them, which 
 I did and sent them to him by express to Washington. A 
 short time after his return from Canada to Baltimore, he 
 went to the lower counties of Maryland bordering on the 
 Potomac as he said for the purpose of purchasing horses 
 and boats. I met him in Baltimore in January I think at 
 which time he purchased the horse I had selected for him. 
 He also purchased a buggy and harness, and now said that 
 all was completed and ready to go to work. I informed 
 my parents I was in the oil business with Booth, to pre- 
 vent them from knowing the true cause of my association 
 with Booth. O'Laughlin and myself drove the buggy to 
 Washington, this was some time in the latter part of De- 
 cember 1864, or early part of January 1865. We left the 
 horse at Nailors Livery stable on the Avenue near 13th 
 Street, and we went to Rullmans Hotel (kept by Lichau) 
 on Pensylvania (sic) Avenue. We remained there a few 
 days and then went to Mitchells Hotel near Grovers The- 
 atre and remained a few days. We went from there and 
 rented a room from Mrs. Van Tyne, No. 420 "D" Street 
 and obtained our meals at Franklin Hotel at the Corner 
 of "D" and 8th Streets and there remained off and on 
 until the 20th of March 1865, during which time I fre- 
 quently went to Baltimore, nearly every Saturday. O'Laugh- 
 lin as a general thing always went and returned with 
 me on these visits. When in Baltimore I remained at my 
 fathers. When in Washington I spent most of time at 
 Rullmans Hotel (kept by Lichau) on Penna Avenue at 
 which place O'Laughlin and myself had acquaintances. The 
 President having ceased visiting the Soldiers Home, Booth 
 proposed a plan to abduct him from the Theatre, by car- 
 ring (sic) back off the stage by the back entrance, place 
 him in a buggy which he was to have in attendance and 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 21 
 
 during the confusion which would be produced by turning 
 off the gass (sic) make good our escape. I objected to 
 any such arrangement and plainly pointed out its utter 
 impracticability and told Booth it could not be accomplished. 
 He would listen to no argument I could bring forth, and 
 seemed resolved in carrying out this mad scheme. He 
 endeavored to obtain a man from New York to turn off 
 the gass (sic) in this he failed — so he informed me. This 
 was in the early part of February 1865 or the latter part 
 of January 1865. Booth at this time was stopping at the 
 National Hotel. About this time I called at his room, ac- 
 companied by O'Laughlin, and upon entering was intro- 
 duced to Surratt under the name I think of Cole. This 
 was about 10 or 11 o'clock A.M. and Booth was still in Bed. 
 This was the first time I ever met Surratt. Surratt left 
 a few moments after we came in, and Booth informed us 
 he was one of the parties engaged in the Abduction, and 
 his name was Surratt. About this time Booth told me 
 he had received a letter from his mother in which she 
 stated she had fearful dreams about him. She sent his 
 brother Junius Brutus to Washington to pursuade him to 
 come home so Booth told me. Booth told me he did not 
 wish his brother to know how many horses he had as he 
 knew his brother would ask an explanation why he kept 
 so many. He asked me then to go down to Cleavers Stable 
 and I did so, he told Mr. Cleaver I had purchased the horse, 
 and he was turned over to me. About a week afterward 
 I went to the Stable, paid the livery on the horse and rode 
 him up to the corner of D and 8th Streets and turned him 
 over either to O'Laughlen (sic) or Booth, and I never saw 
 the horse afterwards. Booth afterwards repaid me for 
 the board of the horse. Booth was absent from the City 
 of Washington the best part of the Month of February. 
 On his return he stated he had been to New York. On 
 the night of the 15th of March 1865, about 12 or 12:30 
 at night, O'Laughlin and myself were about leaving Rull- 
 mans Hotel, Penna. Avenue (kept by Lichau), on our way 
 to our room. Booth sent a messenger (Herold) who at 
 
22 DEFENCE OP A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 that time was unknown to me requesting us to accompany 
 Herold to Gotiers Eating Saloon (Herold I learned from 
 O'Laughlin had been introduced to him that day by Booth 
 during their buggy ride.) We accordingly went up and 
 were ushered into the room where seated around a table 
 were Booth, Surratt, Atzerodt alias Port Tobacco, and 
 Payne alias Mosby all of whom with the exception of Booth 
 & Surratt I had never seen or heard of before. We were 
 then formally introduced. Oysters, liquors and cigars were 
 obtained. Booth then remarked these were the parties 
 engaged to assist in the abduction of the President. Where- 
 upon the plan of abducting him from the Theatre was in- 
 troduced and discoursed upon, Booth saying if it could not 
 be done from the lower box it could from the upper one. 
 He set forth the part he wished each one to perform. He 
 and Payne alias Mosby were to seize him in the box, 
 O'Laughlin and Herold to put out the gass (sic) I was to 
 jump upon the stage and assist them as he was lowered 
 down from the box. Surratt and Atzerodt alias Port To- 
 bacco were to be on the other side of Eastern Branch Bridge 
 to act as pilots and to assist in conveying him to the boats 
 which had been purchased by Booth. Booth said every- 
 thing was in readiness. The gist of the conversation dur- 
 ing the meeting was whether it could or could not be ac- 
 complished in the manner as proposed. After listening to 
 Booth and the others comments I firmly protested and ob- 
 jected to the whole scheme & told them of its utter im- 
 practicability. I stated that prisoners were now being ex- 
 changed and the object to be obtained by the abduction 
 had been accomplished, that patriotism was the motive that 
 prompted me in joining the scheme not ambition. That 
 I wanted a shadow of a chance for my life and I intended 
 having it. Then an angry discussion arose between Booth 
 and myself in which he threatened to shoot me. I told 
 him two could play at that game and before them all ex- 
 pressed my firm determination to have nothing more to 
 do with it after that week. About 5 o'clock in the morn- 
 ing the meeting broke up and O'Laughlin and myself went 
 
DEFENCE OP A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 23 
 
 to our room at Mrs. Van Tynes. The next day as I was 
 standing in front of Rullmans Hotel Penna. Avenue (kept 
 by Lichau) in company with O'Laughlin, Booth riding by 
 on horseback, stopped and called O'Laughlin. He con- 
 versed with him a short time and returned saying Booth 
 wanted to see me. I went to the curb and met him. Booth 
 apologized to me for the words he had used at the meet- 
 ing, remarking he thought I must have been drunk in 
 making the objections I did at the meeting in reference 
 to his proposed plan of carrying out the abduction. I told 
 him no — drukeness (sic) was on his and his party's part, 
 that I was never more sober in my life, and what I said 
 last night I meant and that this week should end my con- 
 nection in the affair. On the 17th day of March 1865 
 about two o'clock Booth and Herold met O'Laughlin and 
 myself. Booth stated he was told the President was going 
 to attend a Theatrical performance out on 7th street, at 
 a soldiers encampment or Hospital at the outer edge of 
 the city. Booth had previously sent a small black box 
 (containing 2 carbines, a monkey wrench, amunition (sic) 
 & piece of rope) by the Porter of the National Hotel to 
 our room at Mrs. Van Tynes. Not wishing it to remain 
 in our room, O'Laughlin sent the box to an acquaintance 
 of his in Washington. This box was sent to our room in 
 the early part of March 1865 I think and was removed in 
 about a week or ten days. After Booth and Herold met 
 O'Laughlin and myself and made arrangement to go out 
 to the performance on 7th street, Booth, Herold and 
 O'Laughlin, went for the box containing the 2 carbines etc. 
 The understanding was that Herold was to take the box 
 with Booths horse and buggy to either Surrattsville or T. B. 
 and there meet us in case the abduction was sucessful 
 (sic). This was the last time I saw Herold until our trial. 
 O'Laughlin returned and we took our dinner at the Frank- 
 lin Hotel as usual. After dinner we met Booth and ac- 
 companied him to a livery stable near the Patent Office 
 at which place Booth obtained horses for us. O'Laughlin 
 and myself rode to our room on D. Street and made all our 
 
24 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 necessary arrangements. Each arming himself — O'Laugh- 
 lin and myself rode out to where the performance was to 
 take place. We stopped at a Restaurant at the foot of the 
 hill to await the arrival of the other parties. They not 
 arriving as soon as we expected, we remounted our horses 
 and rode out the road about a mile. We then returned 
 and stopped at the same resteraunt (sic) . Whilst in there 
 Atzerodt came in who had just arrived with Payne. A 
 short time after Booth and Surratt came in and we drank 
 together. Booth made enquires (sic) at the encampment 
 at which place the performance was to be held, and learned 
 he, the President, was not there. After telling us this 
 we separated. O'Laughlin, Payne and myself riding back 
 to the city together, Surratt and Booth rode out the road 
 towards the country. O'Laughlin and myself left our 
 horses back of the National Hotel at a Livery Stable. 
 About 8 o'clock I met Booth and Surratt near the stable 
 — this was the last time I ever saw Surratt — and I never 
 saw Payne after we parted in our ride into the city until 
 the day of our trial. O'Laughlin and myself left Wash- 
 ington on the 20th day of March and went to Baltimore. 
 Booth went to New York and thus I thought the whole 
 affair abandoned. I then told my family I had ceased 
 business in Washington and severed my connections with 
 Booth. My father told me if I would apply to J. W. Whar- 
 ton for employment I might obtain it, as Wharton was 
 looking for a clerk the last time he came up from Old Point 
 Comfort, Va. to Baltimore. I went out to my brothers at 
 Hookstown Balto. Co. and I returned March 25th to Balti- 
 more I 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. I 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 unsucessful (sic) to abandon 
 it forever. The letter found in Booths trunk was in an- 
 swer to this letter which I innocently wrote to prevent his 
 undertaking it. On the same day March 24, 1865 I applied 
 to J. W. Wharton at Old Point Comfort for employment 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 25 
 
 and received a favorable answer to my application on the 
 31st March 1865. O'Laughlin came to my fathers to which 
 place I had returned from my brothers and requested me 
 to accompany him to Washington to see Booth for the pur- 
 pose of obtaining $500.00 which Booth had borrowed of 
 him. I went with him that morning and returned with 
 him in the early afternoon train of the same day. At the 
 Depot at Washington we accidently (sic) met Atzerodt. 
 We drank and parted with him. I never saw him from 
 the 17 March until then and never afterwards until our 
 trial. We saw Booth. During our conversation he told 
 us the President was not in Washington he also said that 
 Surratt had gone to Richmond as he had understood 
 through Weichman, that a Mrs. Slater had arrived from 
 Canada with despatches (sic) 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. 
 I asked him if he had received my letter of the 24th he 
 replied he had not. I asked him when the letter was re- 
 ceived to destroy it. He told me he would. This inter- 
 view on the 31st March took place in his room at the Na- 
 tional Hotel (O'Laughlin, Booth and myself). He in the 
 conversation stated the enterprise was abandoned. He also 
 stated he intended to return to his profession. It was at 
 this interview and time I asked Booth what I should do 
 with the arms I had. He told me to keep them, to sell them 
 or do anything I chose with them. We left him at his 
 room at the Hotel about 2 o'clock P.M. and after that time 
 I never received either a letter from him or any other 
 communication nor he from me, neither have I seen him 
 since. We returned to Baltimore in the early afternoon 
 train. I parted with O'Laughlin and went to my fathers. 
 I there found a letter from Wharton in which he gave me 
 employment. This was in reply to my letter to him dated 
 24th March 1865 applying for a situation. The next morn- 
 ing I went to my brothers at Hookstown, packed up my 
 valise preparatory to go to Whartons. I then gave my 
 
26 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 brother a revolver and the knife. One revolver I carried 
 with me. My brother drove me to the city and I 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 conspiracy and 
 I heard nothing further from it, nor from any of the parties 
 connected therewith. I knew nothing about the Assassina- 
 tion until the news reached Fort Monroe Va. by telegraph 
 about 12 o'clock on the morning of the 15th of April 1865. 
 I was arrested at Mr. Wharton's Store Old Point Comfort 
 Va. on the morning of April 17th, 1865, at which place I 
 had been since April 2, 1865. And further that the Assas- 
 sination of President Lincoln was never mentioned or even 
 hinted at in my presence by Booth or any other person. 
 
 Signed, 
 
 Samuel Arnold 
 In Presence of 
 
 Geo. P. Andrews 
 
 Major 5th U. S. Artillery 
 
 H. V. Benners (?) 
 
 I Samuel Arnold do solemnly swear in the presence of 
 Almighty God that the foregoing statement to which I 
 have attached my name is true in every particular and is 
 a full and complete history of my connection with the 
 Conspiracy to abduct or kidnapp (sic) President Lincoln 
 and a history of the several parts each was to perform, 
 and that it is a true statement as far as my knowledge 
 extends of all facts and persons connected with the Con- 
 spiracy to abduct or kidnapp (sic) that I have not at- 
 tempted to conceal any of the facts relating thereto or to 
 screen myself or any persons connected therewith, and 
 that I had no knowledge whatever that any attempt was 
 to be made to assassinate President Lincoln and further- 
 more I will true answers 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 or sup- 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 27 
 
 posed to be connected either with the abduction or assas- 
 sination of President Lincoln. 
 
 Samuel Arnold 
 Subscribed & sworn 
 to before me this 3d 
 day of December 1867 
 
 W. H. Gleason 
 Notary Public. 
 
 1. Question. Where was you born and what is your age. 
 
 Answer. I was born in District of Columbia Septem- 
 ber 6th 1834. I am thirty-three years of age. 
 
 2. Question. Did you ever serve in the Rebel Army. 
 
 Answer. Yes! I served about four months in the 1st 
 Maryland Regiment in Capt. Ned Dorsey's Co. I 
 was discharged in consequence of ill health and re- 
 turned to Maryland about September or October 1861 
 and again returned after my recovery from my sick- 
 ness, when the Rebel Army entered Frederick City, 
 Md. I followed the Army back to Va. but did not 
 again enlist or enter the ranks. When the Army fell 
 back toward Winchester, I left and went to Rich- 
 mond and immediately went from there to Augusta, 
 Ga., at which place I had a brother stationed. I 
 went to Tullahoum Tenn. after the battle of Mur- 
 freesboro and obtained employment as clerk with 
 Paymaster Capt. James Maurice. I staid there un- 
 til an order was issued discontinuing the employment 
 of civilians. I then obtained employment with Capt. 
 Gabbett, Nitre and Mining Bureau near Charleston 
 East Tennessee. In the month of September 1863 
 I left him and returned to Augusta Ga. and a short 
 time afterwards obtained employment with Major 
 Bridewell, A. 2. W. in Augusta Ga. In January 1864, 
 learning through a letter from home of the serious 
 illness of my mother, I resigned my situation and in 
 company with a younger brother who was employed 
 
28 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 in the Office of the Nitre and Mining Bureau at 
 Augusta Ga. — started for home. I took the regular 
 railroad route to Richmond tried to procure a pass 
 at General Winders office through to the State, but 
 could not, he stating there were no passes granted 
 to the States. I then got a pass from Provost Mar- 
 shal for Staunton, but only went to Charlottesville. 
 I then went through Symonds Gap into the valley, 
 I went through Luray into Soudon County and 
 crossed the Potomac on the ice just above Whites 
 Ford and then went to the City of Baltimore, where 
 I arrived I think in the latter part of February 1864. 
 It was my intention when I left Augusta to return 
 there again, but on my arrival I found that my moth- 
 ers health was in such a critical state that to leave 
 her again would endanger her life. 
 
 3. Question. Where were you and what did you do after 
 your arrival home until you met Booth. 
 
 Answer. I staid at my Fathers at Baltimore and my 
 brothers in Hookstown off and on until the month 
 of June. Whilst at my Brothers I assisted him on 
 the farm. About this time I learned through Dr. 
 Morton that an expedition under Captain Fisk of 
 the U. S. Army was fitting out for Idaho and I en- 
 gaged with Lieut. Robinson to join to meet him at 
 St. Pauls (sic) Minnesota. I left Baltimore I think 
 about the 10th of June and went direct St. Pauls 
 (sic). The expedition did not arrive there at the 
 appointed time, tired of waiting and finding that 
 my means were drawing short I determined upon 
 returning to Baltimore. After purchasing m$ ticket 
 I saw Lieut. Robinson and told him that I had not 
 sufficient means to purchase my outfit. He advised 
 me under circumstances to return which I did. I 
 reached Baltimore some time in July and from that 
 time until I met Booth I was off and on at my Fath- 
 ers and brothers. 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 29 
 
 4. Question. Did Booth make mention to you of any per- 
 
 son or persons that he saw in Canada, or of plans 
 or schemes which were on foot there intended to aid 
 the South? 
 
 Answer. He never did! 
 
 5. Question. Did Booth ever inform you of his being in 
 
 the South during the War? 
 
 Answer. He told me that he went South and shewed 
 me his Pass which I think was obtained at Vicks- 
 burg. I think it was signed by Genl. Grants Ad- 
 jutant General. He shewed me his pass sometime 
 during February or March 1865. It came out dur- 
 ing our conversation that his object in visiting the 
 South was a professional one and that he was to act 
 at New Orleans. 
 
 6. Question. Did Booth tell you that he had purchased 
 
 any Boats when you saw him in January? 
 
 Answer. I do not remember, but I know he said every- 
 thing was ready. I think he said boats were pur- 
 chased. 
 
 7. Question. Did he say he had engaged parties in Lower 
 
 Maryland to help him? 
 
 Answer. I think he told me that he had a man in 
 charge of a Boat, but did not mention his name. In 
 conversation with Asterodt (sic) afterwards I gath- 
 ered that he was the man alluded to. He mentioned 
 no othir. 
 
 8. Question. Did you ever hear Booth allude to Dr. Sam- 
 
 uel Mudd? 
 
 Answer. He told me he had a Letter of introduction 
 written to Dr. Queen or Dr. Mudd. I am not sure 
 which. He said he had been down in their neighbor- 
 hood to purchase horses, and had a nice time there. 
 This was the only time I ever heard Booth mention 
 Dr. Mudd's name. This was some time in January. 
 
30 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 9. Question. How did Booth propose to abduct the Pres- 
 ident from the Soldiers Home? 
 Answer. He intended to seize him whilst in his Car- 
 riage and drive him down to the Potomac, crossing 
 the Eastern branch bridge. I do not know at what 
 particular point he intended crossing the River. 
 
 10. Question. With whom did you become acquainted at 
 
 Rullman's Hotel kept by Lishua (sic) ? 
 Answer. A man of the name of Purdy Gillet — Giles 
 the Bartender and some others whose names I can- 
 not recollect, none of whom had any knowledge of 
 our plans. 
 
 11. Question. Did Booth ever say anything about his be- 
 
 ing able to procure the assistance of any one con- 
 nected with the Theatre? 
 Answer. No! He said he had tried to procure a man 
 in New York to turn off the gaz (sic) . 
 
 12. Question. Did Booth inform you that Surratt was in 
 
 the service of the Confederate Government, or was 
 in the secrets of persons going to or returning from 
 Richmond ? 
 Answer. He never did! 
 
 13. Question. Do you know how many horses Booth had 
 
 at the time he said his Brother came to see him? 
 Answer. He had three! I never saw his Brother! 
 
 14. Question. Did Booth suggest any method by which 
 
 the President could be decoyed into an Upper Box? 
 Answer. He never did! 
 
 15. Question. Did you hear any of the Conspirators or 
 
 any other Person or persons speak of a reward hav- 
 ing been offered for the assassination of President 
 Lincoln? or that a reward would be given in case he 
 was killed or abducted? 
 Answer. I never did ! and never read that any reward 
 was offered for his assassination. 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 31 
 
 16. Question. How was it proposed to capture the Presi- 
 
 dent upon the 17th of March? 
 Answer. To seize him and his Carriage was the inten- 
 tion and to drive him round by way of Bladensburg 
 to Surrattsville or T B, there to meet Herold and 
 convey him to the Potomac. It had been decided for 
 the first attempt that ropes were to be stretched 
 across the road for the purpose of tripping up the 
 horses in case of pursuit. This was only in my first 
 conversation with Booth at Barnums Hotel. 
 
 17. Question. Did you ride to Mrs. Surratt's house on the 
 
 17th March. 
 Answer. I did not. I did not know where her house 
 was or that she lived in Washington. I never saw 
 or heard of her until the day of our trial. 
 
 18. Question. Were there any other persons at the Theatre 
 
 Grounds (Hospital or Encampment) on the 17th of 
 March that were expecting to assist you in kidnap- 
 ping the President, other than those mentioned in 
 your statement? 
 Answer. There were none to my knowledge. I am 
 positive there were no others. 
 
 19. Question. Do you know with whom O'Laughlin de- 
 
 posited the box containing the carbines? 
 Answer. I do not. I could not recall the name even 
 if I should hear it. 
 
 20. Question. Did you ever hear Booth say anything about 
 
 Louis P. Weichman? 
 Answer. He said he had learned through Weichman 
 the number of prisoners that there were on both 
 sides. I think he said the excess held by the U. S. 
 amounted to Twenty five or Thirty Thousand. 
 
 21. Question. On the 31st March when O'Laughlin called 
 
 on you and requested you to go to Washington with 
 him did he inform you that Booth wished to see you? 
 Answer. He did not. 
 
32 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 22. Question. When you saw Booth on the 31st March did 
 
 he give you to understand that Surratt would con- 
 sult with the authorities at Richmond and ascertain 
 how they felt towards the abduction scheme? 
 
 Answer. He said nothing in regard to it, but said the 
 whole scheme was abandoned. 
 22 (sic). 
 
 Question. What did Azterodt (sic) say about the ab- 
 duction when you met him at the depot on the 31st 
 March? 
 
 Answer. I saw Azterodt (sic) but a few moments. 
 He said that Booth had procured a box at the Theatre 
 and that the abduction would come off that night. 
 That is all that passed between us. 
 
 23. Question. Did Booth ever say to you whether any oth- 
 
 er parties in Washington or elsewhere knew of the 
 abduction plot. 
 Answer. He never mentioned to me that any person 
 or persons knew of it or were connected with it other 
 than the parties we met at Gautiers upon the evening 
 of March the 15th, 1865. 
 
 24. Question. Did you ever hear Booth say anything 
 
 against Andrew Johnson? 
 Answer. I never did! 
 
 25. Question. Was it ever contemplated by the Conspira- 
 
 tors to abduct any member of the Cabinet or any 
 Government officials other than the President? 
 Answer. It never was. 
 
 26. Question. Did Booth ever mention anything to you 
 
 about the St. Albans raid? 
 Answer. He said that he was either going to or com- 
 ing from Canada at the time it occurred, this he told 
 me on his arrival in Baltimore. He did not intimate 
 that he was connected with it. 
 
 27. Question. Was (sic) you ever in the secret service of 
 
 the Confederate Government? 
 Answer. I never was! 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 3 3 
 
 28. Question. Did you ever belong to the order of the 
 
 Knights of the Golden Circle or any other secret 
 society or organization? 
 
 Answer. I never belonged to the Knights of the Gol- 
 den Circle or any secret society of any kind. 
 
 29. Question. Did Booth administer any oath of secrecy 
 
 to you at any time in relation to the contemplated 
 abduction? 
 
 Answer. He did! 
 
 30. Question. Do you know of any other parties being 
 
 sworn to secrecy? 
 Answer. I do not! 
 
 31. Question. What did O'Laughlin inform you about 
 
 Booths having a Commission in the Confederate 
 Service ? 
 Answer. O'Laughlin told me that Booth said he had 
 told his brother he held a Commission in the Confed- 
 erate Army, that his object in telling this was to 
 prevent his Brother from insisting upon his going 
 home. The brother that he referred to I supposed 
 to be Junius Brutus. 
 
 I wish to add that I am not certain whether the let- 
 ter I received from Booth containing the Twenty 
 Dollars was dated from the Oil regions or from New 
 York. 
 
 I W H Gleason do hereby certify that the foregoing is 
 a true and exact copy of a Statement, Affidavit questions 
 & answers Attests made by Samuel Arnold in his testimony 
 taken before me this 3d day of December 1867. 
 
 W. H. Gleason 
 Notary Public 
 
 and Commissioner appointed by the 
 Congressional Committee to investi- 
 gate into the particular concerning 
 the Assassination of Pres. Lincoln. 
 
34 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 Thirty-five years have rolled around since my return 
 to my native State — a free man. During this period I have 
 patently (sic) borne both my sorrows and the many thrust 
 upon me by overzealous writers. Declined to be inter- 
 viewed by correspondents of the press, abiding my own 
 time to give to the public any and all facts which I pos- 
 sessed, knowing when I did so, it would come under my 
 own hand and everything to be truthfully transcribed. I 
 feel it my duty not only to myself but to my country at 
 large, to come before the public and, to as far as my knowl- 
 edge extends, give an authentic account of Every part 
 taken and Every fact known, during my connection with 
 John Wilkes Booth. The standard from which the his- 
 tory of the country is at present made up, is compiled 
 from that Military Inquisition, termed a Military Com- 
 mission held at Washington D. C. in the year 1865, of 
 which I will deal with, as I pursue my subject. I was born 
 in the District of Columbia of respectable parentage. At 
 birth there were four traits of character which grew 
 stronger as age progressed — they were, honor, honesty, 
 truthfulness and will power. It required neither law nor 
 tutorage to engraft them in my nature, as they were part 
 and parcel of my being at birth. Through life, even to 
 my old age, they are just as strong and firm as in my 
 youth. I yield to no one of this vast country, preeminence 
 in these qualifications. My parents were Christians who 
 impressed these virtues on my mind, beside my preceptors 
 were men of high standing within my native State who 
 both looked after my spiritual welfare and to the observ- 
 ance and obedience to the governing laws of the Country. 
 As a youth I was wild only to enjoy the pleasures of life, 
 which I must say were bountiful from youth to middle 
 age. No wish of the heart but was gratified and life dur- 
 ing that period was one vast sea of pleasure. There was 
 nothing vicious in my nature, but I was firm and decided 
 in all the walks of life, never allowing anyone to impose 
 upon me. From my birth which occurred in 1834, I had 
 never violated a law of the land nor had I violated any 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 35 
 
 when arrested in 1865, altho it is so recorded that I did. 
 Let the public disprove my assertion. Fate accompanied 
 me in all my wanderings. Through ill health and a broken 
 down constitution I returned from the South in the Early 
 part of 1864. I came ostensibly to see my mother who 
 was very ill. To restore her to health I promised to re- 
 main and I found she gradually began to improve. My 
 sojourn at home was not a bed of roses. It was beyond 
 my minds conception to beleive (sic) much less to feel, 
 that the nature of man or the feelings of the human heart 
 could undergo so varried (sic) a change, through civil war 
 as I became the witness of, until brought into direct con- 
 tact with the wide estrangement it was productive of 
 among those, whom from Earliest years the firmest friend- 
 ship and association had existed, unmoved, unchanged, 
 and unbroken. It was a sorrowing sight to behold the 
 hand so frequently pressed in friendships warm grasp, 
 hang cold and listless by the side of those, whom the heart 
 had Ever cherished as ones warmest friends, and where 
 in former years all was friendliness, behold changed to 
 hatred and bitter animosity, ready and willing to act in 
 concert with those whose inward dispositions delighted 
 in reviling and persecuting their fellow man. That all 
 these marked and woeful changes have been seen and bit- 
 terly and sadly felt my marred life and racked frame bear 
 witness of, superinduced and in its greatest measure 
 brought to its present stage through acts of basest means 
 by my fellow man. Unable to cope against the swelling 
 tide of persecution that set in upon me from Every side, 
 possessing a spirit that could not nor would not brook 
 taunting insult nor tamely submit to Every indignity the 
 passions of the hour felt disposed to impose and to exact, 
 I determined to sever myself from those in whose midst 
 I could not dwell in peace and happiness (owing to the 
 difference of political sentiment and views) and Endeavor 
 if possible to find in a land among strangers, that just in- 
 heritance, denied me in my own native State. Every gift 
 of nature at my command was brought into requisition 
 
36 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 to stay and soften the Evil passions Engendered by the 
 war; fruitless and unavailing were all my efforts and 
 the only course left me to adopt and pursue, was to seek 
 a more congenial clime. This resolve was carried into 
 execution during the summer of 1864 under the most try- 
 ing circumstances, but was short lived, necessity of a pri- 
 vate nature very much against my inclination compell- 
 ing me through force of surroundings, to return to my 
 home again in the month of July. Thus destiny over 
 which I had no controlling agency, neither the powers to 
 avert, forced misfortune and sufferings upon me. After 
 my return I was very guarded in both actions and speach 
 (sic), studiously avoiding entering into political discus- 
 sions, altho at periods they were forced upon me. I left 
 the city, going to my fathers country home in Baltimore 
 County near Hookstown and there remained in retirement 
 and happy contentment. Imagination could conjure up 
 no sweeter life than this quiet country solitude and for 
 over a month I was truly happy. The pleasures of the 
 past resumed their former status in my nature, I lived 
 over again the halycon (sic) days passed there, when 
 peace reigned throughout the land E're (sic) the rude 
 tocsin of war marshalled foes to deluge this fair land in 
 blood and ruin & I was allured under the false hope into 
 the belief that it was happiness. But soon I found it was 
 not so. The heart's yearnings could not be stifled, again 
 restlessness took possession of my being and the heart 
 bounded to live again in that element of excitement in which 
 for three long years it had run riot. 
 
 It was during my sojourn here, upon a bright & beau- 
 tiful morning during Either the month of August or Sep- 
 tember 1864, the monotony of a country life becoming very 
 tedious and insipid, I concluded a short visit to the City 
 of Baltimore, would be beneficial in its Effects, which 
 thought was forthwith acceeded (sic) to and immediately 
 carried into execution, having no plans nor any object 
 governing my actions in the matter, other than to releive 
 (sic) dull monotony naturally investing a country life. The 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 3 7 
 
 morning of my arrival in the City was principally occu- 
 pied in the pursuit of pleasure, accompanied by a few se- 
 lect acquaintances & friends. Towards noon I returned 
 to the residence of my father, who was residing at this 
 period in the city, when from a younger brother, who had 
 also been a schoolmate of John W. Booth, learned that 
 Booth desired me to call upon him at Barnums Hotel at 
 which place (he) Booth was stopping. At this period 
 I knew nothing of John Wilkes Booth's political sentiments 
 nor had I the remotest idea of the result which would fol- 
 low such visit or in the end would lead to, merely calling 
 upon him as a companion and friend of my boyhood, which 
 is and must be assumed to be perfectly natural. I had 
 not seen Booth since 1851, when we parted with one an- 
 other at school. Seperated (sic) from one another, our 
 vocations called us to different pursuits and he as an in- 
 dividual, like unto the many that clustered around school- 
 boy days, vanished from the every day scenes of life. As 
 he became eminent in his profession, memory brought him 
 back, but we never met from 1851 until the latter part 
 of 1864. The visit was made according to his request and 
 for the first time in thirteen years, we looked upon each 
 other. Fatal that meeting to me, for through it the iron 
 has entered deep into my soul and caused me to loose (sic) 
 confidence in the human race. I found Booth posessed 
 (sic) of wonderful power in conversation and became per- 
 fectly infatuated with his social manners and bearing. In- 
 stead of gazing upon the mild and timid countenance of 
 the schoolmate of former years I beheld a deep thinking 
 man of the world before me, with highly destinguishing 
 (sic) marks of beauty, intelligence and gentlemany (sic) 
 refinement, different from the common order of man and 
 one possessing an uninterrupted flow of conversational 
 power, in which all the characteristics of different natures 
 were combined. He invited me to his room where the 
 current items of the times were freely talked over, inter- 
 mingled with escapades of school boy days. It was not 
 until Michael O'Laughlin, one of his Earliest friends and 
 
38 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 associates in youth had arrived & was introduced, that 
 the subject which no doubt was uppermost in his coursing 
 thoughts was disclosed, and from all I could then glean 
 and subsequently it is my firm conviction and belief, that 
 it was an Enterprise created or at least had its origin in 
 Booths own visionary mind and totally disconnected with 
 any person or persons in the service of the Confederate 
 States Government. His object was to undertake the ab- 
 duction of Abraham Lincoln, convey him to Richmond, 
 turn him over to the Confederate States Government, to 
 be held, as an hostage for the exchange of prisoners, as 
 the United States Government had refused to Exchange 
 them. By so doing it would strengthen the force of the 
 Confederate Army and be the means of filling up to some 
 extent their depleted ranks. He pictured in most glow- 
 ing terms how easy it could be accomplished. Often Abra- 
 ham Lincoln, attended by no one outside of this (sic) car- 
 riage driver, visited the hospital over the Annacosta bridge. 
 He purposed to intercept him on one of these visits — take 
 him, coachman and all, drive through the lower counties 
 of Maryland, place him in a boat, cross the Potomac to 
 Virginia and thence convey him to Richmond. Every- 
 thing was prepared for this End, boat purchased & moored 
 to be moved at a moments notice and a boatman in wait- 
 ing constantly at his bidding. When the brain was to a 
 great extent clouded by drink and reason in a measure 
 had lost its power of concentrating thought O'Laughlin 
 and myself entered into the Enterprise with Booth, after 
 taking an oath to secrecy & good faith. The undertaking 
 was for the sole purpose of bringing about and Exchange 
 of Prisoners. The contemplated design within itself, was 
 purely humane and patriotic in its principles void of all 
 ambitious asperations (sic) or aggrandisement (sic) and 
 legitimate as an act of War. There was no violence con- 
 templated in the execution of the design other than the 
 seizure of the body or person of Abraham Lincoln and 
 his conveyence (sic) to Richmond, Va. as has already 
 been set forth — as violence would have been in flat con- 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 39 
 
 tradiction to his avowed purpose and the object to be at- 
 tained. When I entered into the combination with him, 
 my condition prevented me from giving it is proper con- 
 sideration, otherwise I never would have been mixed up 
 in the affair. Men often do things upon the spur of the 
 moment, which they never would have done, had they care- 
 fully looked and weighed the subject under discussion. Of 
 course had the attempt been made and should have proved 
 unsucessful (sic) or we were taken or captured during 
 its undertaking, the consequence attending it would have 
 been of a very serious nature. There was no propelling 
 force brought to bear neither was our assent to his prop- 
 osition obtained under promise of pay or reward. No 
 it was the free outpouring of each heart, stripped of all 
 mercenary motives or thought, which impelled the actions 
 of each. The enterprise being deemed feasible and pro- 
 ductive of good, we jointly entered into the plan as an act 
 of honorable purport, humanity and patriotism being the 
 binding links to nerve our actions in the accomplishment 
 of the design. This was my first acquaintance with 
 Michael O'Laughlin, and, we three, Booth, O'Laughlin and 
 myself, comprised at this period the only persons engaged 
 in the affair. The entire afternoon was spent in company 
 with Booth discussing measures to be adopted for the fur- 
 therance of his new born Enterprise, calculating to ac- 
 complish the undertaking before the coming Election in 
 the month of November. Everything having been arranged 
 satisfactorily, duties were apportioned for each to perform 
 without delay and we parted company with one another, 
 to meet again at a certain appointed time. J. Wilkes Booth 
 a few days afterward started for his home in the North 
 for the purpose of settling and arranging all his claims 
 etc. and to dispose of his property & possessions satisfac- 
 torily to himself, thence intending visiting Canada ostensi- 
 bly, for the purpose of shipping his wardrobe by the way of 
 Nassau, to the Confederate States, purposing on his re- 
 turn from Canda (sic), the purchase of all required 
 articles needed to carry out the Enterprise. All this he 
 
40 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 performed, but not at as Early a date as contemplated, 
 owing to having been taken ill, which circumstance re- 
 tarded his steps, necessarily delaying our operations. In 
 the meantime all instructions left with us to perform had 
 been carried out to the spirit of the letter. Finding Booth 
 did not return at the time set apart I again went to the 
 country, where I quietly remained for a month or more, 
 when from a letter from him, I learned of his indisposi- 
 tion. It was during Either the Month of November or 
 December 1864, that Booth returned from his visit North 
 to the City of Baltimore, having purchased all the neces- 
 sary articles required for the carrying out of his contem- 
 plated design, which he had brought with him as part & 
 parcel of his baggage. He remained but a few days in 
 Baltimore business in connection with the scheme calling 
 him to the lower counties of Maryland. This business con- 
 sisted in the purchasing of horses and boats, if possible 
 also to ascertain the different crossings of the river and 
 roads leading to them. The true motive of his visit was 
 concealed from the inhabitants of that section, under the 
 cover that he desired to purchase lands for the purpose 
 of settlement, which design was Embodied in a letter of 
 introduction in his possession to Dr. Queen of Charles Co. 
 Md. His absence from the City of Baltimore continued 
 some time, during which repeated rides were taken through 
 the lower counties so as to make himself conversant with 
 the bearings of the roads. In the meantime I had been 
 directed to purchase or bargain for a driving horse for 
 him. He returned to the City of Baltimore some time 
 during the month of January 1865, bought the horse I had 
 selected for him also buggy and harness, stating every- 
 thing was satisfactorily arranged to carry out the enter- 
 prise. Whilst on this visit the last one we ever met to- 
 gether in the City of Baltimore Booth fearing the weight 
 of his trunk, might attract attention, requested that a por- 
 tion of its contents be taken by O'Laughlin and myself 
 and shipped to him by Express to Washington City. His 
 request was acceeded (sic) to and the same afternoon the 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 41 
 
 articles were expressed him, O'Laughlin and myself driv- 
 ing the team to Washington. To all enquiries made by my 
 family and friends relative to my association with Booth, 
 I invariably informed them, that I was connected with 
 him in his oil speculations, to hide the true nature of my 
 association. There were no other persons, Either in the 
 City of Baltimore or Washington City cognizant of the 
 Enterprise, without Booth himself communicated it to 
 them, my lips being sealed to silence in the whole affair. 
 The exact date of my arrival in Washington cannot be 
 stated, many years having elapsed since then, but as well 
 as memory can recall, it was during the latter part of the 
 month of January 1865. The first intimation we had 
 that Booth entertained the idea of attempting abduction 
 from the Theatre, was shortly after our arrival at Wash- 
 ington, which grew out of the restricted visitations of 
 Abraham Lincoln to the Soldiers Home, on account of the 
 severity of the Winter. We contended against such plan, 
 from its inception, confirmed, it never could be accom- 
 plished in the manner set forth, which in the End caused 
 an entire seperation (sic) on our part with him. Every 
 preparation as far as known at this period had been com- 
 pleted, and each watched, as far as practicable the move- 
 ments of Lincoln cautious not to draw the attention, nor 
 arrouse the suspicions of the numerous hordes of detec- 
 tives and spies, who at this time thronged Every thorough- 
 fare of the City of Washington. Mr. Lincoln during the 
 month of January paid several visits to the Theatre, and 
 had it been Booth's intention to have assassinated him at 
 this time, he could have accomplished it with the same 
 ease then, that he did at a latter period, in fact many in- 
 stances presented themselves afar from the intercourse 
 of a crowded city or a Theatre where he could have done 
 so, and perhaps none would have been able to have dis- 
 covered whose hand it was that struck the blow. It has 
 been established beyond contradiction that his last act 
 committed, had not at this period, life, but that the idea 
 was still the same as when first contemplated. During 
 
42 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 this month, I was introduced to John H. Surratt, whom 
 Booth had Enlisted in the plot. Our meeting was purely 
 accidental, originating in this wise. Calling upon Booth 
 at the National Hotel one morning, in connection with the 
 scheme, I found on entering his room a stranger seated, 
 to whom I was introduced. During his visit, which was 
 of short duration, there passed but little conversation be- 
 tween us, and on his departure I was informed by Booth, 
 that Surratt was one Engaged in the Enterprise with us. 
 How long an acquaintance had existed between them I 
 am unable to state upon my own authority, but from knowl- 
 edge since gained it was of short duration. J. Wilkes 
 Booth if I may be allowed to pass an opinion from his con- 
 versation at this period, may be justly termed a mono- 
 maniac on the subject. Each day he was becoming im- 
 pressed more with the idea of attempting the abduction 
 from the Theatre, and nothing that could be advanced upon 
 our part, tending to establish its utter impracticability, 
 had the slightest weight or influence towards removing 
 his erroneous impressions. It seemed to be his only 
 thought by day and from his conversation his frequent 
 dreams by night. 
 
 Ambition the curse of the world, was fast becoming the 
 leading star in his destiny, destroying in its onward march 
 the better feelings of his nature. Nervous irritability 
 displayed itself on numerous occasions, in quick and short 
 response when asking for information, more Especially 
 so, when combating (sic) against his mode of proceedure 
 (sic). From this time out his determination to carry out 
 his plan of abduction at the Theatre grew stronger upon 
 him daily, until it absorbed every other thought of his 
 mind and naught could be brought to bear, to move or 
 change him from this newly contemplated manner of car- 
 rying it out. To me it seemed like the height of madness 
 and would lead to the sacrifice of us all, without attaining 
 the object for which we combined together. The bravest 
 heart surrounded by foes, looks eagerly around for some 
 opening of escape before he commences action ; thus it was 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 43 
 
 with me, conscious of the fact, that failure would be fol- 
 lowed by arrest by the Government of the U. States, trial 
 before a Military Tribunal on the specific charge of be- 
 ing spies and more than probable, consign each to an 
 ignominous (sic) death. All this was brought to bear 
 upon him, and conversed over, without producing the slight- 
 est effect, in changing his resolve. On two occasions most 
 favorable opportunities presented themselves, which if 
 Booth had energetically moved in the premises or had any 
 desire other than attempting it at the Theatre, I am per- 
 fectly confident, it would have proved sucessful (sic) be- 
 yond a doubt. These were occasions before I had become 
 acquainted with the fact, that others than Surratt and 
 ourselves already spoken of, were connected in the Enter- 
 prise. The President passed over the Eastern Branch 
 Bridge, accompanied only by his coachman and a single 
 guest within the carriage. To what point he went beyond 
 is not known, his movements having been overlooked, only 
 so far as to ascertain the fact, that he had passed over 
 the river. Information was immediately conveyed to Booth 
 of this occurrance (sic) ; he paid but slight attention to 
 it, on account, as he said, of the pressure of business at 
 the time and thus the only and the most favorable oppor- 
 tunity was permitted to pass by, without, it may be truth- 
 fully spoken, the slightest notice being taken thereof by 
 him. It became morally impossible under these circum- 
 stances to feel like continuing in the affair when inaction 
 and inattention were becoming the ruling elements, delay, 
 tending to cause our positions daily to become more in- 
 secure. 
 
 The month of January had passed, and as yet nothing 
 had been accomplished. February ushered itself in only 
 to be a repetition of former month, as Booth through riot- 
 ous living and dissipation was compelled to visit the City 
 of New York for the purpose of replenishing his squan- 
 dered means. His absence continued nearly the entire 
 month, caused from the great difficulty experienced in 
 borrowing money. His visit did not extend beyond the 
 
44 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 City of New York, neither did he go for any other pur- 
 pose than that above stated, which fact was made known 
 to me on his return to the City of Washington on or about 
 the 25th day of February 1865. During my whole con- 
 nection with Booth, there was but one visit made to Canada 
 by him, this occurring at or about the time of the St. Albans 
 raid, in which he was not concerned, his visit there being 
 ostensibly as before stated, for the purpose of shipping 
 his wardrobe by the way of Nassau, to the Confederate 
 States. In his visit to New York in the month of Feb- 
 ruary he tried to induce a man by the name of Samuel 
 Chester to engage in the Enterprise, he being as Booth 
 said, under obligations to him. The part allotted for him 
 to perform, was the turning off the gas on the night in 
 question, so that in the darkness enveloping the house, and 
 confusion created therefrom, the abduction could be made 
 a sucess (sic). Many things combined caused him to fail 
 in this, Chester would take no part in it, and he then de- 
 termined to attempt it without the assistance of any others 
 other than those already connected with it. During the 
 Entire Month of February the project was at a stand still 
 and seeming apathy, seldom meeting Booth. For the first 
 time my situation dawned upon me and began to be felt 
 deeply. Here I was, without any kind of Employment, 
 wandering from place to place in my idleness, making 
 frequent visits to Baltimore watched no doubt and my foot- 
 steps dogged by Government Detectives and spies, who in 
 various ways sought to obtain some clue to my business 
 and how engaged. This became insuportable (sic) as I 
 felt Every eye was watching my movements, thereby caus- 
 ing my position very insecure. 
 
 After the Presidential Inauguration, Booth worked en- 
 ergetically in the affair, & had completed all his arrange- 
 ments so he informed O'Laughlin & myself. He was al- 
 ways busy and in motion, having very limited time to hold 
 conversation. I was unaware even at this late date, that 
 there were any others, beyond those spoken of before con- 
 nected in the affair. Prisoners were now being exchanged, 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 45 
 
 and the purpose for which each had bound himself to the 
 others, and for which months of labor and time had been 
 expended, had been accomplished. Yet, he still insisted 
 upon carrying out the abduction. Patriotism had con- 
 verged into heartless ambition on his part, and I looked 
 upon him as a madman & resolved, if not speedily executed, 
 to sever my connection with him. Association he deemed 
 bound us irrevocably to him from which we could not 
 wrench ourselves. Whilst pondering over all the circum- 
 stances connected thus far in the matter, & asking myself 
 why it had not been attempted or abandoned, a messanger 
 (sic) was sent to O'Laughlin & myself as we were on the 
 point of retiring to our room, who requested, that we ac- 
 company him to Gotier's Saloon as Booth desired an inter- 
 view with us. This was on the Evening of the 15th March 
 1865. We accompanied the young man to Gotiers, were 
 ushered into the private parlor which Booth had acquired 
 for the evening and found him surrounded by a group of 
 men, all of whom were total strangers & unknown with 
 the exception of John H. Surratt — we were formally in- 
 troduced, these constituting, each and every person or 
 persons connected in the plot. Those present were the 
 entire party or parties who were directly or indirectly con- 
 nected in the affair, comprising in all seven persons, viz. 
 Jno Wilkes Booth, John H. Surratt, Lewis Payne, George 
 A. Atzerodt, David E. Herold, Michael O'Laughlin & my- 
 self. This was the only assembling or meeting of the 
 parties held either in the City of Washington or any other 
 place in connection with the abduction of Abraham Lincoln 
 President of the United States. In reviewing the persons 
 assembled on the evening of the 15th March 1865, it had 
 every appearance of the fulness (sic) of the intent for 
 which it was convened by Booth. In a short time after 
 our arrival and introduction to one another Booth opened 
 the conversation of the evening, setting forth the object 
 of assembling and advancing as usual his visionary idea, 
 contemplating enacting the abduction from the Theatre. 
 The company sat silently around, all seemingly carried 
 
46 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 away by Booths remarks, neither assenting nor objecting 
 to anything he introduced upon the subject, when the silence 
 was broken by a few remarks of an objectionable charac- 
 ter, which lead to a lengthy discussion by all present. About 
 this time it looked as if the suspicion of the Government 
 had been ar roused (sic), from the fact that double stock- 
 ades were being erected at the bridge crossing the Eastern 
 Branch on the Prince George's side of the river, which 
 made it the more difficult. Even in case sucess (sic) 
 crowned his efforts at the Theatre it would have been im- 
 possible to have safely passed the bridge, etc. This as well 
 as other things were conversed upon and the whole plan 
 argued with spirit by most of the company present. In 
 the theory advanced by me, its utter impracticability, I 
 found I stood not alone, yet none seemed to consider it in 
 its proper light, they being completely spell bound by the 
 utterances of Booth, not looking at consequences which 
 would follow. After arguing to great length in fact, un- 
 til the subject became exhausted and before any reason- 
 able decision could be arrived at or rendered it culminated 
 in a very exciting and violent controversy between Booth 
 and myself, the others silently looking on when Booth in 
 his rashness and madness, finding he could not swerve me 
 from my purpose and firm stand taken in the manner of 
 its accomplishment, threatened to shoot me or words to 
 that effect. At this time it looked very much as if the 
 meeting would be dissolved with serious consequences at- 
 tending it, as two stubborn natures had met and one of as 
 decided a character as the other when deeming the posi- 
 tion assumed, right. However, it was finally settled and 
 compromised, without resorting to shooting, after which 
 in the presence of the Entire company I stated my deter- 
 mination and firm resolve, to sever my connection in the 
 affair in case it was not carried out during the week, 
 stating also, Gentlemen you have naught to fear from me 
 in the matter, as I never would betray you. The gist of 
 the conversation during the Evening, was whether it could 
 or could not be accomplished in the manner as set forth 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 47 
 
 by Booth and about 5. O'clock A.M. in the morning of the 
 16th March 1865, the meeting was dissolved each retiring 
 to his own temporary place of residence. The next eve- 
 ning, I met Booth on Pena (sic) Avenue. He was horse- 
 back, and in our conversation I reiterated my former re- 
 solve & we parted, seemingly on the most friendly terms. 
 The following day the 17th March, as O'Laughlin and my- 
 self were on our way to dinner, Booth accompanied by 
 Herold accosted us on the street. Booth stated he wished 
 us to be in readiness at 2. o'clock or thereabout as he was 
 informed the President intended visiting a Soldiers Hos- 
 pital or Encampment at the terminus of Seventh Street, 
 and he thought the opportunity would present favorable 
 means of carrying out the abduction, that we could take 
 the carriage of the President and all seated within it, drive 
 it around by the way of Bladensburg, thence through the 
 lower counties in the direction of Port Tobacco, across the 
 river at or near that point, and thence onward to Rich- 
 mond. The most visionary and Quixotic undertaking, that 
 ever entered a sane mans brain. I looked upon him as 
 demented but made no objection, stating we would be ready 
 at the appointed hour, and be there on time. Of all the 
 ideas existing in a mans brain this was the fool heardiest 
 (sic) ever advanced, we concluding it was done to try the 
 nerve of his associates. We looked upon him as a mad- 
 man, yet could offer no objection from the fact that we 
 had given our word to assist in it during the week. We 
 then seperated (sic) O'Laughlin and myself going to the 
 Franklin Hotel to dinner. Dinner over O'Laughlin and 
 myself, having obtained horses, started from our room at 
 Mrs. Van Tyne's on D Street riding directly to the place 
 of meeting on 7th St, where we awaited for some time the 
 arrival of the others. Seeing nothing of them, we con- 
 tinued our ride a mile further out the road, then retraced 
 our course back to the point assigned to meet. In a short 
 time after our arrival, Payne & Atzerodt rode up, stopping 
 at their appointed place — no recognition as yet having 
 taken place between Either, a few moments thereafter 
 
48 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 Booth and Surratt rode up, alighting at the Restaurant 
 at the foot of the hill, when each as if by accident, walked 
 in upon them, where an introduction took place, and we 
 joined him in a social drink. Booth then left to make 
 inquiries concerning the President and found he was not 
 there. He returned immediately seemingly very much ex- 
 cited cautioning care and descretion (sic) in our move- 
 ments and in a hurried manner advising, seperation (sic) 
 from one another and to return to different routes into 
 the City, as he feared our movements were being over- 
 looked. We did as instructed by him, O'Laughlin, Payne 
 & myself leisurely riding part of the way together into 
 the City in company. Booth & Surratt continuing out the 
 road and what became of Atzerodt I am unable to state. 
 Herold was not present, he having been sent to T. B. or 
 Surrattsville with Booths horse and buggy, conveying the 
 box containing the two carbines and other minor articles 
 contained therein. About 8. o'clock the same evening, 
 O'Laughlin & myself met Booth & Surratt, back of the Na- 
 tional Hotel at the stable where our horses had been placed 
 at livery, whom we turned the horses over to and from 
 that day I never met nor saw John H. Surratt, until I met 
 him a clerk at the Norfolk Line of Steamers in Baltimore, 
 Some ten years ago. The interval allotted for carrying 
 out the scheme, having expired, O'Laughlen & myself sev- 
 ered all connection with Booth and his confederates, in 
 fact, the general idea of the entire party was, that it was 
 entirely abandoned and we returned to our respective 
 homes in the City of Baltimore the 20th day of March 1865. 
 To prevent coming in contact with John W. Booth again 
 or to have any further communication with him, I retired 
 again to the County, informing my parents, at the same 
 time, that my connection with Booth had been severed. 
 From this point I applied for employment to Mr. J. W. 
 Wharton, at Old Point Comfort, Va., whom I understood 
 was in want of a clerk. But a few days had elapsed be- 
 fore Booth was again soliciting my assistance, to which I 
 paid not the slightest attention. On the 25th of March 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 49 
 
 1865, as he returned from New York to the City of Wash- 
 ington he stopped in Baltimore called at my fathers to see 
 me, but I was in the country, so he left a letter for me, 
 which when forwarded to me and opened I found that he 
 desired to try it once more and if unsuccessful, to forever 
 abandon it. As requested I called upon him at Barnums 
 Hotel but found he had departed, therefore concluded he 
 had gone to Washington, which circumstance caused the 
 penning of the communication of 27th March, by me, which 
 proved so fatal in its bearings in my respective case. The 
 motive of the letter was to prevent if possible his under- 
 taking, and couched in terms used, with the hope it might 
 have such a tendency. Whether he left this letter in his 
 truck to betray me, in my innocence into the hands of the 
 Government through malice or forgetfulness, I cannot 
 fathom, nevertheless, it accomplished its desired end and 
 I was basely betrayed in my Entire innocence into the 
 hands of the United States Government and from this fact 
 was forced to become a witness against myself. Booth 
 having borrowed a sum of money from O'Laughlin during 
 our combination and having failed to comply with his prom- 
 ise of its payment on his way through Baltimore, O'Laugh- 
 lin called upon me at my fathers on the 31st March, re- 
 questing me to accompany him to Washington City to see 
 after it owing to my being thoroughly conversant with the 
 entire transaction. I complied with his request, he & my- 
 self starting for Washington City on the morning of the 
 31st of March, returning the same afternoon on the 3:30 
 P.M. train for Baltimore. We had our interview with 
 Booth at the National Hotel and the scheme was entirely 
 abandoned, During the conversation, Booth informed us, 
 he had learned through Lewis J. Weichman, with whom 
 he was on the most friendly terms, and from whom he 
 desired Every information relating to the number of pris- 
 oners held by the U. S. Government, that John H. Surratt 
 had accompanied a lady to Richmond owing to the capture 
 of the person by the U. S. authorities who had been in 
 the habit of ferrying parties across the river, and it was 
 
50 DEFENCE OP A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 through this circumstance alone, that the services of Sur- 
 ratt were offered. Among the last words uttered by Booth 
 on this occasion were, that he intended returning to his 
 profession upon the stage again and that he had given 
 up forever his project. This was the last interview, I ever 
 had, and the last time I ever met him, and I have never 
 seen or heard from him since. Of all the others connected 
 in the affair, I never saw nor heard from either after 
 the 17th March 1865, Excepting Atzerodt whom I acci- 
 dentally run upon the 31st March on my visit to Wash- 
 ington. During my association with Booth the Assassina- 
 tion of Abraham Lincoln was never mentioned nor Ever 
 hinted at in my presence by Either Booth or any other 
 person, nor even any other officials of the Government, 
 other than Abraham Lincoln, Ever contemplated to be ab- 
 ducted. On my return to Baltimore I found a letter from 
 Mr. J. W. Wharton in answer to mine of the 27th March, 
 applying for a situation as Clerk, in which he gave me the 
 position applied for and I started to accept it on the 1st 
 day of April 1865, arriving at Old Point Comfort, Va. on 
 the morning of the 2nd April, & from this period was 
 steadily engaged at my legitimate calling until my arrest 
 on the 17th April 1865. After the 20th of March I have 
 ceased to be connected in any conspiracies and on the 31st 
 of March the conspiracy itself had been abandoned and I 
 never heard anything further from it nor from any of 
 those formerly connected with it. The foregoing pages 
 chronicle a truthful account of the principal features and 
 main incidents attending my combination with John Wilkes 
 Booth & others; how our association commenced, the con- 
 ception of his design, the plans adopted, the object to be 
 attained and the final abandonment of the Enterprise. Dur- 
 ing this connection there had been no overt act committed 
 from its inception to its final abandonment by any party 
 connected therewith and I was quietly pursuing a legiti- 
 mate calling faithfully attending to the duties required at 
 the hands of my employer at Old Point Comfort, Va. from 
 the 1st day of April 1865. From this date Booths occu- 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 51 
 
 pation or whereabouts were totally unknown to me, neither 
 was I cognizant of the place nor movements of any of those 
 with whom I had been formally (sic) connected. It was 
 my impression that Booth was again following his profes- 
 sion, he having intimated the last time we saw each other, 
 that his intention was to do so, and as I conceived in his 
 case, so also did I in the case of the others. From the 
 period above stated, in fact from the 20th March I had 
 severed all connections with Booth and companions and 
 was to all intents and purposes a law abiding citizen, dis- 
 connected with Booth or any other person or persons in 
 any unlawful Enterprise. On the 15th April 1865, about 
 12 o'clock M whilst seated in the counting room at Mr. 
 Wharton's at Old Point Comfort, Va. it became rumored 
 that Abraham Lincoln had been assassinated the Evening 
 preceeding (sic) whilst walking along Penna. Avenue in 
 Washington City. The name of the person perpertrating 
 (sic) the deed was unknown, in fact the report so vague, 
 that but few persons credited it. Towards Evening other 
 despatches (sic) arriving, announced the assassination of 
 Mr. Seward and other officials of the Government. The 
 greatest excitement prevailed. It was not until the fol- 
 lowing day, that any clue had been obtained to the person 
 who had committed the deed, when the public mind became 
 gradually impressed that John W. Booth's was the guilty 
 hand that struck the blow. This news startled me, feeling 
 assured my former connection and intimacy with Booth 
 would lead to my arrest and to be even suspected, was I 
 felt, almost equivalent to death. Had I been differently 
 situated or been where I felt the law would have protected 
 me, I would have surrendered myself (in my Entire in- 
 nocence) into the hands of the Government, but as it was, 
 I determined to let affairs pursue their own course and 
 quietly, in my minds excited condition, await my arrest. 
 April 17th whilst seated in the counting room, two Gov- 
 ernment Detectives arrived at the store Enquiring for me. 
 I went from the office and met them when a letter was 
 handed me by one of them purporting as sent by my father, 
 
52 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 in which it was stated that a communication written to 
 John Wilkes Booth, 27th March had been found within 
 Booths trunk, which seemed to connect me in some way 
 with the deed committed, advising me to state all I knew 
 concerning it. After perusing it the Detectives asked if 
 I intended to comply with the request of my father. I 
 stated yes — and told them I knew nothing concerning it, 
 nor was I at the time in any manner connected with Booth 
 or others. It became necessary, from Booths betrayal of 
 me (no matter whether it eminated (sic) from malice or 
 forgetfulness, to become a witness against myself and I 
 was forced to acknowledge, that I had been at one period 
 engaged with Booth in a scheme, to attempt the abduction 
 of Abraham Lincoln, for the purpose, as set forth in pre- 
 ceeding (sic) pages, but that I was totally disconnected 
 with him or any other persons at this period in any unlaw- 
 ful undertaking. I was then asked by the Detectives if 
 the communication found in Booths truck was written by 
 me. I desired to be informed of some of its contents or 
 expressions, where headed from and when dated. They 
 gave the desired information, where dated from and how 
 signed, when without hesitation or denial, I acknowledged 
 it was penned by me. Did not deny writing it as sworn 
 by Horner when a witness on the stand — neither could it 
 be expected that acknowledgment would be made to a 
 communication before its contents was in a measure made 
 known, as it was just as likely to have been written by 
 someone else as myself. The Detectives were the first to 
 mention the names of O'Laughlin Surratt and Atzerodt & 
 I was informed O'Laughlin had given himself up. Finding 
 suspicion had centered itself upon those with whom I had 
 been associated with, in conjunction by my betrayal by 
 Booth, I deemed it necessary in justice not only to myself 
 but to those with whom I had been formerly connected 
 to state the whole truth, which was Embodied in the state- 
 ment made on the 18th April in Marshal McPhails Office 
 in the City of Baltimore. After my acknowledgement to 
 the foregoing facts, I was taken into the back part of the 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 53 
 
 store-house, my person and baggage searched, and prop- 
 erty of a private nature confiscated, which to this day has 
 never been returned repeatedly having asked its restitution. 
 There was nothing found of a compromising nature among 
 my effects because I had had no correspondence with 
 any one during the time I was Employed by Mr. Wharton. 
 
 ARRESTED 
 
 I was then turned over to the Military Authorities, con- 
 veyed to a prison pen, where I remained during the best 
 part of the day without a morsel of food and quizzed by 
 some of the inmates who seemed to be void of both reason 
 and sense. In the afternoon I was brought before the 
 Provost Marshall at Fortress Monroe, where I remained 
 in the presence of its Military dignitary for upwards of 
 half an hour, thence conveyed to the Steamboat, arriving 
 in the City of Baltimore the next morning and confined 
 in the office of Provost Marshall McPhail where I remained 
 for the most part of the day. Whilst there, I was treated 
 humanely, and the requirements of nature were fully pro- 
 vided. After sending for my father and seeing him, made 
 my written statement, requesting that I make it in dupli- 
 cate form, so that he could be the possessor of a copy. 
 The request was denied, why, can only be learned thro 
 the then Secretary of War and the Judge Advocate Gen- 
 eral of the U. States. Tis a useless task, I feel to attempt 
 to controvert testimony adduced, upon my trial, as Emi- 
 nating (sic) from verbal statements made by me, as wit- 
 nesses were blinded by the amount of glittering gold, as 
 their reward, large sums having been offered for the 
 aprehension (sic) of any suspected of being connected with 
 the crime. I pronounce the little that was adduced against 
 me, through Horner the Detective false in its impressions 
 and pervertive of truth, many words being transposed and 
 others added, materially changing the whole tenor of its 
 meaning. But of this, at this time, I have naught to do. 
 Let the record of that infamous proceeding stand, in all 
 
54 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 its branches, with its false swearing, subordination of per- 
 jury, its hireling witnesses — a towering monument of in- 
 famy, commemorating the corruptness and baseness of the 
 hour. I deal alone with truth, acts of heartless inhumanity, 
 cruelty, tyranny meted me by the Government of the United 
 States, before any charge as yet had been preferred or 
 guilt (with all the base measures adopted to secure it) 
 had been Established in the case of any. From the period 
 of my arrest until the 18th April 1865, whilst I was under 
 the charge of and custody of Colonel Wooley, my treatment 
 was conducted upon principles of humanity and kindness. 
 It was not until I was turned over to the Commanding 
 Officer at Fort M' Henry (General Morris) that harsh and 
 cruel measures were resorted to from orders no doubt emi- 
 nating (sic) from Edwin M. Stanton Secretary of War. I 
 was placed in a loathsome and filthy cell branded by sus- 
 picion as a felon, robbed of my liberty, resting under the 
 grave charge of being implicated in the assassination of 
 Abraham Lincoln. This of itself was sufficient torture 
 to one who possessed a sensative (sic) nature, without the 
 additional acts of inhumanity heaped upon me. There hap- 
 pened to be a confederate prisoner of war, occupying one 
 of the small cells back of the one in which I was confined. 
 I recognized his voice, we having been friends and com- 
 panions from our Earliest youth and Entered into conver- 
 sation with him, which fact was reported by the Sergeant 
 of the Guard to the Officer of the day, and forth with I 
 was taken from my cell brought before the one he occupied, 
 carefully searched, this making some half dozen times in 
 all, thence conveyed to the Quarters of the Commanding 
 Officer, who interrogated me to his hearts content, becom- 
 ing as wise in the matter wherewith I was charged as I 
 was myself, which seemed to displease him, if actions 
 afterwards may be a criterion to judge by. Calling his 
 Orderly, who was in attendance I was committed to his 
 charge, conducted to the Guard House, stripped and thor- 
 oughly searched again. I was then thrown into dungeon, 
 beneath the Earthwork of the Fort, heavily ironed hand 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 55 
 
 and foot, where not a ray of light could penetrate and left 
 to muse with myself in total darkness, no place to lie but 
 the damp slimy floor, void of covering of any description 
 beneath or above. Looking upon the rough visage of my 
 guardian or jailor as the door opened, I attempted to read 
 his heart by the expression of his face, but found one as 
 callous and as cold as the other, from which but little could 
 be expected. He was a soldier every inch. However I 
 requested a blanket be furnished me, to keep myself warm, 
 which request was unexpectedly complied with in the course 
 of half hour or so, the massive doors of iron creaking on 
 their rusty hinges, as it was again closed, shutting out 
 Every ray of light, the density of which like unto one 
 buried in the grave. Food soon after in the shape of bread 
 & coffee was brought, as reported by the Sergeant (it 
 being impossible to penetrate the darkness) and I was then 
 left alone in my solitude, a sentinal (sic) like unto a bronze 
 statue, keeping strict guard, before my iron doored cell. 
 Covering my person, head and foot, to prevent rats and 
 other poisonous reptiles from coming in contact with my 
 body, I soon was locked in the arms of Somnus, out of 
 which, at midnight, I was rudely arroused (sic) brought 
 again to the Guard House & ordered to dress myself in 
 quick haste. Surprised at such movements and utterly 
 confounded, I attempted to fathom the surroundings, as 
 to these mysterious actions. I thought the days of the 
 French Revolution, with its hideous and barborous (sic) 
 murders were going to be reanacted (sic) in this Republic, 
 and that I was thus taken out to be either shot or hung, 
 Callous and indifferent to my fate, with my usual haste, 
 I dressed myself as instructed. As soon as I was in readi- 
 ness, an ambulance was driven up to the door of the Guard 
 House and I was placed in it, weighted down with heavy 
 irons and with an armed escort, driven to the Camden 
 Street Depot, when I was turned over again to Marshal 
 McPhail and his accompaning (sic) detectives, who trans- 
 ferred me (after the weighty irons had been removed and 
 those of lighter material placed upon my wrists) to a special 
 
5 6 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 car in attendance, thence I was transported to Washington 
 City. During my trip there, my lips were sealed to Either 
 McPhail or those by whom I was surrounded determined 
 not to allow them to manufacture testimony against me. 
 On arrival at Washington, I was placed in a hack driven 
 to the Navy Yard, where I was in the hands of the U. S. 
 Government. They confined me in a narrow and limited 
 apartment (used as a water closet) aboard an iron clad 
 monitor and irons of torturous manufacture placed upon 
 my wrists, having nothing but the hard uneven surface of 
 the water closet construction to lie upon. The irons were 
 so tightly fitting that the blood could not circulate and 
 my hands were fearfully swollen, the outward skin chang- 
 ing its appearance to a mixture of black, red and purple 
 color. This fact was reported to Captain Muroc who 
 kindly had them changed and a pair that fitted easier 
 placed upon me. The heat was intense. The Atmosphere 
 breathed was obtained through a register as it was puffed 
 up by fans used for this purpose, it more frequently hap- 
 pening than otherwise that the machine was not at work, 
 which caused a suffocating sensation to creep over me. 
 To sleep was an impossibility on account of the extreme 
 pain accruing from the torturous irons used. For several 
 days my condition remained unchanged, two sentinels close- 
 ly guarded the entrance to my quarters, who in every in- 
 stance were kind. Finding my frame becoming reduced, and 
 the great pains attached to lying so long on hard boards, 
 I made the request of the Officer of the day, to furnish 
 me something to lie upon, which was complied with, but 
 only that other acts of heartless cruelty and inhumanity 
 should follow. A few days afterwards, on or about the 
 25th of April, Captain Muroc, U. S. Marines, under whose 
 charge I was, came into my quarters and in a very soft 
 and kind voice, stated he had orders from Edwin M. Stan- 
 ton, Secretary of War, to encase my head in a cap, that I 
 must not become alarmed and that it would remain but a 
 few days, at the same time ordering shackles to be placed 
 upon my ankles. But a few hours passed when these 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 5 7 
 
 orders were carried into execution by the Officer of the 
 day. This covering for the head was made of canvass 
 (sic), which covered the entire head & face dropping down 
 in front to the lower portion of the chest, with cords at- 
 tached, which were tied around the neck and body in such 
 manner, that to remove it, was a moral impossibility. No 
 doubt Stanton wished to accustom oneself to the death cap 
 before his execution. During my stay upon the Monitor, 
 these particular acts of cruelty and inhumanity were con- 
 tinued, it being with the greatest difficulty and frequently 
 so, that food could not be placed in the mouth, a sentinel 
 kindly volunteering his services, to perform that office for 
 me. This continued about a week as far as I could judge, 
 during which period day light never lit upon the eye, they 
 not even permitting the cap to be withdrawn, for the pur- 
 pose of washing the swollen, bloated and soiled visage. The 
 mystery which had attended each movement from the period 
 the U. S. Authorities took possession of me, was again 
 brought into requisition and I was removed through orders 
 received from the War Department from the Monitor at 
 the usual hour set apart — midnight. As the silent hour of 
 midnight drew near, the dragging and clanking of chains 
 were heard overhead, as victim after victim passed to and 
 fro to the place provided for his reception and then all 
 became silent as death again. From tortures already in- 
 flicted upon me, I deemed my span of life was quickly 
 drawing to a close and that those who had preceeded (sic) 
 me, from the deep silence reigning, had been consigned to 
 a watery grave — and awaited silently the approaching hour 
 of my doom, convinced that man who could resort to such 
 inhumanity to his fellow man as had already been practiced 
 in my case, had soul enough to murder sleep in its inno- 
 cence. I was soon ar roused (sic) from this train of thought, 
 which was of anything but of a pleasant nature, by the 
 Officer of the Guard, who ordered me to hold myself in 
 readiness for removal. Within a very limited time after- 
 ward, I felt the tight grasp of some human hand upon each 
 arm, as I was hurriedly and roughly conveyed from my 
 
5 8 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 quarters to the deck of the Monitor, where I was hustled 
 here and there by those who supported me on either side. 
 It was impossible to learn where I was being conducted, 
 as my head was muffled still in the bag, drawn tight around 
 my head and throat almost to suffocation. However, I 
 soon became aware from the springy sound of my foot- 
 steps, that I was being conducted upon the gang-plank, to 
 some other vessel and in a few moments I was thrust upon 
 a bench on its deck and strictly commanded to silence. 
 All paraphanalia attending the midnight mockery of justice 
 being completed, the whistle was blown and from the move- 
 ments and noise, I found I was aboard some side-wheeled 
 steamer. It seemed like hours before she started on her 
 trip, first moving ahead & then backing repeatedly, until 
 finally having assumed the right position and bearings, she 
 quickly speed (sic) on her way, landing me at that time 
 at some unknown point, where I was compelled to walk a 
 long distance, through mud and water, with the irons on 
 my ankles eating deep within the flesh and the rough hand- 
 ling of my arms by those who had me in charge, bruising 
 and otherwise lacerating my wrists by the torturous irons 
 used. Arriving at my final destination, the Arsenal 
 (which fact was afterwards learned) I was conducted up 
 and down long flights of stairs and finally thrust into a 
 damp and narrow cell upon the ground floor of the build- 
 ing. Bed and blanket were supplied here. The next morn- 
 ing I was given a cup of coffee and a very small slice of 
 bread, this was the only food issued until the following 
 day. I could hear the warblings of the birds around about, 
 ocassionly (sic) the crowing of the cock and as Forts & 
 bastilles had been to date the order of proceedings, I judged 
 I had at last found a home in a dungeon at Fort Washing- 
 ton. It was a relief to think I had at last arrived at my 
 final destination or resting place, as every movement so 
 far had been attended in each instance within increased 
 pain and suffering. The canvass (sic) bag still continued 
 upon my head, never having allowed its removal to wash 
 my swollen face. I had been but a few days incarcerated 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 59 
 
 at this place when I was arroused (sic) at midnight in my 
 cell by Major General Hartrauth, holding in his hand a 
 lantren (sic) and some papers, which was seen after the 
 removal of the hood from my head. He asked me if I 
 could read, to which I replied in the affirmative. He then 
 placed in my hand a paper containing the charge & Speci- 
 fications against me & others, which I perused in that 
 silent midnight hour by the dim glimer (sic) of a lantren 
 (sic), after which, the hood being replaced upon my head, 
 he retired leaving me to ponder over the charge, alone in 
 my solitude. The next morning I was removed from my 
 cell & conveyed up several flights of stairs and seated upon 
 a bench, when the hood was removed and I found myself 
 in the presence of a number of the marshaled herroes 
 (sic) of the United States, decked in their glittering uni- 
 forms, and on either side, victims like unto myself, weight- 
 ed down by chains and irons. The Court or Military Inqui- 
 sition was convened, the charge read to each by Asst. Judge 
 Advocate Bingham, who asked if we had any objection to 
 any member of the Court. As it was useless to object, 
 Each replied in the negative. I plead "not-guilty" to the 
 charge. After the pleading of each arraigned was made, 
 the hoods were again placed upon our heads as formerly, 
 before removal from the Court, and I was conducted, amidst 
 the clanking of irons, again to my cell until the next morn- 
 ing. The next day I was taken from my cell, my clothing 
 removed also the hood from my head and ordered to bathe 
 myself. I can not conceive how I escaped from receiving 
 my death, as the water used was as cold as ice itself, it 
 having been taken from the barrels used for making ice- 
 water in. My whole frame shook and trembled from con- 
 tact with its cold fluid, until my limbs nearly shook from 
 beneath me body. A detective by name, (Herbert) seeing 
 me shivering and trembling in such a manner, enquired 
 what ailed me, if I were ill ect, (sic) when he knew within 
 his own vile heart the cause of my suffering. After the 
 bath a change of clean clothing was furnished. I was taken 
 back to my cell whene I found a differently constructed 
 
60 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 hood had been prepared for head cover, of a much more 
 torturous and painful patern (sic) than the one formerly 
 used. It fitted the head tightly, containing cotton pads 
 which were placed directly over the eyes and ears, having 
 the tendancy (sic) to push the eye balls far back in their 
 sockets, one small aperture allowed about the nose through 
 which to breathe, and one by which food could be served 
 to the mouth, thence extending with lap ears on either side 
 of the chin, to which were attached eyelets and cords, also 
 the same extending from the crown of the head backwards 
 to the neck. These cords were drawn as tight as the 
 jailor in charge could pull them, causing the most ex- 
 crutiating (sic) pain and suffering, and then tied in such 
 a manner around about the neck that it was impossible 
 to remove them. Thus hooded, and doubled (sic) ironed I 
 remained day after day, until months had circled them- 
 selves away, condemned unheard, crime imputed and brand- 
 ed as guilty, before guilt had been established even by 
 that Inquisition Court a Military Commission, before which 
 I was afterward tried in mockery. This manner of treat- 
 ment continued uninterrupted, the hoods never being re- 
 moved excepting when brought before the Court and al- 
 ways replaced on our exit, if but a moment intervened, 
 from on or about the 25th April to the 10th June, 1865. 
 The surgeon in charge expressed his opinion, that the 
 hoods had the same effect upon the head and brain as if 
 it had been encased in a poultice. These inflictions of 
 punishment and torture were practiced upon nearly all of 
 the others. They have all passed to the bar of God, suf- 
 ferings on earth ended, & silently awaiting justice at the 
 hands of the Almighty, in whose presence, truth shall be 
 revealed. Man can hide it from his fellow man, but the 
 truth will be established before the bar of God. This was 
 the justice meted to me before trial, what could be expected 
 when the trial itself took place. During the period of 
 our suffering, Atzerodt was daily taken from his cell into 
 the outer prison yard his irons and hood removed, accom- 
 panied by detectives and hireling spies, holding out to him 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 61 
 
 hope of life, in case he divulged all the particulars and 
 knowledge he possessed, relative to parties connected with 
 the assassination. That he informed them of Each and 
 Every particular is not to be doubted, and with all these 
 infamous proceedings, by detectives, courts inside and in- 
 quisitions outside, failure stamped itself in connecting me 
 in the Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, as the decision 
 of that drum head court marshal (sic) proved the truth 
 of the statement made in Marshall McPhail's office after 
 my arrest. After the 10th June, I, with the others were 
 permitted two hours recreation and exercise in the outard 
 (sic) yard attached to the prison, where frequently un- 
 observed, I held converse in broken expressions, with Her- 
 old, Payne & Atzerodth (sic). We were not permitted to 
 speak tis true, being strictly and closely guarded by armed 
 sentinels, overlooked by the Officers of the prison. David 
 E. Herold in the presence of Col. McCall and Major Fred- 
 ericks, Herbert and the Government Detectives, stated that 
 John H. Surratt was not in the City of Washington at the 
 time of the Assassination nor had he been seen by Booth 
 since his visit to Richmond on the 23rd of March 1865. 
 Herold and Payne, also publicly expressed, that Mrs. Sur- 
 ratt was an innocent women, which was reiterated by 
 Payne in the presence of his executors, as he ascended 
 to the fatal trap which launched his soul into eternity. We 
 were permitted this outside recreation from the 10th June 
 until our departure from there on the 17th July, 1865. 
 Irons were removed on these occasions, but immediately 
 replaced on my return to my cell. Bible (sic) presented 
 by some humane heart during the trial to some of the 
 prisoners were taken from them by the Officer in charge, 
 not being permitted to gain consolation even from Gods 
 holy writings nor were they ever furnished, through their 
 own good will. I myself having made the request to be 
 permitted to apply to my father to furnish me a Testa- 
 ment, when Genl. Hartraudth (sic) stated he would obtain 
 them from the Christian Association and deliver them to us. 
 They were furnished as well as memory can recall about 
 
62 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 2 o'clock in the afternoon before the Execution took place, 
 as we were returning to our cells from the prison yard. 
 That same afternoon the noise of hammers were (sic) 
 distinctly heard as if some repairing about the building 
 was being done. I tried to concentrate my thoughts in an 
 attempt to unravel its meaning, never for an instant dream- 
 ing they were erecting the scaffold to launch human souls 
 into endless eternity, in such quick and sudden haste. The 
 hammering continued throughout the afternoon until late, 
 when the noise from the hammers ceased. The next morn- 
 ing there was an unusual movement of feet hurrying to 
 and fro, the rattling of chains and dragging of ponderous 
 balls over the brick pavement in front of my cell. I could 
 not surmise the cause for all these mysterious movements 
 and finally concluded fresh victims were being brought, to 
 be slaughtered and condemned by a barborous (sic) and 
 iniquetous (sic) Military Commission. Knowing the utter 
 impossibility to obtain information relative to these pro- 
 ceedings or what it could mean I became composed, as far 
 as composure was possible and amused myself, as hereto- 
 fore, in counting the number of small squares visible in 
 the iron door of my cell, the number of layers of brick in 
 the floor, the height of the ceiling of my cell, the flies and 
 other insects, which had come to share my narrow and 
 cheerless domain. About two or three o'clock in the after- 
 noon Gel (sic) Dodd came into my cell, seating himself 
 upon a small box, which had lately been granted me for 
 use as a table and asked, if I had noticed anything of an 
 unusual nature prevading (sic) the prison. I replied in 
 the affirmative giving him an account of the bustle and 
 confusion, attended with the clanking of irons etc. through- 
 out the morning and that I judged from the circumstances 
 other prisoners had arrived. He replied no, and in a soft 
 and feeling manner informed me of the execution of four 
 of our number. I was completely thunderstruck and 
 amazed and felt within my own heart from expressions 
 gained from Herold and Paine (sic) during joint incarcera- 
 tion that a fearful crime had been perpertrated (sic) by 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 63 
 
 the U. S. Government in the execution of an innocent wom- 
 an. That feeling has been verified and her innocence has 
 been publicly proclaimed by thousands of the leading men 
 not only of this, but of other nations. A few days after 
 the execution we were again allowed exercise in the outer 
 yard of the prison, which on entering forced us to be 
 confronted by that huge machine of death erected and a 
 little to south side of it, the eye rested upon four mounds 
 of new heaped Earth, testifying the undeniable fact that 
 beneath those cold and cheerless hillocks, rested in the 
 quiet sleep of silent death, all that but a few days before, 
 were life and sensibility. Day after day was this scene 
 confronted, the scaffold remaining in all its hideousness, 
 involuntarily causing the eye to wander & gaze upon the 
 small rising mounds, marking its feast of death. Every 
 day we passed through these Evolutions, all anxiety to learn 
 what decision the Court had arrived at, in our respective 
 cases. On the afternoon of the 17th July we were summon- 
 ed seperately (sic) to the presence of Genl. Hartrauth, the 
 Military Custodian, who was seated at the farther end of 
 the yard and the sentence of Each were (sic) made known 
 as found by the Military Commission failing however to 
 disclose the fact and concealing from Each the sentence 
 as modified by Andrew Johnson, President of the United 
 States. 
 
 The Military Commission had fulfilled its mission, the 
 death of Abraham Lincoln had been avenged, the public's 
 cry for vengance (sic) had been appeased, and the long 
 drawn out trial, which for two months had heaped fuel to 
 the fire to add to the public excitement passed out of 
 existence and the Nation at large became pacified. 
 
 The midnight hour which had been set apart for removal 
 in Every instance, was again resorted to, and we were 
 silently marched, double ironed, to a steamboat lying in 
 the Potomac moored at the Wharf. Each side of the wharf 
 was lined with armed sentinels and soldiers, as we emerged 
 from our prison gates, and as we passed between them on 
 our way to the boat, our clanking irons in the solemn 
 
64 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 midnight pierced the vaults of heaven, crying out to the 
 living God for vengance (sic) on those who had traduced, 
 defamed, and victimized us to satiate the public revenge. 
 On arrival on board the Steamer which was in waiting to 
 receive us, we were swiftly conveyed down the Potomac, 
 to what designation, unknown as the mystery enveloping 
 every movement, was in attendance on this occasion, there- 
 by making it a fruitless task to attempt to pierce its deep 
 and hidden object. On the afternoon of the 18th July we 
 arrived off Fortress Monroe, when we were transferred 
 from the Steamer to a small Tug Boat, thence under heavy 
 guard to the Gunboat Florida, Capt. Budd Commanding. 
 The irons from our wrists had been temporaly (sic) 
 removed, shackled about our feet, we were compelled to 
 ascend the ladder to the deck of the Gunboat, where the 
 entire crew of seamen stood around gazing in mute wonder. 
 On landing upon the deck of the Gunboat, Capt. Wm. H. 
 Dutton, V. R. Corps in Charge of the Guard, directed the 
 Lilly Irons to be replaced upon our wrists. They had 
 been placed upon me and Spangler, when the order of 
 Capt. Dutton was countermanded by General Dodd, when 
 the irons were removed. 
 
 Captain Wm. H. Dutton, it will be remembered is the 
 same individual, who, when the victims of Edwin M. 
 Stanton & Judge J. Holt had been placed without the pale 
 of the law by confinement at the Bastille Dry Tortugas or 
 Fort Jefferson Fla., made affidavit to many things spoken 
 and Communicated by Dr. S. A. Mudd on our passage 
 down which was afterwards appended to a work published 
 by Pittman & Brother, as part of the record of our trial. 
 Capt. Dutton was as false to honor as to truth as those 
 under whom he was acting and no doubt has received his 
 paid reward for fidelity to his peers. Stanton & Holt 
 Capt. Dutton and Lewis J. Weichman are twins in infamy, 
 both actuated by promises of reward, the one defaming 
 the imprisoned exile, the other traducing & calumniating 
 the memory of her, whose voice was hushed in the sleep 
 of death. 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 65 
 
 No sooner were we upon the deck of the Gunboat, than 
 we were ordered into the lower hole (sic) of the vessel, 
 it requiring in our shackled condition, the greatest care 
 to safely reach there, owing to the limited space 8 inches 
 of chain allowed between our ankles. After leaving the 
 second deck, we were forced to descend upon a ladder 
 whose rounds were distant so far apart, that the chains 
 bruised and lacerated the flesh, and even the bone of the 
 ankle. We remained in this sweltering hole during the 
 night, in an atmosphere pregnant with disagreeable oders 
 (sic), arising from various articles of subsistence stored 
 within and about 8 o'clock next morning, we passed through 
 the same ordeal in our ascent to the upper deck, which 
 was attended with more pain than the descent owing to 
 the raw condition of my wounds. All intercourse with the 
 crew was prohibited, guards being stationed around us and 
 not permitted to move without accompanied by an armed 
 Marine. Subsistence of the grosest (sic) kind was issued, 
 in the shape of fat salt Pork and hard tack. We remained 
 on deck during the day, closely watching as far as able 
 the steering of the vessel, by the sun, and found we were 
 steaming due South. The course was unchanged the next 
 day and I began to suspect, that fatal isle, the Dry Tortugas 
 was our destined home for the future. From this time 
 out we remained on deck our beds being brought up at 
 night & taken tween decks in the morning. Arriving off 
 Hilton Head So. Ca, (sic) and whilst lying in port, we 
 were informed by General Dodd that he was sailing under 
 sealed orders, but as soon as we left the port, he would 
 announce our destination. We remained here during the 
 night, having received some guests on board, the Officers 
 amused themselves with dancing and carrousing and from 
 the appearance of some of them, would infer they had a 
 good jolly time, head-aches profusely abounding the next 
 day. About 12 o'clock in the day we were informed that 
 the Dry Tortugas was our destined place. Of it I had no 
 idea beyond that gained thro' the columns of the press, in 
 which it had been depicted as a perfect hell, which fact 
 
66 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 had been duly established by imprisonment in its limited 
 space. After the second day on the ocean the irons were 
 removed from our feet during the day but replaced by 
 night, and we were permitted from this day out the prive- 
 lege (sic) of being on deck on account of the oppressive 
 heat of the climate, where we could catch the cool sea 
 breeze as it swept across the deck in the ships onward 
 track over the boundless ocean. This continued day after 
 day until the 24th July, the date of arrival in sight of Fort 
 Jefferson, Dry Tortugas Fla. When nearing its grim look- 
 ing walls, a signal gun was fired from the Gunboat, which 
 was responded to by the Officer in Command of the Fort 
 and soon the Officer of the day made his appearance on 
 board, who was informed of the object of the visit of the 
 boat, etc. and within a very short time, we were placed 
 within a small boat and conveyed to the Fort and placed 
 within one of the many casements existing there. The 
 Officers who had us in charge, remained at the Fort 
 sufficient length of time, to have as it is called, a lark, 
 leaving in a beastly state of intoxication, one of them being 
 conducted to the wharf in a vehicle termed — Wheel barrow. 
 After three months of torture both of body and mind we 
 at last had found a haven of rest, altho in a Government 
 Bastille, where shut out from the world, we were allotted 
 to dwell and pass the remaining days of one's life. Twas 
 a sad and heart rendering (sic) thought, yet it had to be 
 borne. We were now left under the charge of Col. Charles 
 Hamilton 110th N. Y. Volunteers who was at this period 
 Commandant of the Post. He gave us instructions rela- 
 tive to the rules in force stating the consequences, which 
 would attend any breach of discipline, finally impressing 
 upon our mind that there was a dark and gloomy dungeon 
 within the Fort to which offenders against the rules were 
 consigned, over whose Entrance were inscribed these classic 
 words "Whoso Entereth here leaveth all hopes behind." 
 We asked him if there were any special instructions re- 
 lating to us, to which he replied, no. You have the same 
 privelege (sic) of the island as any person confined here, 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 67 
 
 no instructions to the contrary having been furnished by 
 the War Department in your cases. Our bed this night 
 constituted a soft plank, in fact so continued for months, 
 until through our own exertion and means received from 
 home, we were able to purchase pieces of canvass (sic) 
 wherewith to nail upon a rudely constructed bedstead, 
 Spanglers trade was a Godsend at this time and proved so 
 on more than one occasion afterwards. The next morning 
 we walked around the enclosure of the Fort and towards 
 evening strolled around the break-water wall for the pur- 
 pose of forming some idea of our desolate condition. The 
 Dry Tortugas is a small island isolated in the Gulf of 
 Mexico in about 25 degrees north of the equator, compris- 
 ing an area seven and a half acres of land, and lying 
 directly beneath the burning rays of a tropical sun, situ- 
 ated 65 miles North west from Key West and 95 miles 
 North from Cuba and about 200 miles directly south from 
 Tampa Fla, this being the nearest connecting point with 
 the main lands of the state of Florida. Upon its limited 
 areas is erected a huge and massive structure hexagon 
 shaped, of brick and mortar in an unfinished condition 
 called Fort Jefferson. When completed, if ever, it will 
 mount 480 guns. On the outer side of the fort there exists 
 a wide and deep moat, to prevent the surging of the sea 
 from washing against the main structure itself, intended 
 at the same time as a defence (sic) against assaulting 
 columns. It is ocean girt on either side, strongly pro- 
 tected by coral reefs and intricate channels of approach. 
 On our arrival the island was entirely destitute of vege- 
 table matter, with exception of some few bushes of small 
 growth, natural to the soil and about a dozen Cocoa nut 
 trees, which had been planted many years back by the 
 hand of man, beyond this there was naught to gaze upon 
 inside but the white, glittering coral sand which had a 
 very injurious effect upon the eyes, in many cases causing 
 men to become totally blind after dark, a disease known 
 there of frequent occurrance (sic) and termed Moon Blind. 
 There were upward of six hundred Federal prisoners con- 
 
68 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 fined there for various offences, against military rules and 
 laws, who were compelled to labor daily from morn to 
 night upon limited and loathsome subsistence. Without 
 exception it was the most horrible place, the eye of man 
 ever rested upon, where day after day the miserable ex- 
 istence of man, was being dragged out intermixed with 
 sickness, bodily suffering, want & pinching hunger, with- 
 out the additional acts of torture and inhumanity, that 
 soon I became a witness of. Around about the Fort, there 
 were several small Keys, termed respectively, Sand, East, 
 Bird and Loggerhead Key. Sand Key, very small in area, 
 lies in a North Easterly direction, distant about 1/2 mile, 
 upon which had been erected a hospital for quarrantine 
 (sic) purposes, and to be used in case of any epidemic 
 occurring at the Fort. Every foot of its space is now 
 peopled with the dead many of the bodys (sic) having 
 been washed up by the surf of the sea and the hospital 
 building having been torn down, for the purpose of erect- 
 ing a Theatre at the post. Bird Key, the largest in area, 
 is distant about five miles from the Dry Tortugas, upon 
 which in the summer season, Sea Gulls in dense flocks 
 congregate to deposit their Eggs. These were gathered 
 by the garrison and used as food. East Key lies in a 
 south westerly direction, distant about one mile from the 
 Fort, and was used as a cemetry (sic) for the dead. Log- 
 gerhead Key lies Northerly, about three and a half miles 
 from the Fort, upon which is erected a Light House of 
 great height, used as a guide to ships, to prevent their run- 
 ning upon the reefy beds which abound all around about. 
 These are all the points of land visible, all else is the deep 
 and briney ocean. I looked long and intently upon all 
 the surroundings of the place and asked the question, Is 
 this indeed to be my home for life. When we had returned 
 from our walk around the breakwater wall, we were placed 
 within our dingy casemate for the night. Subsistence is- 
 sued was horrible in the extreme. Many were suffering 
 dreadfully from scurvy and chronic diarroeha. The bread 
 was disgusting to look upon, being a mixture of flour, bugs, 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 69 
 
 sticks and dirt. Meat whose taint could be traced by its 
 smell from one part of the fort to the other, in fact, rotten 
 and to such an extent that dogs ran from coming in con- 
 tact with it. No vegetable diet, issued of any description 
 and the coffee which should have been good, as good 
 quality was issued, was made into a slop by those who 
 had charge of the cook house and thus messed up to each 
 man. These articles with but little variation, composed 
 the diet we subsisted upon, until the 5th U. S. Artilley 
 (sic) arrived and assumed Command, which was in the 
 month of November. Up to the above date, there was not 
 an article of food upon the island, in the shape of meat 
 and flour, but that had been repeatedly condumned, by 
 inspection, yet Quartermaster still issued it, not only to 
 prisoners but in many instances to the garrison. Our treat- 
 ment during the stay of Col. Hamilton, of the 110th N. Y. 
 Volunteers, was as good as could be expected under the 
 circumstances. In a short time the 110th N. Y. V. were 
 relieved by the 161st N.Y.V., under whom we received 
 far better treatment, that (sic) under 110th no change 
 however occurring in the nature and kind of food issued, 
 it still being of the meanest & coarsest nature. The stay 
 of this regiment was very short and they were relieved 
 by the 82nd U.S. Colored Infantry, under whom the first 
 change occurred, rendering imprisonment almost insup- 
 portable. Dr. Saml. Mudd upon the arrival of the 82nd 
 Regiment on the 25th September 1865 made an attempt to 
 escape, because as he afterward informed me, he was fear- 
 ful his life would be sacrificed under their rule. Under 
 the plea of the attempt of Mudd's escape, Each of us were 
 placed within a dungeon and shackles placed around our 
 ankles, and in this degraded condition compelled to daily 
 perform certain assigned labor. That assigned to Mudd, & 
 myself was of the most menial nature. Col. George St. 
 Leger Grenfell, quite an aged gentleman arrived at the 
 Fort, shortly after Mudd's attempted escape under the 
 alleged charge of conspiracy, and was placed in the same 
 dungeon with us, and the same shameful indignity and 
 
70 DEFENCE OP A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 degredation (sic) heaped upon him, which leads one to 
 suppose, that Dr. Mudds attempt at escape was not the 
 true grounds upon which this act of barbarity and in- 
 humanity was based, as was published through the press 
 of the Country. It was hardly known throughout the 
 country, as yet, that we had been sent to the Dry Tortugas. 
 The War Department under whose sealed orders, we were 
 sent to the Dry Tortugas, knew the fact of our arrival 
 and so did its Chief Detective, Gel. L. C. Baker, who must 
 have started on his tour to the Western Country about 
 the same period that our departure took place from Wash- 
 ington, from the fact that less than a month had circled 
 itself away, before he had unearthed another conspiracy, 
 which was organizing to rescue our imprisoned bodies 
 from the authorities at the Dry Tortugas. The country 
 seemed to be infested with conspiracies, or at least the 
 heads of the different departments of the Government, 
 breathed only poisonous vapors of combinations of per- 
 sons combining together in some unlawful enterprise. Why 
 was this so. I will answer it in a very few words. They 
 were the conspirators themselves, conspiring not only 
 against the innocent citizens of the Republic, but against 
 the Republic itself, creating a necessity, for the purpose 
 of carrying out the natural propensities of their own evil 
 hearts. To cover up their own vicious natures, in the 
 transaction, they stooped to deceptiveness, and caused to 
 be published, as the reason of placing us in irons, etc. 
 Mudds attempt at escape. That it was all false, and was 
 so from its beginning, I will endeavor to prove, using their 
 own weapons, as will be seen by the following copy of 
 a telegram, which was forwarded to the Commanding Offi- 
 cer at the Dry Tortugas for his guidance and instruction — 
 viz: 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 71 
 
 Louisville, Ky. 
 August 17th 1865 
 9. A.M. 
 Hon. T. T. Echart 
 Actg Asst. Secty of War, 
 
 I have important papers. I think the Commanding Of- 
 ficer at the Dry Tortugas, should be put on his guard 
 against an attempt to rescue the State prisoners in his 
 charge. A Company is organizing in New Orleans for 
 that purpose. I have all the facts from a reliable source. 
 
 (Signed) L. C. Baker 
 
 Brig. Genl. Pro. Mar. War Dept. 
 
 A True Copy 
 
 A. Genl. Office. Aug. 17. 1865 
 
 Signed, E. D. Townsend 
 Asst. Adjt. Genl. 
 
 News of this conspiracy organizing, not organized, was 
 communicated to each Department Commander, and soon 
 all were in wild commotion, Each Endeavoring to outdo 
 the other, in their attempt to render abortive the object 
 of that which had no existence beyond their own designing 
 minds. T. T. Echart from his movements and actions 
 pending our trial, is a fit associate and companion of L. C. 
 Baker and his proteges — Sanf ord Connover, the star wit- 
 ness before the Military Commission, who afterwards was 
 tried for perjury committed before the committe (sic) of 
 the House of Representatives, found guilty sentenced by 
 Judge Bradly of Washington City Court, to ten years in 
 the Penitentiary, Judge Bradly remarking, that had he 
 been tried for the perjury committed on the assassination 
 trial, he would have sentenced him to death. 
 
 In quick succession communications from the different 
 headquarters arrived at the Post, copies of which I here- 
 with append. 
 
72 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 War Dept. A. Genl.'s Office 
 Washington, Aug. 17th 1865 
 
 Col. C. H. Hamilton 
 110 N.Y. Vol. or 
 
 The Commanding Officer, Dry Tortugas Fla. 
 
 Sir, I enclose herewith, a copy of a telegram from Brig. 
 Genl. L. C. Baker, Provost Marshal of the War Department 
 — The Secretary of War directs that besides taking ef- 
 fectual measures against any attempt to rescue prisoners, 
 you will place the four State Prisoners — Arnold, Mudd, 
 Spangler and O'Laughlin under such restraint and within 
 such limits inside Fort Jefferson as shall make abortive 
 any attempt at escape or rescue. You will return by Lt. 
 Carpenter the bearer of this, a full report of the measures 
 you take under the instructions. 
 
 Very respectfully 
 
 Yr Obt Servant 
 
 (Signed) E. D. Townsend 
 Asst. Adjt. General 
 
 Hd Qrs. Division of the Gulf 
 
 New Orleans, Aug. 20th 1865 
 
 Commanding Officer 
 Tortugas 
 
 The enclosed telegram is forwarded for your informa- 
 tion. You will at once take measures to prevent the ac- 
 complishment of such purpose, as the surprise of Your 
 Post and the release of the prisoners there. Report by 
 return of the Bearer the strength of your garrison. 
 
 Very respectfully 
 
 Yr Obt Servant 
 
 (Signed) P. H. Sheridan 
 Major General 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 73 
 
 Copy of Telegram 
 
 Washington Aug. 17th 12.30 P.M. 
 
 Maj Genl. E. R. S. Canby 
 
 This Department is informed that an operation is on 
 foot in New Orleans to go to the Dry Tortugas and by 
 surprise or stratagem seize that place and release the 
 prisoners there. Immediately on receiving this telegram 
 please send a special messenger to notify the Commander 
 at Key West and Tortugas to take strict measures to 
 guard against and (sic) stratagem or surprise and secure 
 the safety of their Commands. You will also use every 
 effort to defeat its object. You will also notify the Divi- 
 sion Commander and request his cooperation. Acknow- 
 ledge the receipt of this telegram. 
 
 (Signed) E. M. Stanton 
 Secretary of War. 
 Official 
 
 Signed. P. H. Sheridan 
 Major General 
 
 As instructed Lt. Carpenter bearing these despatches 
 (sic) arrived at Fort Jefferson Fla during the month of 
 September whilst Major Willis E. Craig 161 N. Y. Vol. 
 was in command, Capt. Prentiss Provost Marshal in charge 
 forwarded the required information relative to the strength 
 of the garrison and the measures adopted in our manner 
 of confinement, which seemed to be satisfactory, as we 
 were not molested nor restricted in any particular in the 
 priveleges (sic) thus far granted and things went on as 
 usual until the 25th September the day the 161 N. Y. Vols 
 were releived (sic) by the 82nd U. S. Col d - Infantry Major 
 Geo. E. Wentworth Commanding, the period of Dr. Mudds 
 attempt at Escape. Dr. Mudd occupied quarters at the 
 Post Hospital building, where he had been given the posi- 
 tion of ward master. We never met only at morning and 
 at night, going and returning from work. Was perfectly 
 
74 DEFENCE OP A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 ignorant he Entertained the idea to attempt Escape. His 
 secret was kept entirely within himself. At the time I 
 was confined to my bed with a very severe case of break- 
 bone fever, when the news reached me of Dr. Mudd's at- 
 tempt at escape and was informed by Capt. Prentiss, he 
 thought it would have an injurious effect upon each of 
 us, as Each would be held responsible for the acts of one 
 another. Strict Post orders were forthwith issued in Dr. 
 Mudd's case and he was ironed and placed within one of 
 the cells attached to the Guard-house and compelled during 
 the day to perform the most menial labor on the island, 
 in fact they could not hunt up harsh enough work to vent 
 their spleen upon him. It was legitimately his place to 
 escape from his imprisonment if he could and it was the 
 place of his jailors to prevent it if possible, without re- 
 sorting to such cruelties as were afterwards imposed upon 
 us. Soon the seed of persecution became engrafted, from 
 which, Each was to bear like part. It could be read upon 
 the countenance of Every officer and rumors gradually 
 ripened into facts. Major Genl. Foster Commanding De- 
 partment of Florida, arrived upon the island, verbally 
 left instructions with the Commanding Officer and I was 
 removed from the Office of the Provost Marshal, where 
 I had been employed soon after I landed at the Fort, under 
 the plea that these positions should alone be given to men 
 in their own army or service, capable of fulfilling the 
 required duties thereof. In a very short time thereafter 
 the following communication was received at the Post. 
 
 Hd. Quarters of Middle Florida. 
 2nd Seperate (sic) Brigade D.T. 
 Tallahassee Sept. 3rd 1865 
 To the Com d - Officer 
 Sub Dist. Key West. 
 Sir 
 
 Official information has been receiv- 
 ed at these Headquarters from Washington, that a plot 
 exists to release the prisoners at Fort Jefferson. You will 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 75 
 
 take the proper precautions to prevent any uprising of 
 the prisoners and in case you find this information to be 
 correct, take measures to ferret out the leaders and place 
 them in irons. 
 
 By Command of Brig. Genl. Newton 
 
 Signed. A. C. Pretz 
 
 1st Lieut. & A.A.A. Genl. 
 
 Copy furnished 
 
 Commanding Officer Dry Tortugas. 
 
 By referring to previous communications it will be seen 
 that in the first instance, Genl. L. C. Baker obtains the 
 facts from a reliable source, that a company is organizing 
 in New Orleans, to release the State Prisoners confined 
 at Fort Jefferson Fla. This information was gained by 
 him on the 17th of August 1865, and immediately tele- 
 graphed to the War Department at Washington. In less 
 than a month commands and telegrams having been for- 
 warded here and there finally culminates in establishing 
 the conspiracy, as seen by communications from General 
 Newton, as existing at the Dry Tortugas itself, he order- 
 ing, if it be found correct, that the leaders be placed in 
 irons. Therefore no such conspiracy as detailed by Genl. 
 L. C. Baker ever existed, excepting in his own inventitive 
 (sic) mind. We were therefore made the leaders, so that 
 further persecution and tortures could be heaped upon us. 
 The finding of the Court was insufficient, tortures already 
 inflicted were not enough to satisfy the pent up hatred 
 of those in high positions against us their defamed, and 
 traduced victims of Military injustice. In a short time a 
 damp and unhealthy dungeon was placed in readiness to 
 receive us, through which but little air could penetrate, 
 and on the 18th October, Col. G. St. Leger Grenfell, Mudd, 
 Spangler, O'Laughlin and myself were removed to these 
 selected quarters and herded together like so many cattle. 
 The doors for the first few days were always kept closed, 
 with an armed sentinel walking to and fro upon his beat, 
 
76 DEFENCE OP A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 closely guarding against any approach to our quarters. 
 Soon leg irons were introduced and each ironed with the 
 exception of myself, they remaining off of me, because I 
 was engaged in writing for some of the Officers at Post 
 Headquarters. When the instructions contained in Genl. 
 Newtons communication of Sept. 3rd had been looked into, 
 the ringleader of the plot ferretted (sic) out and placed 
 in irons, the Commanding Officer, to prove how willing 
 the duty not only of his superior but likewise of himself 
 had been performed, penned the following communication 
 to the War Department. 
 
 Hd. Qrs. Fort Jefferson Fla. 
 Oct. 20th 1865 
 Brvt. Lt. Col. Saml. Breck 
 Asst. Adjt. Genl. U.S.A. 
 Colonel 
 
 I have the honor to report that when 
 I releived (sic) Major Willis E. Craig 161 N.Y.Vols. of 
 the command of this Post, he failed to turn over to me 
 any particular order or instructions relative to the con- 
 finement of State Prisoners at this Post, and today for 
 the first time, I learned from Brig. Genl. Newton, Comd'g 
 Dept. of Middle Fla, that instructions had been sent to 
 the Commanding Officer of this Post, to keep them in 
 close confinement when not at work. When this Post was 
 visited by Major Genl. Foster, Comd'g Dept. of Fla, on 
 the 14th day of this month he gave me instructions to 
 put them in close confinement and I have accordingly 
 fitted up a dungeon, to carry out his instructions, but I 
 had never until this day known anything in regard to 
 the orders from the War Department. 
 I am Sir 
 
 Very respectfully 
 Yr Obt Servt 
 (Signed) Geo. E. Wentworth 
 Major 82, U. S. Col. Infantry 
 Commanding 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 77 
 
 What mind, amongst these mazy windings can unearth 
 the cause of all these secret machinations. Everything 
 connected so far, as to the cause assigned for placing us 
 in irons has been refuted by their own correspondence. 
 We were closely confined when not at work, in this damp 
 and ill ventilated dungeon prepared by Major Geo. E. 
 Wentworth for our reception — forced to labor daily, heavi- 
 ly ironed about our feet, our footsteps closely followed by 
 an armed guard (black) denied intercourse with Every 
 one upon the island and locked within our gloomy dungeon 
 at sun down. This continued unchanged until the arrival 
 of the 5th. Arty. Brig. Genl. Bennett H. Hill Commanding. 
 The rations issued at this time were putrid, unfit to eat, 
 and during the three months of confinement, I lived upon 
 a cup of slopp (sic) coffee and the dry hard crust of 
 bread. This is no Exaggeration, as many others can testify 
 to its truthfulness. Coffee was brought to our quarters 
 in a dirty greasy bucket, always with grease swimming 
 upon its surface, bread, rotten fish and meal all mixed 
 together, the one spoiling the other by contact, and thus 
 we were forced to live for months until starvation nearly 
 stared us in the face. When the 5th Arty, arrived and 
 we looked upon the faces of men of our own color and 
 race, we felt greater security for our lives. We did not 
 think it possible that worse men could be found upon the 
 face of the Earth, than most of the Officers connected 
 with the 82ncT. U. S. Cold. Infantry, but we found we had 
 traded off the witch for the devil. As far as the enlisted 
 men or private soldiers, both white and black, I must say, 
 we were treated by them with the utmost kindness and 
 consideration, which shall ever be remembered with the 
 most grateful feelings. 
 
 It was but a short period before the hatred of the Offi- 
 cers of the 5th Artillery became visable (sic) and felt in 
 more instances than one. Their arrival dated from about 
 the 13th November when General Hill assumed Command 
 of the Post. Frequent visitations were made by them to 
 our quarters, without a word being spoken or a question 
 
78 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 propounded, they looking upon us as if we were wild beasts 
 and concocting some plan to degrade and further torture 
 us. 1st Lieut. Wm. Van Reed, Adjt., a vain and pompous 
 personage, being Officer of the day, O'Laughlin determined 
 to ask the cause of his being placed in irons. O'Laughlin 
 stated to him, it was not in conformity with the findings 
 of the Court; that the sentence did not call for such in- 
 human treatment at the hands of his jailors, that he had 
 conformed to Every requirement since a prisoner in the 
 hands of the Government, never violating any rule gov- 
 erning the command, and firmly protested against such 
 barborous (sic) treatment. Lt. Van Reed walked up and 
 down our quarters in his insignia of rank, when in his 
 pompous manner he replied, Sir your sentence is nothing, 
 we can do with you and to you just as we please, and 
 without further comment, abruptly left our quarters. If 
 a subaltren (sic) officer could thus set aside the findings 
 of an entire court of Officers, also overide (sic) the modi- 
 fied sentence of the President of the United States, he 
 possessed more real power over us, than Either, and had 
 it in his assumed power, according to Lt. Van Reed's ex- 
 pression used, to ignore the findings of the Court in its 
 entirety, and if so desired, could order us on sight to be 
 taken from our cells and executed in like manner to others. 
 What a parady on justice. Useless that long drawn out 
 trial with its horrors attending for months its findings 
 to thus be ignored by a subaltren (sic) officer in the 
 service of the United States. The time was fast approach- 
 ing when I like unto the others, was to be made to feel 
 the iron heel of the despot sent to overlook and guard us. 
 It could be read in the eyes of Each officer as he approach- 
 ed, could view it in their many silent consultations after 
 and during a visit to our quarters, as they shyly gazed 
 from one to the other, after looking upon my unshackled 
 limbs, as yet. On the 17th November 1865 Captain George 
 W. Crabbe, 1st Lt. U. S. Artillery, came into our quarters 
 accompanied by the Sergeant of the Guard and in a very 
 gentlemany (sic) manner, thus addressed me — Arnold I 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 79 
 
 have a very painful duty to perform, but am forced as 
 you are well aware to carry out and obey orders from 
 my superiors, no matter how grating against my feelings 
 they may be. I am ordered, he continued, by General Ben- 
 net H. Hill, to place you in irons, he having received orders 
 to that effect from higher authority, as turned over to 
 him, by Major Wentworth, just releived (sic) in command 
 of the Post. I protested against it, as a violation of the 
 organic law of the land, both civil and military and also 
 of the sentence meted me by the Military Commission. I 
 informed him I was a prisoner, it was true, but that no 
 act of my life had justly merited me to be imprisoned, 
 much less incarcerated and weighed down by galling chains, 
 and cried out against such a shameful abuse of power. 
 He replied, he was grieved to have to perform the duty 
 that there was no alternative left, but to strictly follow 
 the order assigned him. The Sergeant of the Guard was 
 then ordered to execute his command, and I was ironed 
 in like manner to the others. We five constituted the chain 
 gang at the Dry Tortugas. We were worked by ourselves, 
 denied all intercourse with Everyone upon the desolate 
 island, our footsteps always accompanied by an armed 
 guard, and forced in this condition, to perform the most 
 menial and degrading work upon the Key. From the 17th 
 Nov. until Dec. 14th my person and the others were dragged 
 here and there from morn until night, working in de- 
 grading chains, made in every instance that presented 
 itself, to perform the filthiest jobs the Provost Marshal 
 could hunt up. 2nd Lieut. Joseph Keefe 5th Arty, was 
 the Provost Marshal at the time, whose eyes were con- 
 stantly watching our every movement. It required con- 
 stant watching on our part, to look after him not a day 
 but that he was in every corner of the Fort. Things con- 
 tinued thus until the 14th Deer., when the prisoner Em- 
 ployed as clerk to the Commanding Officer was released 
 from confinement, by order from the War Department, 
 I was sent for, desired to furnish a specimen of my hand 
 writing or penmanship which I did, and from that date 
 
80 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 was Employed, as clerk, in the Adjutants Office. The 
 noise arrising (sic) from the clanking chains upon my 
 feet, when walking about the Office, soon grated upon the 
 ears of the Commanding Officer, who, in consequence 
 thereof, in special Post Order, releived (sic) me from the 
 irons, individually, but kept the others still ironed and 
 occupied at labor as before mentioned. I had been in the 
 office but a few days, when orders were issued which 
 seperated (sic) me from my only companions upon the 
 island. I was transferred from my dungeon, to the gen- 
 eral guard house, denied communication or intercourse, 
 with the few with whom I was individually imprisoned, 
 forced to dwell amidst the confusion and noise abounding 
 among numerous sentinels, etc. This was anything but 
 of a pleasant nature to my sense. I could not conceive 
 why I should be releived (sic) of suffering of one kind, 
 to have another heaped upon me of just as bad a nature 
 and determined if possible to have it corrected in some 
 way. In communication addressed to the Comd'g Officer, 
 I requested to be returned to my former place of confine- 
 ment, for altho a dungeon, it was far preferable to the 
 Guard House where I was then confined, that there were 
 no conveniences attending the change of situation, that 
 instead of being an amelioration of my condition, I found 
 it an aggravation. My request was complied with and I 
 was again placed in the dungeon with my companions 
 which fact had the tendency to ruffle the disposition of 
 Lieut. Van Reed, Post Adjutant, by whose order, I had 
 been placed there, without the sanction or knowledge of 
 the Commanding Officer himself, as he remarked to me 
 afterwards, stating he placed me in the guard house, to 
 prevent the contents of communications received at the 
 office, being devulged (sic) to the inmates of my quarters. 
 From this time out we remained together. The Orderly 
 accompanied me to and fro from my cell to Headquarters, 
 and to every point nature required visiting & at Retreat 
 or Sundown we were locked within our dungeon, remain- 
 ing until carried out to our morning labors again at sun 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 81 
 
 rise. With the arrival of the 5th Artillery at the Post, 
 the regulations which had been in force, became changed 
 and cruelty became the order of the day. Not only were 
 prisoners alone the recipient of it, but to a very great 
 extent it prevailed over the enlisted men, recruits just re- 
 ceived to fill up the different companies, which had been 
 reduced through the expiration of their term of enlist- 
 ment. There was not a day passed scarcely but that ten 
 to fifteen would be seen, carrying from morning until 
 night, heavy cannon balls upon their shoulders and often 
 continued for days as well as nights. To fail to salute an 
 officer was a sure forerunner of punishment, when in fact 
 at times it was impossible to distinguish them, they not 
 being clad in their required uniform. The manual of arms 
 was drummed into the recruits, with the butt end of the 
 musket and the different evelutions (sic) of command, 
 were first learned in the region of the back, legs & breast 
 the drilling officer not being particular, on what part of 
 the body the blow was given. Our close proximity to the 
 Guard House afforded every opportunity of becoming con- 
 versant with the many different acts of cruelty and tyranny 
 practised, which I will hereafter relate. We remained in 
 our dungeon quarters until some time in the month of 
 February 1866, at which period our removal took place, 
 arising from the woeful condition of the quarters, it be- 
 coming flooded with water to the depth, in some places 
 of a foot, created by the rains and leakage through the 
 walls. This had been so ever since our confinement there 
 more or less, but failed to attract the attention of our 
 jailors until it became so visible that their all seeing eye 
 in all else, could not fail but to notice it. The health of 
 each had become very much impared (sic) from confine- 
 ment in this malarious dungeon, and when it was announced 
 that we were to be removed to other quarters, we heralded 
 the change with joy, feeling we would be able to regain 
 our health somewhat, by coming in contact with the pure 
 fresh sea breeze, as it swept across the bosom of the ocean. 
 In this however, we were sadly disappointed, as the super- 
 
82 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 vision of the work was conducted by Brvt. Maj. B. F. 
 Rittenhouse 1st Lt. 5th Arty., who had our quarters placed 
 immediately over the Sally-Port of the Fort, the casemate 
 so constructed that we obtained less air and ventilation, 
 that in the quarters we had been removed from and to 
 make it the more confined and unwholesome an 8 inch 
 wall was erected between the Arch division or deviding 
 (sic) the casemates thereby darkening and breaking off 
 Every particle of air from the Sea. On the water side 
 fronting our quarters, ocassionly (sic) a glympse (sic) 
 of the sky above could be had, but beyond this — nothing. 
 There were three windows, measuring five feet long and 
 six inches in width, set about two or three feet in the 
 wall, distanced from the ground floor, about seven feet, 
 completely breaking off all view to the outer world, and 
 preventing the sea breeze so necessary to health from being 
 obtained. The walls were as heretofore was a mass of 
 slime produced from the dampness of the casemate. Often 
 during our confinement in the place buckets were used 
 to bail out the collected water, it having been found neces- 
 sary to dig deep holes and gutters to catch the water 
 thereby preventing our quarters becoming flooded all over. 
 For months, yes over a year were we quartered in this 
 filthy place having as companions in our misery every 
 insect known to abound on the island, in the shape of 
 mosquitoes, bed-bugs, roaches and scorpions, by which, 
 both day and night we were tormented. Our limbs drawn 
 in different shapes by rheumatism contracted from the 
 dampness. Though a wreck, my iron constitution out- 
 lived it all. When asking that an ameliorating change be 
 made, no notice was taken thereof, in fact it grew worse, 
 if it is possible for the mind of man to conceive such to 
 be possible. A Guard stood at our doorway constantly 
 preventing the approach of any one to our quarters, ex- 
 cepting when accompanied by the Officer of the day, the 
 Commanding Officer or Surgeon of the Post. We were 
 made a show of when any Nabob or Officers came upon 
 the island, to whom we were not permitted to speak, 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 83 
 
 standing like so many bronze statues in their presence. 
 Officers whose minds should be clear to act with justice 
 were reveling in intoxicating beverages and frequently to 
 such an extent; that they dwelt on earth as in a dream 
 unrelentressly (sic) carrying to extremes visionary orders 
 under an assumed authority when laboring under impared 
 (sic) functions produced through too copious draughts up- 
 on the bottle. The prisoners and soldiers received the full 
 benefit of their wandering minds. The emaciated prisoner 
 could be seen performing his daily labor weighed down 
 in chains with heavy balls attached. Another for some 
 supposed dereliction of duty, could be seen marching around 
 a ring, under the torrid heat of the sun weighed down by 
 monster cannon balls upon his shoulder. I have seen 
 them fall within their tracks, unable to perform the in- 
 human duty exacted, from sheer exhaustion, thence thrust 
 within the dungeon to remain until strength was suffi- 
 ciently restored to resume their barbourous (sic) task. 
 I have seen them suspended between heaven and Earth 
 by their thumbs, and every species of inhumanity, that 
 the mind of man could invent, heaped upon both prison- 
 ers and soldiers, slaves beneath the petty tyrants control. 
 This and much more, which I will in due time discourse, 
 was practised within that stronghold built to protect free- 
 man and uphold liberty, whilst our Starry Banner waved 
 majestically to the breeze Emblem of Liberty to the world, 
 (as seen afar) but beneath which Tyranny prevailed de- 
 vising means to surpass the cruelties inflicted in Barborous 
 ages. Our condition remained unchanged until some time 
 in the month of February 1866, when a communication 
 was received from the War Department asking to be 
 informed whether or not Dr. Mudd, as reported by his 
 wife, was working in irons, and if so, to releive (sic) 
 them at once. Orders were received that night to dis- 
 continue the irons and from this period out we were all 
 releived (sic) of this uncalled for and unsactioned (sic) 
 cruelty and indignity. This with other communications 
 heretofore mentioned, conclusively establishes the fact, 
 
84 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 that a base subterfuge had been practised upon us to 
 gratify alone the Evil passions of those who were preju- 
 diced against us. Everything so far connected with it, 
 were (sic) a tissue of falsehoods eminating (sic) from 
 the triplets, Judge Holt, Stanton and L. C. Baker. Shortly 
 after our change of quarters Col. Geo. St. Leger Grenfell 
 who had been made to bear in part the same harsh in- 
 justice as ourselves, wrote a communication to the Com- 
 manding Officer Genl. B. H. Hill, asking the reason why 
 he had been placed in irons, etc. as the same could not be 
 attributed to him as the others, from the fact, that he 
 was upon Governors Island at the time Mudd made his 
 attempt at escape, and certainly could not have been 
 connected therewith, nor had any knowledge thereof, in 
 fact he did not know there was such a person in existence 
 as Dr. Mudd, and if there were no just grounds for the 
 irons, he asked that they be struck off and other quarters 
 assigned him. The next day he was releived of the irons 
 and assigned other quarters, the General having found 
 there were no orders in his case, after the old colonel 
 has suffered through their injustice for six months. The 
 only view from our quarters was the inside of the Fort. 
 There were but few things that transpired within its en- 
 virons, but that came under our observation, because di- 
 rectly beneath was the Guard house, the chief point where 
 most of their barbarities were practised & inflicted upon 
 soldiers and prisoners. It was an every day occurrance 
 to behold men plodding around a ring both day and night 
 carrying logs and cannon balls the balls varying in weight 
 from 24 lbs. up to 128 lbs. To be reported was enough to 
 award punishment, neither soldier nor prisoner being 
 allowed to utter a word in his defense. To look sideways 
 at an officer was the fore runner of a ball to be carried 
 two hours on and two hours off, frequently for a week 
 to ten days. There was a soldier by name of Wheeler, 
 Company "M" 5th Arty, who was required to carry a 
 ball for a month both day and night, 2 hours on and 2 
 hours off, because he altered his pantaloons furnished by 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 85 
 
 the Government, instead of giving them to the tailor to 
 have it done he preferring to do it himself to save the 
 cost of same, he being a poor man and having a family 
 depending upon him. During the first year and a half, 
 the Dry Tortugas was anything put a paradise. There 
 did not pass a day but men could be seen tied up by their 
 thumbs, between the sky and the earth until the joints of 
 their thumbs were nearly pulled from their sockets, some 
 bound in cords and carried to the Gulf Stream and nearly 
 drowned others tied up in the guard house and lashed 
 upon their naked flesh. Many of these cruelties were 
 inflicted because they followed the example set by some 
 of the Officers in charge of them, and dared like them 
 to become intoxicated. There was another mode of pun- 
 ishment applied in many instances. Men were, what they 
 termed nailed to the cross or spread eagle fashion & others 
 tied with their hands behind them to swinging limbs, the 
 tip of their toes barely touching the earth. If these same 
 cruelties were practised in other portions of the Army 
 to the same Extent as was done at the Dry Tortugas, it 
 is easily discerned the cause of so many desertions from 
 the U. S. Army. Had the soldiers at this Post the facili- 
 ties of deserting, there would have been but few of the 
 Command left to do garrison duty. Many in the small 
 boats left, to make their way from these scenes of torture, 
 across 200 miles of sea, prefering (sic) to risk their lives 
 upon the deep, than to remain, daily dunned to death 
 by such brutal measures enforced there. Their particular 
 cases, I will hereafter refer to, it being my desire, as 
 far as possible, to relate each thing in order, as far as 
 memory can recall. A short time after Col. Grenfells 
 removal to other quarters, a case of small-pox broke out 
 upon the island. The patient instead of being placed in 
 some remote corner of the Fort, there being many unoccu- 
 pied casemates available at the time, where the disease 
 would not endanger others, was brought and placed mid- 
 way between our quarters and those of Col. Grenfell's. 
 We came in contact with it daily as we passed to and fro 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 from our labor, Col. Grenf ell receiving the full benefit there- 
 from upon each puff of wind that passed. However we 
 failed to become innoculated (sic) with the loathsome 
 disease. Finding the patient still remained in close prox- 
 imity to each of our quarters, Col. Grenfell obtained a 
 large blackboard and upon it, in large letters inscribed, 
 "Small-pox Hospital," directing all persons on the island 
 to shun it. This drew the attention of the Officers, to- 
 gether with the murmerings (sic) heard over the island, 
 and the patient was removed to another portion of the 
 Fort. The actions of the authorities in this affair, was 
 of so pointed a nature, that not only ourselves but each 
 man upon the island, firmly believed it was done for the 
 express purpose of inoculating us with this fearful and 
 loathsome malady. Col. Grenf el (sic) was severely repri- 
 manded for his action and sternly commanded to take in 
 the board and to be very careful in his actions in the 
 future. He was not in the least intimidated, but strictly 
 garnered the actions of the officers at the Fort, recording 
 them in a diary, which he kept during his imprisonment, 
 and which I learned is now in the possession of Captain 
 Mac Elrath, Co. L, 5th U. S. Arty. At this period sub- 
 sistence was horrible and of the most disgusting nature. 
 We sustained ourselves from our own resources, which 
 was a Godsend that we possessed it, otherwise, starvation 
 would have stared us in the face. Col. Grenfell's quarters 
 were papered over its woodworked front inwardly, with 
 his daily rations of bread and meat, a nail having been 
 placed through it, to fasten it to the wall. Soldiers were 
 loudly complaining about their rations and the quality 
 issued. Often when guarding us, requesting something 
 to eat, stating that they were nearly starved, that they 
 were robbed of their rations etc. Many a ones hunger 
 was releived by us from our own scanty supply, through 
 which we gained their friendliness in some instances, but 
 as a general thing they were kind and sympathized with 
 us in our misfortune and would have permitted us to have 
 escaped, so that in doing so, they would not be compromised 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 8 7 
 
 in the matter. They complained bitterly of the distribu- 
 tion of the Company Fund, stating the benefit therefrom 
 was not received by them, but used by the Company Offi- 
 cers themselves. This was the general complaint among 
 them all during the first two years of our incarceration. 
 I make no assertion myself, nor accusation in this matter, 
 as I am entirely ignorant upon the subject, I give but 
 the statements of others in this special instance. Never 
 were a lot of recruits worse maltreated. They were beat- 
 en, bruised and maimed by the harsh treatment and pun- 
 ishment awarded. Inhumanity seemed to be the ruling 
 Element & barbarity & injustice, the only thoughts in the 
 minds of those, our rulers. Sunday mornings could al- 
 ways find twenty to thirty, packing balls at the Guard 
 house in the broiling sun until some of them exhausted 
 and overcome by the heat, would fall in an almost lifeless 
 condition and lie there, no notice being taken of them, 
 until after the fact had been reported to the Officer of 
 the day, when they would be picked up and conveyed to 
 the hospital for Medical treatment. A French Canadian 
 died about a month after his arrival, superinduced from 
 the cruelties practiced upon him by the 1st Sergeant of 
 his company, receiving knocks on his head, body and 
 limbs from the butt end of the musket used until nature 
 gave way and he was consigned to a premature grave on 
 the adjacent Island East Key. The man that perpertrated 
 (sic) this piece of cruelty was afterwards, through ex- 
 amination, made a Lieutenant in the U. S. Army. This 
 was not the only instance of his cruelty, as Every soldier 
 who was in his company ("I" 5th Arty) 1st Sergeant 
 John Murphy in charge, can testify. He misused with 
 but few exceptions, every man in the Company. A private 
 soldier of his company by name of Stebb came into the 
 hospital one morning whilst I was there, with the blood 
 streaming down his neck, from a would inflicted at the 
 hands of Murphy, during drill. I saw the man myself 
 and received my information directly from him. I cannot 
 remember the names of the many so illtreated but they 
 
88 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 were numerous. In one instance he struck one of the 
 soldiers of his company across the fingers with his sabre, 
 nearly severing it from the hand. Often I was shown 
 also my roomates (sic), deep and black bruises on their 
 bodies inflicted and received at the hands of Murphy. An- 
 other instance of heartless inhumanity was perpertrated 
 (sic) upon a soldier in Major B. F. Rittenhouse's Co. "D" 
 5th Arty, by name of Christian Conrad, a German. Con- 
 rad had been afflicted with fits and suffering so much 
 therefrom, that he was unable to perform his duties in 
 his Company. He was placed in the hospital under treat- 
 ment of Bvt. Major John Bell, Asst. Surgeon, U. S. Army. 
 Whilst there his condition grew rapidly worse, the lower 
 portions of his body becoming nearly useless to him, it 
 being with the utmost difficulty, to dragg (sic) one foot 
 before the other. Dr. Bell stated this was mere pretense 
 & that he would bring him around to duty. He was dis- 
 charged from the hospital, placed in the guard house 
 & ordered to carry a 24 lb. log, which was done under 
 the most excrutiating (sic) pain accompany (sic) it, as 
 the man trembled, like an aspen, all over from the ex- 
 ertion required to execute the imposed task, his limbs 
 being dragged along, devoid of life or action. During the 
 performance of this task, a cruelty unsurpassed, his frame 
 was violently contorted with repeated fits, the command 
 given, being, that no soldier should interfere or offer 
 any assistance in these pretended spells, and he was left 
 writhing in his agony without any helping hand being 
 permitted to reach forth to releive (sic) his sufferings. 
 For a week he remained in the guard house, attacked 
 repeatedly with these fits. Buckets of water were ordered 
 to be thrown over him when under their influence, his 
 condition grew worse and worse, stamping reality to his 
 affliction, when he was again removed to the hospital, 
 where he remained until sometime in November 1866, 
 when he was discharged the service of the United States. 
 He was borne upon a stretcher, to a chartered steamer 
 lying at the wharf, a maimed and helpless man, unable 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 89 
 
 to stand up or move his lower limbs. He frequently ex- 
 pressed, that Dr. Bell was trying to kill him and that 
 whenever the Doctor made his appearance in his ward, 
 his entire frame shook with fright and horror. Harsh- 
 ness began to increase in manner, both to the soldiers as 
 well as prisoners. Drunkenness run (sic) riot on the 
 island. There was not a day passed, but that officers 
 could be seen reeling under its influence, as they stag- 
 gered down the walk leading from their barracks to the 
 Sally-Port of the Fort, gaze where you would the eye 
 would come in contact with some of them inebriated, a 
 disgrace and a dishonor to the service of the country, 
 which they represented. Liquor was obtained from every 
 boat that entered the harbor and if the supply became 
 exhausted before the arrival of a boat again, inroads were 
 made upon the hospital supplies, so that when needed in 
 case of sickness, the supply was exhausted. I state this 
 not upon mere hearsay, I have witnessed all these things 
 myself, have seen orders sent to the hospital for the 
 liquor, have seen the orderly, as he returned bearing the 
 bottles, have unwrapped its covering and read its label, 
 "Spiritus Fermenti" and have seen the peculiar bottle 
 containing the fluid upon the Officers table. But with 
 this I have naught to do. If the Government permits its 
 officers to live under the influence of liquor & advances 
 supplies for such purpose, we the people have no right 
 to complain, but must support it. From the barborous 
 (sic) treatment daily received from the Officers whilst 
 under the influence of intoxicating draughts, many of the 
 soldiers began to contemplate, desertion. Many suceeded 
 (sic) in their efforts, until it became necessary to restrict 
 them from going to Key West, upon passes. Passes of 
 every description, consequently were recindered (sic) and 
 soldiers became as much confined as the prisoners. One 
 of the most heartless acts every witnessed in this age of 
 civilization happened on the ocassion (sic) when the Pay- 
 master had arrived at the Fort to pay off the troops. It 
 was a counterpart of the middle ages in cruelty and bar- 
 
90 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 barity. The prisoners where engaged in unloading a ves- 
 sel moored at the wharf, containing Commisary & Quarter- 
 masters Stores for the Post. During the work, the pris- 
 oners whose duty it was to unload vessels on arrival, 
 indulged freely in spiritous liquors in company with the 
 soldiers, who had charge of them. A prisoner by name 
 James Dunn became beastly intoxicated in company with 
 two of the soldiers, who were acting as Provost Guards. 
 Brt. Major C. C. McConnell 1st Lt. Company "C" 5th 
 Arty, was officer of the day. The occurrance was report- 
 ed to him, when he gave orders to the Sergeant of the 
 Guard, Edward Donnelly Co. "L" to place him on the 
 ring to carry a ball, but finding he was too drunk to 
 comply with the order, he ordered him to be tied up. 
 Accordingly he was tied up to the bell post, erected in 
 front of the guard house, by his wrists, it being about 
 11 o'clock in the morning. This man Dunn was being 
 punished in this manner by the orders of Bt. Major C. C. 
 McConnell, he himself being very much under the in- 
 fluence of liquor himself. I accosted him in passing 
 through the hall at Headquarters, on his way to his room 
 to hand some official papers pertaining to his Company. 
 He was so overcome with liquor, that he was unable to 
 understand what I said to him and on leaving for his 
 room fell up the stairs twice or three times, in a flight of 
 twenty steps. On returning to my quarters for dinner, 
 Dunn was still tied to the post, remaing (sic) there until 
 my return to the office again about 2 o'clock P.M. I 
 returned to my quarters about 3.30 P.M. & I found Dunn 
 transferred from the bell post and tied up by his thumbs 
 to the iron bars or railing immediately beneath our quar- 
 ters. He was in druken (sic) insensibility, swinging to 
 and fro, by his thumbs, bound around by a small rope, 
 his legs stretched outwardly, & the whole weight of his 
 body resting upon his thumbs. The ends of the thumbs 
 were fearfully swollen and puffed out, having the appear- 
 ance of a mortified piece of flesh, his head was drooping 
 backwards, the burning rays of the sun striking him full 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 91 
 
 in the face and the face, red, blue and in some parts nearly- 
 black, the veins in the neck swollen and extended like 
 cords there being no circulation of blood, I viewed him 
 hanging in this condition until after 5 o'clock P.M. There 
 is no telling how long he would have remained in this 
 position. Genl. Hill Comd'g happened to pass that way 
 and seeing this piece of barborous (sic) cruelty inflicted 
 upon an insensible being immediately directed the Sergeant 
 to take him down and place him in the Guard house and 
 in the future commanded, that no man whilst in a druken 
 (sic) condition, be punished in like manner again. In- 
 stead of untying the cords from his thumbs, they were 
 cut away and Dunn fell heavily upon the ground, not 
 Even awakening from the deep stupor, as his head came 
 in contact with the hard ground. He was then dragged 
 bodily into the guard house, where he remained until 
 Retreat. The Officer of the day came down to inspect 
 the Guard, and looking around failed to find Dunn. En- 
 quiring of the Sergeant where he was, he was told, he 
 was in the Guard house. Major McConnell ordered that 
 he be taken out and be made to carry a ball & left the 
 Sergeant to execute his order. Dunn was brought out 
 & from the tortures already practised upon him, was un- 
 able to clasp the ball, it constantly slipping from his grasp. 
 He esayed (sic) to balance it upon his shoulder, to com- 
 ply with orders, in his intoxicated condition. In his en- 
 deavors to do so, he fell twice, once the 42 lb. Cannonball 
 falling directly on his chest, as he fell backwards & again 
 as he plunged forward stumbling, the weight of the ball 
 giving impetus to his falling, he horribly mutilated the 
 Entire left side of his face, as it plowed through the coral 
 sands. The Sergeant to execute the orders received, strap- 
 ped the ball upon his back in a knapsack, but Dunn stag- 
 gering here and there cause (sic) the material to give 
 away, which again when releived (sic) from the weight 
 upon his back, caused him to fall forward upon his face. 
 At this point Major McConnell arrived, and seeing the 
 mans lacerated face, ordered him back to the Guard house 
 
92 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 and there to remain until 8 o'clock, thence to be taken 
 out and he be made to carry the ball. This scene was 
 witnessed by many persons on the island and the whole 
 crew of the Steamer which was lying at the wharf. All 
 the excitement attending the affair had died away & 
 quietness prevailed throughout the Fort, excepting loud 
 peals of laughter borne upon the silent air which rung 
 out in clarion notes from the officers barracks, telling 
 in unmistakable terms, the revellery (sic) which existed 
 there. The poor tortured drunken victim with his lacer- 
 ated hands & face was temporarily forgotten but time in 
 its fleeting moments was arriving, to again place their 
 victim upon the rack. Eight o'clock was pointed by the 
 hand of the clock and Dunn to the minute was led from 
 the Guard house to renew his task and take his punish- 
 ment. There were others confined in the guard house, 
 all of whom were brought forth and ordered to pick up 
 a ball and carry it. Armed Guards were stationed over 
 them to enforce the order they being authorized to bayonet 
 them in case the orders given were not strictly complied 
 with. The severity of the punishment already inflicted 
 upon Dunn, made it a moral impossibility for him to con- 
 form to the orders given. His hands were unable to per- 
 form their office. Repeatedly he grasped the ball, only 
 for the hands unconsciously to relax their hold, letting 
 the ball fall to the earth. When after repeated trials, he 
 found it impossible to obey the commands given, the senti- 
 nel threatening him with the point of the bayonet, if 
 he still persisted in not complying with orders. In piteous 
 cries he appealed from one to the other saying to the 
 Sergeant, could he he would willingly carry the ball, as 
 ordered. Sergeant, he said, I am willing to carry the 
 ball God knows the truth of what I say, but I can not 
 do it, if you do not beleive (sic) me, come, Oh come, look 
 at my bleeding hands. It was an iron heart to whom he 
 appealed. There was one answer. You must carry the 
 ball. Sentinel if he refuses to carry it obey your orders 
 received and run him through with your bayonet. To 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 93 
 
 prevent this, he again tried to carry the ball, but to no 
 avail the ball fell from his grasp, and as it fell to the 
 earth, he fell with it, crying out, Sentinel, I can not carry 
 the ball, perform your duty, bayonet and kill me. The 
 sentinel endeavored in various ways to cause compliance 
 and failing to move him in the manner, repeatedly pricked 
 him with the bayonet, but finding he did not move from 
 its touch, called upon the Sergeant of the Guard. Cords 
 again were brought into requisition and in the ruffest 
 (sic) manner, twisted and bound around his bleeding 
 hands, wrists & thumbs. In the midst of his cries of 
 agony which reached each portion of the Fort, his cries 
 for mercy could be heard. Useless his pleadings, his 
 prayers, his cries as the form to which he appealed, pos- 
 sessed a heart as hard and callous as stone, which had 
 become more hardened, through frequent imbibings by him 
 during the day. There was a gentleman residing with his 
 family upon the island, in charge of the Light House, whose 
 household was disturbed by the piercing cries of the tor- 
 tured man, as he cried out in his agony. He was forced 
 to call upon the officer of the day, to ask if other measures 
 could be adopted in the manner of punishment, so as to 
 prevent night from being made so hiedeous (sic) from 
 the piercing cries of agony, which seemed to fill both sky 
 and Earth. Major McConnell sent forthwith for the Ser- 
 geant who received orders & forwith (sic) returned to 
 his guard. In a few moments Dunn was removed from 
 the close proximity of Captain Henry Benners, Light House 
 Keeper, conveyed some distance away, retied to a pair 
 of steps by his hands & wrists, his piercing shrieks during 
 the operation filling every space. To smother these cries, 
 he was taken down gagged with a bayonet and hurriedly 
 hoisted up again. His smothered tones could now alone 
 be heard, as he hung suspended between heaven and Earth. 
 For the most part of the night he hung in this manner, 
 in an almost lifeless condition. Next morning at Guard 
 Mounting, whilst seated on the steps at the Guard house 
 I requested he would allow me to see his hands. I found 
 
94 DEFENCE OP A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 them swollen and lacerated in many places, having a 
 gangreen (sic) appearance, and perfectly helpless, not 
 being able to move them in any particular. From the 
 Guard house, he was taken to the hospital, placed under 
 Medical treatment, where he remained during the period 
 of his confinement, some three or four months. It was 
 decided at one time, that it would become necessary to 
 resort to amputation of one of his hands, but through the 
 careful attention paid him, he finally recovered, sustain- 
 ing the loss of nearly the entire use of the left hand. Col. 
 George St. Leger Grenfell made note of the occurrance 
 (sic), and in a communication to a friend of his, residing 
 in Richmond Va. gave a truthful and graphic description 
 of the inhuman punishment, which was being inflicted 
 upon both soldiers and prisoners. His friend deeming the 
 country should be informed, sent the article to the Editor 
 of the New York World for publication & in the month 
 of November in (sic) appeared in the columns of its issue. 
 By chance one of the Officers attached to the garrison had 
 been sent North in charge of four prisoners from South 
 Carolina, and in overlooking the daily paper, his eye came 
 in contact with the article. He returned to the Fort, be- 
 fore the mails had been received at the Post, bearing with 
 him the paper containing the article which he presented 
 to Brig. Genl. B. H. Hill, Commanding. That it was start- 
 ling news to them, proved itself in the rigid search that 
 was made of the effects of the prisoners. Suspicion 
 centred itself upon Col. Grenfell as its author & his quar- 
 ters and his papers were carefully searched, when in a 
 diary kept by him was found a copy of the article sought 
 after. For the heinous office of publishing to the world, 
 the brutal tyranny Existing upon the island, he was re- 
 moved from his quarters and placed within a dungeon, 
 in solitary confinement when he was denied, pen, paper 
 and ink, reading matter of every description and all inter- 
 course and communication with Every one at the Fort. 
 Small openings which had been left in the construction 
 of the Fort, for ventilation, were tightly boarded up and 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 95 
 
 closed by orders from the Commadant (sic) . His quarters 
 were visited frequently during the day, by the Officer of 
 the Guard, who caused the person of the Colonel to be 
 carefully searched, to prevent the secreting of paper etc. 
 about his person. Truth had awakened them and startled 
 them from their seeming security, when finding the cruel- 
 ties practised, had been exposed to the country, etc. they 
 became very careful, that it should not again happen. 
 Col. Grenfell from this time out became the object of all 
 their attention, he being kept closely confined and guarded, 
 from the 15th of November 1866 until September 1867 
 in the miserable cell allotted him, suffering intensely from 
 heart and other ailments, arising from his ill ventilated 
 quarters. Feeling secure, now that the object of their 
 solicitude was placed beyond the power to do more harm, 
 as they supposed the cruelties depicted in his published 
 article, were again enacted. Private Gosner of Co. "D", 
 a mere boy was cruelly maltreated, his body being dotted 
 over with bruises received at the hands of the non com- 
 missioned officer of his Company. I saw this myself, he 
 having come to my quarters. He disrobed himself, to 
 show his bruised person to me. Duffy, another member 
 of his Company, passed through the same ordeal, in fact 
 these instances were so numerous, that it would be im- 
 possible to give a full account of them, suffice it to say, 
 they were of daily occurrance (sic) and inflicted by the 
 commands of Officers, who were more or less under the 
 influence of liquor. The press of the Country soon cried 
 out against the practised cruelties, and demanded than 
 (sic) investigation of the matter should forthwith be 
 made. In the meantime Genl. B. H. Hill, Commanding, 
 wrote a denial, in toto, of the Entire Article, and forwarded 
 the same to the Adjutant General U.S.A., assigning many 
 untruths, as to the cause which led to its publication by 
 Grenfell. In a very short time after the War Department 
 had been communicated with and (sic) Officer was sent 
 from Genl. Sherridan's (sic) Department, by name I think 
 Colonel Gillespie and ordered to proceed to Fort Jefferson 
 
9 6 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 Fla, to hold a board of inquiry. Genl. Hill was absent 
 at the time, on leave, at Havana, a subaltren (sic) Officer 
 being in command. 
 
 The investigation was a farce, parties desiring to lay 
 complaint were denied speach (sic) so that the Officers 
 & others were fearful of opening their lips, for fear of 
 after consequences. They had become slaves to their 
 tyrant rulers and trembled at their approach. The officers 
 had a picnic over the matter indulging in frequent draughts 
 from the old brown jug and in this manner were their cruel 
 acts, smoothed over and for the time being hushed up. 
 Lt. Greer had lately assumed command of Co. "I", Major 
 McConnell the author of this cruelty having been placed 
 on detached service, who branded the entire article a lie, 
 as will be seen by the following article published by him 
 in the Philadelphia Enquirer of date July 7th, 1867. 
 
 Rebel Slanders about Fort Jefferson 
 
 I desire to make a statement thro' your colums (sic) 
 relative to some reports which have been going the rounds 
 of newspapers in the North. An abstract of a letter 
 purporting to have been written from this Post, was 
 published in the New York World of Nov. 1 1866 con- 
 taining false and scandalous accounts of the treatment of 
 prisoners by the Officers here, the author of this letter it 
 is ascertained is one G. St. Leger Grenfell, an Englishman 
 and an ex rebel Officer who is now confined at hard labor 
 for life, for infamous crimes. After exhausting every 
 means of procuring his release, this man seems to have 
 hit upon the plan of endeavoring to excite public sympathy 
 in the North and also in England by having published in 
 such papers as were willing to lend themselves to the 
 transaction, the statement referred to, in hopes that more 
 active measures would be adopted by his friends in the 
 latter country and elsewhere to affect his release. The 
 man has been treated with marked kindness by all the 
 Officers here and by order of Genl. Hill a very pleasant 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 97 
 
 and easy duty was assigned him and greater limits were 
 allowed him than any other prisoner. By some means he 
 procured a medium of corresponding secretly, and on 
 examination of his papers, shows that he has forwarded 
 similar falsehoods to various places and that the letter 
 published in the New York World Nov. 1 was sent through 
 Bradly Johnson of Richmond Va. An investigation into 
 the suject (sic) was made a few days ago by a member 
 of General Sherridan's (sic) Staff and full reports have 
 also been forwarded to the War Department by Genl. Hill, 
 which I suppose will be made public in due time, if de- 
 manded by the interest of the service. In relation to this 
 subject, I will say further, that I am in no way concerned 
 in any of the allegations contained in the letter published 
 and can therefore speak & write freely on the subject. I re- 
 cently joined the Command of and assumed command of 
 Company "I" 5th Arty, on the 1st of October or thereabout. 
 Several of the cruelties referred to in the letter and said to 
 have occurred in that Company, I have called upon the Ser- 
 geant and men of my Company and questioned the men re- 
 ported to have been thus maltreated in a public manner, and 
 now unhesitatingly pronounce the whole statement to be 
 false upon the evidence of the parties most vitally concerned. 
 Similar investigations have been made by other Officers, 
 the results of which tend to show that the entire statement, 
 as published, is what it is characterized in the communi- 
 cation of this letter, scandlous (sic) and false in the 
 greatest degree. 
 
 I am gentlemen truly 
 
 Your Obediant (sic) Servant 
 
 M. C. Greer 
 2nd Lt. 5th U. S. Arty, Comd'g Co. "I" 
 
 Never was a more base falshood (sic) blazoned to the 
 world, that (sic) that contained in the above communication 
 written by Lieut. M. C. Grier (sic). His expressions are 
 similar in purpose to those written by the Commanding 
 
9 8 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 Officer to the War Department, proving that concert of 
 action had been agreed upon between them. Grenfell, it 
 is true had not been punished himself in the inhuman 
 manner cited in his article published, he referred to others 
 than himself, and as written by him, is correct, far worse 
 than depicted. His efforts in the matter alone, was (sic) 
 to break up these heartless acts of cruelty and barbarity, 
 which, daily, were being practised upon the island, feeling 
 that continuation of them might revert upon his own 
 shoulders, as none knew what a day would bring forth, 
 as every officer seemed to be invested with unlimited 
 authority, practising Every kind of cruelty the mind could 
 conceive. It is natural that brother Officers would uphold 
 one another, as the acts of one reflected upon the whole, 
 but doubly the dishonor when he stoops to deception and 
 debasing falsehood. I speak of nothing herein connected, 
 but that can be substantiated by intelligent and respectable 
 witnesses, if living at the present day, and pronounce that 
 Grenfells statement, with but few exceptions, was truth- 
 ful in its whole tenor, notwithstanding all that has been 
 said by Lieut. Grier (sic), Genl. Hill and others. Its truth 
 could be seen in all parts of the island. Punishment here- 
 tofore practised were (sic) abolished, ball carrying and 
 tying men up by their thumbs was strictly prohibited 
 and for a few months, the island which had existed as a 
 hell, assumed brighter appearances. The heavy cannon 
 balls were removed from the guard house leaving only a 
 24 lb shot to be carried by offenders against Military rules 
 and orders were issued from Headquarters directing that 
 no man be punished except, directly from the Commanding 
 Officer. These orders were daily violated by the Company 
 Commanders. Private soldiers instead of being sent to 
 the guard house, as formerly, were taken back of the 
 barracks, beyond the observation of the Commanding Of- 
 ficer and punished with the usual severity. When it be- 
 came apparent, that the effect of the article published by 
 Grenfell, had died out, they gradually increased the pun- 
 ishment, resorting in many instances, to the inhuman 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 99 
 
 practise of throwing men into the sea. Drunken men were 
 frequently wheeled to the wharf in a barrow and sub- 
 merged beneath the water and almost suffocated. There 
 was a prisoner by the name of Brown, who had been suf- 
 fering from sickness for sometime and on the morning 
 alluded to had gone to the Doctor's Call, and by him had 
 been excused from labor during the day. Contrary to 
 custom, he was ordered out to work by the Provost Mar- 
 shal. He stated his case, that he was excused, in fact 
 that he was so weak that he could not labor, when to 
 cure him of his ailment he was ordered a 42 pound shot 
 to carry. He did as commanded for sometime, until over- 
 come by the sun and his affliction, he dropped the ball 
 and refused to carry it longer. Forthwith he was bound 
 around his feet and arms tied behind him, he was con- 
 ducted to the Sea and submerged beneath the waves. The 
 Officer in charge Bt. Major B. F. Rittenhouse, repeatedly 
 asking him, when his head was brought above the surface, 
 if he would carry the ball. The man from swallowing so 
 much salt water, was unable, no matter how much he 
 desired to do so, to give him the required answer when 
 down he was submerged again, finally when nearly drown- 
 ed, he was raised from the water to the wharf, where he 
 remained until sufficiently restored to speak, and finding 
 it was death by drowing, if he refused to obey the order, 
 acquiesced to Major Rittenhouse's demands, and in his 
 sick condition, his entire clothing saturated with salt water, 
 plodded more dead than alive around the ring with totter- 
 ing footsteps, carrying the required ball, until sunset and 
 thus in his wet clothing thrust within the guard house to 
 remain during the night, without bed or covering of any 
 kind. Sometime afterwards quite a number of colored 
 prisoners were released by orders from the War Depart- 
 ment, many of whom had been waiting upon the officers 
 at Headquarters, as Cooks, Waiters, etc. It seemed as if 
 a theft had been committed, in the shape of clothing, 
 money, pistols, etc., by some of them, and before being 
 allowed to leave the island, which was perfectly just, their 
 
100 DEFENCE OP A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 baggage was searched. Some of the missing articles were 
 found in their possession & they were closely questioned 
 by the Officers relative to the other articles, but to no 
 avail. Innocent and guilty alike, were marched to the 
 wharf by Maj. Rittenhouse, with Genl. Hill to view the 
 sport, occupying a prominent position on the stern of the 
 Schooner Matchless moored at the Wharf. Bound up in 
 cords, with their hands, as usual, tied behind them, they 
 were cast into the Sea. As they were pushed off the 
 wharf into the Sea, their cries filled the very ether around 
 and as suddenly quenched, as their bodies sunk beneath 
 the waves. This was repeated several times when they 
 were reconducted into the Fort, Genl. Hill seemed to enjoy 
 the scene wonderfully, his whole frame convulsed with 
 laughter. After being conducted into the Fort, a consul- 
 tation was held amongst the Officers, when one of the 
 prisoners, named James of Baltimore from the evidence 
 being deemed innocent was released and ordered to do 
 his duties at Headquarters. Finally all but one were 
 released, a colored man from Louisiana, who was taken 
 into the Guard house, his clothing stripped down from 
 his shoulders and back and given by Major Rittenhouse's 
 orders 29 lashes upon his bare back, laid on well by the 
 Enlisted men of the Guard. His cries for mercy as every 
 lash cut into the flesh, could be heard in Every portion of 
 the Fort, gaining force as lash quickly followed lash — 
 after which proceeding, in direct conflict with the laws 
 of the land — the poor negroe (sic) remained shut up in 
 the Guard house moaning most piteously. The boat being 
 in readiness to leave, he was brought from the guard house, 
 marched to the boat and left with a bleeding and sore 
 back, the shores of the ill fated island of the Dry Tortugas. 
 The system in our mode of confinement remained un- 
 changed, still guarded and compelled to dwell in our damp 
 and unwholsome (sic) quarters when not at work. In 
 the month of January 1867, a sub Dist. having been 
 formed, Brt. Brig. Genl. B. H. Hill, was releived (sic) 
 of command of Fort Jefferson and assumed command of 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 101 
 
 Sub-Dist. with Headquarters at Key West Fla. In the 
 meantime many of the Officers comprising the Command 
 were transferred to other points & with a light heart, 
 Every prisoner & soldier was gladened (sic) by their de- 
 parture. The officers afterwards assigned were of better 
 material and more humane, governing with a rule more 
 adopted to civilization, altho in many instances acts of 
 barbarity were perpertrated (sic). After that Genl. Hill 
 was releived (sic) of command, the change of the garrison 
 devolved upon B. Major Wallace R. Randolph, on account 
 of seniority. It was while he was in command, he per- 
 mitted a gross injustice to be enacted on the person of 
 Col. G. St. Leger Grenfell. Col. Grenfell for sometime 
 had been very much complaining, this complaint growing 
 out of the harsh and cruel measures resorted to in the 
 manner of his confinement. His dungeon quarters, go 
 past when you would, looked as if water was constantly 
 thrown over the floor, dampness generated from ill venti- 
 lation. Frequently he could be seen, when permission 
 had been given him, to hang his blankets on the opposite 
 fence to dry moving along like one writhing in pain, scarce- 
 ly able to place one foot before the other. This had been the 
 case for a long time, still the Colonel stood up under it, 
 without a murmur or complaint. One morning Every fea- 
 ture of his face plainly showed his condition, proving in 
 most unmistakable terms that he was quite ill. He had 
 never made it a habit to visit sick call, since incarcerated 
 upon the island stating the cause for not doing so, his fear 
 that poison might be administered to him, as Every officer 
 was deeply prejudiced against him on account of the article 
 he had published as to the inhuman tortures inflicted upon 
 soldiers and prisoners. Sickness in this instance forced 
 him against his convictions to attend sick call. Dr. J. 
 Holden was the Surgeon in charge. It seemed that Gren- 
 fell had created the deep dislike and hatred of Each Offi- 
 cer, from the fact he had kept from the date of his arrival, 
 a diary, in which the acts of Every Officer coming under 
 his observation, had been pictured, this combined with the 
 
102 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 other cause before alluded to, caused Grenfells position 
 very insecure. As before remarked, he visited the sick 
 call, and as his turn came and name called, he presented 
 himself before the Doctor, describing the nature and symp- 
 toms of his complaint. Every feature of his face, dis- 
 tinctly showing, the truth of his statement. The Doctor 
 refused to excuse him from labor, altho Grenfell remarked 
 to him that he was unable to work, that he had Eaten 
 nothing for five or six days, and that he was so debilitated 
 and weakened, that he could scarcely move. This was the 
 first and last call, made to sick call, nor did he ever after- 
 wards call again. Finding he would be forced to labor 
 in this condition, in the hot broiling sun, and knowing his 
 inability to do so, he called upon the Provost Marshal, 
 Lieut. Frederick Robinson, stating his case. He was asked 
 if he had been before the Doctor, he replied, yes, but the 
 Doctor had refused to excuse him from labor. Whereupon 
 Lt. Robinson informed him, that he was powerless to act 
 in the matter, that he could not excuse him without the 
 sanction of the Surgeon, as he was placed there to decide 
 whether a man was capable of performing duty or not. 
 The labor required of Grenfell to perform, had been of 
 the heaviest kind, which fact he stated to the Provost 
 Marshal. As he left the presence of the Provost Marshal, 
 he remarked, he would Endeavor to do what he could, 
 that his strength was not sufficient to perform the labor, 
 which had heretofore been exacted of him, but what he 
 was able to perform he would. The Provost Marshal 
 placed him at his usual work, but was lenient with him, 
 owing to his advanced age and present indisposition, fre- 
 quently permitting him to sit to rest himself. Whilst 
 seated, in an exhausted condition upon a pile of lumber, 
 he was espied by the Provost Marshal who hurriedly walk- 
 ed upon him, and desired to know, why it was, he was 
 not at work. Grenfel (sic) replied that he was unable to 
 perform such heavy work, that it was morally impossible 
 for him to bend his back, he suffering at the time severely 
 with lumbago, as well as severe attack of diarroeha (sic), 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 103 
 
 but he would perform any labor assigned, consistent with 
 his strength. The work assigned in this instance, was 
 the moving of heavy lumber from one pile, and heaping 
 it into another, a common thing resorted to to keep men 
 employed and which required the utmost exertion and 
 strength of the young, much less and (sic) old and infirm 
 man like Grenfell. Lt. Robinson ordered him to resume 
 the work. Grenfel (sic) replied, Lieutenant I can not, 
 anything I am able to perform, I will do most willingly. 
 This was all that was needed to fire the blood of his 
 jailor, and with passion depicted upon his face, and fire 
 flashing from his eye, he commanded Grenfell to be taken 
 to the Guard house, and to be tied up. Bound around 
 his body, from the feet upward to his neck in cords, he 
 was tied to the same iron bars, by which their tortured 
 prisoner Dunn had suffered martyrdom and in this erect 
 position, unable to move, hand, foot, or body remained like 
 a statue, during the morning. The piercing rays of the 
 sun, shining down in full force upon his venerable grey 
 hairs, having no covering upon his head to shield it from 
 the Sun. His grey hairs should have protected him from 
 such unjust punishment without taking into consideration 
 the position he had formally (sic) occupied in society, 
 Grenfell bing (sic) a man of fine intellect & gentlemany 
 (sic) culture. Such feelings were hurried (sic) otherwise 
 it might have interposed checks against gratifying their 
 deep seated hatred against him. They could not forget, 
 that his was the voice, that broke their slumbering se- 
 curity, and forced thus their cruel routine of punishment 
 to be suspended for a while. No body like unto this, 
 upon which to vent their spleen and hatred. The moment 
 long hoped for had arrived, when he, should be made to 
 feel the power, he had raised his voice against. The 
 Government would support them in any measure, they 
 should adopt. Edwin M. Stanton Secretary of War was 
 the most inveterate enemy of Col. Grenfell which fact he 
 was informed of through Sir Robert Bruce, British Min- 
 ister at Washington, D.C. in several communications re- 
 
104 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 ceived. Grenfell remained during the morning tied up in 
 this condition. After dinner or about 2 o'clock P.M., 
 three of the Officers of the 5th Artillery, Viz. 1st Lt. 
 Frederick Robinson, 1st Lieut. Geo. W. Crabbe and 2nd 
 Lt. Albert Pike, the last named officer having since been 
 transferred to the 3rd U.S. Arty, marched down to the 
 Guard house, ordering the Sergeant of the Guard to untie 
 Grenfell from the iron railings & conduct him to the 
 Wharf. Each of these Officers were (sic) armed with 
 revolvers, loaded with powder & ball following in the 
 rear of Col. Grenfell, bound still about his body in cords, 
 (accompanied by a Corporal and ten armed guards). 
 The Provost Sergeant Michael Gleason & Actg. Military 
 Storekeeper of the Post Geo. T. Jackson, a half breed, 
 he was marched to the wharf, where they awaited the 
 arrival of the officers ordained to perform as debasing 
 and damning an act of inhumanity and barbarity, as 
 ever degraded the record of any civilized nation. Every 
 prisoner and soldier on the outerportion of the Fort were 
 (sic) commanded to retire within the enclosure of the 
 Fort, strict orders having been given the sentinels posted 
 at the Sally-Port, to allow no one to pass from within the 
 Fort. Men could be seen steering their footsteps from 
 Every direction in obediance (sic) to the Command. Why 
 all this commotion? The cause of it was soon learned, 
 when many of the soldiers collected around the entrance 
 of the Sally-Port, to view the proceedings. Murmurs arose 
 on all sides and there was not a voice scarcely, but what 
 condemned, the whole proceeding. Everything being com- 
 pleted, action soon followed. Col. Grenfell wished to be 
 informed, whether or not it was their wish for him to be 
 submerged beneath the water of the Sea. They answered 
 Yes, when he plunged from the deck of the scow, lying 
 alongside of the wharf and was soon buffeting against its 
 waves, Michael Gleason Provost Sergeant, holding on to 
 the end of the rope, repeatedly endeavoring, to put him 
 beneath the water, with repeated jerks of the rope, but 
 failed, the old man keeping his head above the water. 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 105 
 
 The Officers madened (sic) at their failure, resorted to 
 a sure measure, to carry out their cruel and inhuman 
 design. George T. Jackson was sent to the blacksmith 
 shop to obtain heavy pieces of iron, to be used as sinkers 
 on his feet. Gleason was busily engaged in collecting 
 bricks, lying around the wharf. Grenfell, stood undis- 
 mayed in their midst, looking callously on at the preper- 
 ations (sic) being made to sink him, and turning to one 
 of the officers directing the proceedings, said — Gentlemen, 
 if it is your intention to murder me, do it in a respectable 
 manner, and I will thank you for the act. One of the 
 officers remarked, Damn you, you deserve to die for the 
 crimes you have been guilty of. Grenfells reply was, I 
 leave God to judge, between us, which is the worse, you 
 gentlemen, or I. The colloquy was here cut short, the 
 irons and bricks having been obtained, George T. Jackson 
 assisted by Michael Gleason, tied the brick and iron, weigh- 
 ing upward of forty pounds, to the feet of Grenfell. He 
 was then cast into the Sea, sinking far beneath its treach- 
 erous waves. Just as he was thrown into the Sea, a small 
 boat, containing some ladies who were on a visit to the 
 fort, was nearing the wharf. As their feet touched upon 
 the landing Grenfell's head was raised from beneath the 
 water, for him to catch a moments breath. As they did 
 so, there rung out in clarion notes from Grenfell — Murder 
 — Murder. His piercing cry allarmed (sic) the ladies, 
 and with quickening footsteps they hastened towards the 
 Fort, their hands placed over their ears, to drown the 
 horrible cries of murder. Soon were his cries stiffled 
 (sic), as his head again sunk beneath the water, and when 
 raised up again to catch his breath, his voice was stilled, 
 they had nearly completed their inhuman deed, there being 
 but little space left, between life & death. In an insensible 
 condition he was hauled up on the deck of the scow, unable 
 to speak respiration scarcely perceptable, the picture of 
 death itself. Whilst lying in this condition, Lt. Frederick 
 Robinson kicked him in the side, and accompanied by the 
 other Officers, left Grenfel (sic) in charge of the Guard. 
 
106 DEFENCE OP A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 As they nearer (sic) the Sally-Port conversing, Lt. Rob- 
 inson remarked, that he would either make Grenfell work 
 or he would kill him. I viewed this whole proceeding, 
 from the casemate window adjoining our quarters, in which 
 we were permitted to remain during the hours of the day. 
 This casemate was the one joining that directly over the 
 Sally-Port, from which the whole front of the Fort facing 
 seaward was visable an (sic) in a direct line to the wharf, 
 where the transaction described took place. I afterwards 
 conversed with the soldiers who were compelled to perform 
 this piece of inhuman duty, gaining from them sufficient 
 information, to corroberate, the evidence of my own eyes. 
 They may attempt to stamp my rendition, false, as has 
 been done in occurrances (sic) of similar purport, but 
 outside of those personally concerned in it, the truth of 
 my assertions can be substantiated, by respectable and 
 competent witnesses, if at present living. These pages 
 contain nothing but truth throughout. They have not been 
 written thro any vindictiveness or malice on my part, but 
 only to show the inhumanities practised upon the island 
 at that time which were degrading and most dishonorable 
 of men, in a civilized country. In a short time Grenfell, 
 his footsteps tottering, was conducted to his quarters, sup- 
 ported on either side by a sentinel. He was then placed 
 in his cell, undressed by the soldiers where he remained 
 during the day, sick unto death from the large quantity 
 of salt water swallowed during the drowning process re- 
 sorted to. From this period he remained in his cell. A 
 few months afterwards, all the Officers, with the exception 
 of Captain Geo. W. Crabb (sic) , were transferred to other 
 Posts, new officers taking their places. The barborous 
 (sic) acts of cruelty, were never to such an extent resorted 
 to thereafter. Major Valentine H. Stone arrived at the 
 Post sometime in May 1867 and assumed Command. He 
 was a strict disciplinarian and caused the officers to stand 
 up to the required regulations, guiding the Army. He 
 was not only strict as to the enlisted men, but likewise to 
 the officers causing each to perform regularly their re- 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 107 
 
 quired duties. He was not only a soldier, but also a 
 gentleman of noble type, honorable, and humane. His 
 treatment both to us and Grenfell was very kind. He was 
 the same to each & all who conformed to the rules laid 
 down, punishing no one through prejudice or hatred. Any 
 violation of the rules was severely punished, no matter 
 by whom, he being no respector of persons. During the 
 period of his command which of short duration, everything 
 progressed most favorable (sic) in the garrison, only 
 one case arising calling for stringent measures to be 
 resorted to. Geo. T. Jackson Asst. Military Storekeeper, 
 who had made himself, particular (sic) obnoxious both 
 to soldiers as well as prisoners, by his officious conduct 
 (being a man generally reported a mixture of Caucasian 
 and African race) was assaulted by a prisoner by name 
 of Jas. Orr. Orr, was one of a gang of the working 
 party, who at the time was unloading lumber from a 
 schooner lying at the Wharf. It was hot as was the gen- 
 eral case, on the island, the men as well as the soldiers 
 had performed their task faithfully. Jackson happened 
 to run upon Orr, whilst seated upon a pile of Lumber 
 resting himself. In a gruff and commanding voice, he 
 ordered him to his work again, at the same time telling 
 him, he would report him to the Provost Marshal. To 
 say he would report him, was equivalent to carrying a 
 ball throughout the night after working hard during the 
 day, which fact was known to Orr from past experience, 
 and as it was his fate to be punished, he determined to 
 work very easy at his assigned task. As ordered, he 
 proceeded to his work as usual, no doubt studying out 
 some mode of proceedure (sic) to avenge himself upon 
 Jackson. As Jackson was called away some time after- 
 wards to execute some order, Orr had matured his plan, 
 and on his return toward the boat was met by Orr, who 
 stated, there was an officer desireous (sic) of seeing him 
 back of the stable. Jackson started to see the person, Orr 
 following close behind him, when he turned upon Jackson 
 inflicting a severe would upon his face, with a pen knife 
 
108 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 held in his hand. Jackson fled towards Headquarters, 
 the blood gushing from the wound inflicted at the hands 
 of Orr, reporting the occurrance (sic) to the Comd'g Offi- 
 cer. The affair created intense commotion, and Orr was 
 immediately arrested by the Guard and confined. No 
 doubt Orr fully intended to kill him as he struck the blow 
 and deserved dire punishment for the crime, yet can not 
 feel, that for his offense committed, every other man 
 confined should have been made to suffer. About a month 
 after the occurrance (sic) Major Geo. P. Andrews arrived 
 and assumed Command of the Post. The facts in Orr's 
 case was (sic) communicated to him, whereupon he issued 
 the following inhuman Post Order, causing everyman's 
 life insecure, in fact empowering any ill minded sentinel 
 to takes ones life. I furnish herewith an extract or copy 
 of the order, as promulgated, and through which one man 
 lost his life. 
 
 Hdqrs. Fort Jefferson Fla 
 June 11th, 1867 
 
 Special Order ) 
 No. 78 ) 
 
 Extract — 
 
 3. The attention of the Officers of the Post is called to 
 the fact, that atrocious crimes have been committed by 
 Prisoners at this Post, who seem to think they can not 
 be reached by the law. In future every sentinel must 
 use his bayonet and cartridge, and no sentinel who faith- 
 fully tries to do his duty shall ever see the inside of the 
 Guard House: if a prisoner refuses to obey orders, the 
 sentinel must shoot him and then use his bayonet, at the 
 same time calling for the guard. The responsibility for 
 obedience, to this order will be borne by the Commanding 
 Officers. 
 
 By order of Major Geo. P. Andrews, Comd'g Post 
 
 (Signed) Paul Roemer 
 1st Lt. 5th Arty. Post Adjutant. 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 109 
 
 After the issuing of Special Order No. 78, man had 
 to be very particular and careful, as his tenure of life 
 hung upon slender threads. The sentinel held within his 
 hands, the life of every individual over whom he stood 
 guard. To gratify his own feeling of hatred or revenge, 
 he was invested with the power to kill his victim, under 
 the cover of faithful execution of his duty, assigning cause 
 for his deed, a refusal on the part of his victim, to comply 
 with orders given. Neither in a civilized nor uncivilized 
 country did there eminate (sic) such an atrocious order, 
 sanctioning murder. It was a stigma and a disgrace upon 
 the nation, whom they represented. I do not attach any 
 blame to Major Andrews in the matter, for from what 
 I heard him remark on one occasion, of which I will speak 
 hereafter, he received his orders from a higher source, 
 which was from Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War. 
 Punishment of severity soon became the general order of 
 the day. Trivial offences were sure to award the carrying 
 of a 128 lb. cannon ball, from one place to another, and 
 back again, for which many men became injured and 
 afflicted with hernia. I will now state the remark Major 
 Andrews made which gives authority for the issuance of 
 the infamous order, heretofore alluded to. I was on my 
 way to Headquarters one afternoon, and as I turned to 
 go up the path leading to the barracks, I came in contact 
 with a soldier named Fisher of Co. "I" who was straining 
 and tuging (sic) to raise a 128 pound ball upon his shoulder, 
 a sentinel with loaded musket standing over him. As I 
 neared him, Major Andrews turned from the garden and 
 approaching Fisher, who as yet had been unsuccesful in 
 raising the ponderous shot upon his shoulder, commanded, 
 that he should carry the shot, instructing the sentinel at 
 the same time to shoot and bayonet him, if he (Fisher) 
 failed to comply with the order. He informed the sentinel 
 that he would protect him in the premises. For said he, 
 I am supported by a higher authority, Edwin M. Stanton 
 Secretary of War. Fisher replied to the Commanding 
 Officer that it was very hard to be shot down & bayoneted 
 
110 DEFENCE OP A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 for not obeying that which it was an impossibility for 
 him to perform, but that if he would grant him to wheel 
 them in a barrow, he thought he might raise them to 
 its bed and execute his behests, stating at the sametime, 
 I do not refuse, Major, to comply with your orders. Sir, 
 it is because nature has not endowed me with sufficient 
 strength to raise a 128 pound ball upon my shoulder. 
 Fisher was of a very frail and delicate form, and had lost 
 what little strength he once possessed, through the miser- 
 able subsistence issued the climate itself having to a great 
 degree a tendency to debilitate the strongest constitution. 
 His request was granted and thus was saved from death 
 the life of his poor individual, for had he refused to obey 
 the order, the sentinel would have carried out his instruc- 
 tions, to have saved himself, from dire punishment. The 
 punishment inflicted at this period consisted alone, in the 
 carrying of these immense balls. Men could be seen, daily, 
 straining every nerve in their frames, Executing this 
 fearful task, the number required to be carried, varying 
 from 25 balls, up to the number of 100, for the slightest 
 dereliction of duty. This continued up to the latter part 
 of July 1867, when a terrible punishment was inflicted 
 upon a drunken prisoner, resulting in his death in the 
 brief space of half an hour. He was the first and last 
 victim, under that infamous Special Order No. 78. John 
 Winters a prisoner confined for desertion, was shot down 
 on the 31st of July 1867, within the inside limits of the 
 Fort (whilst in a state of intoxication bordering on insani- 
 ty) by a private soldier named Perry Coffman Co. "L" 
 5th Arty., stationed at Post No. 5, at the bastion leading 
 to the casemates where the prisoners were confined. This 
 Coffman at one period was confined in the Guard house, 
 charged with sleeping on his Post, also with theft, he 
 was looked upon by the members of his company as a 
 common thief. Whilst confined under these charges, the 
 same man whom he shot (Winters) brought from his own 
 limited purse articles of food, cooked it, and furnished him 
 with it. Winters was a harmless man, one possessing a 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 111 
 
 very kind heart, and generous to a fault, but like some 
 men under the influence of liquor, was boistrous (sic) 
 and unruly, but not quarlsome (sic). He had managed 
 on this occasion to obtain liquor, through his intimacy 
 with the soldiers of the garrison. In going to his quarters, 
 at retreat, he gave two or three quaffs from the bottle in 
 his possession to Perry Coffman standing on Post, thence 
 going to his casemate. When Coffman was placed on 
 guard again, he called to Winters, asking him to give him 
 another pull, as it was termed among them. Winters told 
 him he had no more, that it was all drunk up. Coffman 
 hooted at the idea, remarking, all right. I'll remember 
 you for it. About 11 o'clock he became noisy in his 
 quarters. When the Sergeant of the Guard with a file 
 of men, arrested him and marched him to the Guard 
 House, Winters used abusive language to the Sergeant, 
 which roused his passions to a great extent, but at this 
 time took but little notice of the occurrance (sic) . About 
 fifteen minutes after being confined, Winters requested to 
 be allowed to go to the Bastion, which was granted, the 
 Sergeant ordering Coffman not to permit him to go to 
 his room. He eluded the vigelance (sic) of the Sentinel 
 and returned to his quarters, when Sergeant Schickhardt 
 in charge of the guard, with a file of men, rearrested him. 
 In passing Coffman the Sergeant gave him instructions 
 that if Winters attempted to run by his guard, to shoot 
 him. Winters was accordingly arrested, and instead of the 
 file of men going some before and others after him he 
 was placed ahead of the guard, and in descending the 
 Bastion, unconscious of his impending doom, in his drunken 
 condition, he ran out of the door way, into the limits of 
 the Fort, when Coffman, who had left his Post by many 
 yards raised his gun as Winters passed him, and shot him 
 down, from the effects of which he died in the course of 
 thirty minutes. Coffman never challenged, neither did he 
 cry halt, but deliberately carried out the orders received 
 from the Sergeant, and in cold blood, murdered this poor 
 unfortunate drunken man. The whole garrison was ar- 
 
112 DEFENCE OP A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 roused (sic) by the report of the gun, coupled with the 
 agonizing cries from the wounded man, who in his dying 
 moments, requesting them to kill him to releive (sic) him 
 from his sufferings. A consultation was then held by the 
 Sergeant & Coffman, he having been releived (sic) from 
 his Post to arrange the tale that was to be told, relative to 
 the shooting. I could not hear much of that which passed 
 but I distinctly heard, a man by name Harris (who in a 
 very short time thereafter was made Corporal), state that 
 Each must tell the same tale. While the Sergeant had gone 
 for the Officer of the day, Winters piteous moans, inter- 
 sperced (sic) with shrieks and heart-rendering (sic) cries, 
 resounded throughout the Fort. Life was fast ebbing out 
 and by the time the Officer of the day Lt. Solon Orr ar- 
 rived, nothing could be heard but his smoothered (sic) 
 groans. A stretcher was procured and the dying man con- 
 veyed to the Hospital, and in the brief space of thirty min- 
 utes, his murdered spirit had passed from Earth to Eter- 
 nity. When the news of the affair reached Headquarters, 
 the loud ringing voice of the Commanding Officer, was 
 heard crying out. That's the way we do things in Cali- 
 fornia. In the brif (sic) space of a month after the kill- 
 ing of Winters, our small island and enclosure was vis- 
 ited by Yellow Fever. It made fearful ravages amongst 
 the limited number stationed there, sweeping nearly every 
 officer at the Post away. It struck from earth our best 
 officers, and permitted the heartless ones to recover, to 
 repeat again, I suppose, more of their cruelties upon hu- 
 manity under their command. The ways of Providence 
 are mysterious, and no doubt it was done for some good 
 and wise purpose. Among the first to succumb to the 
 dread disease, was Bt. Major J. Sim Smith, U. S. Army, 
 Surgeon in charge. Dr. Smith on his arrival at the Post 
 which was but a few months before, corrected in various 
 instances the abuse and reigning terrors which abounded 
 there. He was indeed a man of humanity and kindness, 
 a gentleman by birth and culture, the soldiers and prisoners 
 friend and protector, and his memory lives in the mind, 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 113 
 
 the heart of all, by whom he was then surrounded, as all 
 that was good, noble, pure and upright. He worked with 
 untiring zeal whilst the fever raged, until the fatal malady 
 struck him down upon the bed of sickness, where he lin- 
 gered but three days and died. He received Every atten- 
 tion from Dr. Mudd, who at this period had charge. Mrs. 
 Smith was lying in an ajacent (sic) room, sick with the 
 fever. Dr. Mudd paid her every attention and worked un- 
 falteringly to save her life. His efforts were crowned 
 with success and she recovered from the disease. During 
 the period of sickness of Dr. Smith and family, there 
 was neither an officer nor officers wife came near them 
 to administer to their wants, their cases devolving upon 
 the care of Dr. Mudd, and faithfully did he perform all 
 that laid within his power. In a short time the fever 
 proved epidemic, and men could be seen falling down in 
 Every section of the Fort, as the dread malady seized 
 them. When in former times Officers were parading 
 around about devising plans wherewith to torture the pris- 
 oners & soldiers, nothing was heard or seen of them, they 
 keeping themselves closely closeted, a pall like unto death 
 seemingly hanging over the Officers barracks. Fear was 
 depicted upon the countenance of every one on the island, 
 each looking for his turn next. Two of the companies 
 were removed to the adjacent islands, thereby being saved 
 from its fearful ravages. Two companies were retained 
 to guard the Fort and prisoners. Prisoners had to stand 
 the brunt of the fever there (sic) only safety being in an 
 over ruling Providence. Out of the 52 prisoners confined 
 there were but two died whereas the garrison lost in Of- 
 ficers and men thirty-seven. Men at first, when taken 
 sick, were carried to the small Key, termed Sand Key, upon 
 which a small temporary shed had been erected, as a Hos- 
 pital, the Comd'g Officer thinking thereby, he would pre- 
 vent the garrison from being infected. Sick patients, 
 seated in a small boat were conveyed over, confronted by 
 coffins which were piled up in the bow of the boat. This 
 of itself, was sufficient to cause alarm and even to kill the 
 
114 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 faint hearted, of whom there were quite a number, col- 
 lected on that small area of Seven and a half acres. With 
 but few exceptions those who were conveyed to Sand Key 
 in the small boat fell victims to the disease and are en- 
 tombed beneath its sandy soil. When Dr. Mudd was given 
 charge, he stated to the Comd'g Officer, that it would be 
 advisable to discontinue this practice, that the fever was in 
 our midst and that it couldn't be dislodged, until the poison 
 had expended itself, advising that all cases be brought and 
 treated at the hospital. This was acceeded (sic) to, and 
 from his manner of treatment in the disease a great change 
 was soon visible. From this period, until the arrival from 
 Key West of Dr. Whitehurst, Everything was progressing 
 favorably, there occurring no deaths. Dr. Whitehurst, 
 perfectly conversant with the mode of treatment, he hav- 
 ing had immense practice in the disease, approved Dr. 
 Mudd's manner of treatment and it was continued through- 
 out the period, it raged in our midst. The fever began 
 to assume a more virulent type and in spite of the untiring 
 exertions of both, began to make sad inroads into our 
 midst. Every one now thought of self alone. There was 
 no respect shown by the attendents (sic), they being sol- 
 diers taken from different companies, to Either the dead 
 or the dying. No sooner had the breath left the body, 
 but that it was coffined and hurried over to its last resting 
 place, there being a boat, with a crew detailed as the burry- 
 ing (sic) party, always awaiting in attendance. In many 
 instances coffins were brought into the hospital, and placed 
 along side of the bed to receive the body of some one ex- 
 pected to die, and had to be removed again, the patient 
 still tenaciously clinging to life. Men less sick were 
 startled, viewing these proceedings, it having the tendency 
 to cause their own condition to become seriously worse. 
 During the terrible ordeal of the fever, the garrison kept 
 itself, duties being neglected, by both Officers and soldiers. 
 During the prevelance (sic) of the fever, the island had 
 assumed a different shade. The island which before was 
 more like a place peopled by fiends, than anything else it 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 115 
 
 could be compared with, suddenly became, calm quiet and 
 peaceful. Fear stood out in bold releif (sic) upon the 
 face of Every human soul. Some attempted to assume the 
 tone of gayiety (sic) and indifference, but upon their face 
 (sic) could be readily traces (sic), other feelings. For 
 two months the fever raged in our midst, making havoc 
 among those dwelling there. During this time Dr. Mudd 
 was never idle. He worked both day and night, and was 
 always found at Post, faithful to his calling, releiving (sic) 
 the sufferings of humanity, as far as laid in his power. 
 The fever having abated from the want of more subjects, 
 a contract physician from New York by name Edward 
 Thomas arrived at the Post and releived (sic) Dr. White- 
 hurst of his duties, volunteered. Dr. Thomas took charge. 
 When he did so, there were but two or three sick and they 
 in a state of convalescence. Soon thereafter Dr. Mudd was 
 taken down with the fever in his quarters and during the 
 whole period of his illness, was never visited by Dr. Thomas, 
 the Surgeon in charge, Dr. Thomas remaining closeted in 
 his room, constantly, under the influence of liquor and 
 so continued, it may be truthfully stated, until his contract 
 was annuled (sic). The only medical treatment received 
 by Dr. Mudd during his illness, having been administered 
 at the hands of Spangler and myself. True, neither of 
 us knew much about the disease or its mode of treatment, 
 all the information either possessed having been derived 
 from observation during its prevalance (sic) and the mode 
 of treatment having been learned from personal experience 
 in the nursing of patients under our charge. Dr. Mudd 
 was watched over, both day and night by us in turns; we 
 adopted the same manner of treatment in his case, as had 
 been administered by him in ours, through which he hap- 
 pily recovered. He stated upon his recovery, had it not 
 been for our kind care and watchfulness, he would have 
 died, and thanked each of us, in unmeasured terms, for 
 our friendly consideration. The action on the part of Dr. 
 Thomas, in Dr. Mudd's case, was a base act of ingrati- 
 tude, as was ever perpertrated (sic). Dr. Mudd had 
 
116 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 worked during the prevelance (sic) of the yellow fever 
 with an unfaltering zeal, until nature was well nigh ex- 
 hausted, releiving (sic) in every way at his command and 
 knowledge, the sufferings of humanity, but when afflicted 
 himself, he was left entirely to the tender mercies of his 
 God and the limited knowledge of his two companions to 
 heal his disease, which fact has the appearance as if his 
 death was desired on the part of those at the head of af- 
 fairs of the Government of the United States, which no 
 doubt was very true. We felt from the first, we had been 
 transported to the Dry Tortugas, to fall victims to the many 
 deadly poisions (sic) of maleria (sic) generating in that 
 climate. Happily we lived through it all and I am per- 
 mitted to give to the world at large some inkling of the 
 many wrongs, tortures and sufferings inflicted upon us, 
 during the period of nearly four long exiled years. In 
 the month of October 1867 the fever having exhausted 
 itself, and finally stamped out, and with it to a great ex- 
 tent, the harsh and rigerous (sic) measures which had 
 heretofore been adopted in the manner of our imprison- 
 ment, some of the priveleges (sic) we had taken during 
 its prevalance (sic) were curtailed, but for the most part, 
 the others were not countermanded by the Officer in Com- 
 mand. The Officers garrison (sic) the Post at this time 
 with the exception of two, fell victims to the disease. Lt. 
 E. L. Zalinski recovered alone through the kind care and 
 watchful nursing and attention at the hands of the cruelly 
 treated Col. Geo. St. Leger Grenfell, who remained with 
 him day and night, administering to his slightest want. 
 The officers who died of the disease were coffined and 
 borne to their last resting place by the prisoners of the 
 post, no respect being shown by the other Officers. Even 
 wives were carried in like manner to the grave, the hus- 
 band remaining in his quarters, callous to everything 
 around void of affection or respect to the loved dead. Ev- 
 erything went on quite smoothly after the fever, until the 
 month of December 1867, when there arrived upon the 
 island, a stranger by the name of Wm. H. Gleason, a 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 117 
 
 Notary Public, purporting to come from the State of Flor- 
 ida. His business at first was unknown, as it frequently 
 happened that strangers came into our midst, on a visit 
 to the Commanding Officer. His business however was 
 soon made known to us. We were ordered seperately (sic) 
 to his presence, and found he was one of the Commis- 
 sioners appointed by the Congressional Committe (sic) 
 to investigate into the particulars connected with the 
 Assassination of President Lincoln. Letters were shown 
 as coming from Benj. F. Bulter (sic) authorizing Mr. 
 Gleason to obtain our voluntary statements, etc. We were 
 forced into his presence, did not go voluntary (sic) ac- 
 companied with an armed Guard. When I was sent for 
 by him and seated, he handed me his credentials to peruse, 
 which I carefully did, I returned them to him, stating I 
 knew nothing concerning the business he was upon, that 
 a statement of all the facts I knew of, had been placed in 
 the hands of the Government upon my arrest, and that 
 the Government was perfectly conversant with all the 
 knowledge I possessed, and from my trial knew more than 
 I or anyone else did, suposed (sic) to be connected there- 
 with, and refused to make any further statement. I in- 
 formed him that he was a stranger to me, that me might 
 be as base as those who had already dealt with me, that 
 I did not trust him, nor any other living man, etc. stat- 
 ing a burnt child dreaded the fire. He told me to con- 
 sider over it and I was dismissed and sent to my quarters. 
 After conversing with my roommates over the matter, we 
 each arrived at the conclusion that it could do no harm to 
 us, neither the living nor the dead and concluded to con- 
 form to his request. I called however upon the Com- 
 manding Officer, Major Geo. P. Andrews and stated my 
 situation to him. I told him I was a prisoner under his 
 charge, and as such, demanded his protection. He told 
 me I should have it, and thus far feeling safe, gave my 
 statement of similar purport, as that first made. Dur- 
 ing its writing Wm. H. Gleason, held out every induce- 
 ment to cause not only myself, but the others, to swear 
 
118 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 falsely, stating that if we could implicate any others we 
 would be released from imprisonment, and carried to Wash- 
 ington — as witnesses. His advent was about the time of 
 the impeachment of Andrew Johnson, President of the 
 U. 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 attempted to place his 
 constructions upon it and obliterate my writings, until 
 finally I requested to be informed, whether he came to 
 write my statement himself or did he come to obtain mine. 
 I refused to sign my name to his affidavit as drawn up 
 by him, stating, it inferred that of which I knew nothing 
 in regard to, when he handed it to Major Andrews, who 
 was seated in the room, to read. The Major could not see 
 it in the same light that I did stating it was all correct, etc. 
 Seeing that neither justice nor protection would be given 
 me, I stated I would not sign it, and if he was not satis- 
 fied I would destroy, that which I had written and end 
 the interview, that I asked alone for my rights and pro- 
 tection in them from the Commanding Officer. Major 
 Andrews immediately rose up and spoke thus. Sir I will 
 take you out in the Parade and shoot you. I replied, I 
 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's left me, Sir, I suppose, is to stand it. 
 I was not shot, however, as you see, 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 
 Gleasons assistance, and in the End complied with his 
 request, giving my Statement. I was quite ill before I 
 had completed it, and was annoyed by this man Gleason, 
 until he nearly worried me to death, the Surgeon repeat- 
 edly cautioning him not to visit me in my low condition. 
 He came in spite of all these things, Col. Grenfel (sic) 
 writing my expressions down for me, my condition being 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 119 
 
 such, that I was unable to raise my head from my pillow. 
 The same was likewise done to the others and he left the 
 Post much disappointed, as I afterwards learned from 
 some of my friends in Key West. After he had left the 
 Post, we were informed through reliable authority, that 
 he was armed with the power, in case we refused to fur- 
 nish him our statements, to place us in solitary confine- 
 ment and to be fed upon bread and water, whereas his 
 papers exhibited to us, he was to obtain our voluntary 
 statements. There was nothing voluntary on our parts, 
 throughout the whole affair, but force in Every instance 
 used and threats made, beside inducements held out, to 
 swear falsely in the premises. This was but a repetition 
 of the base measures adopted by the Government, toward 
 its victims. His departure and treacherous form (sic) 
 from the Fort was heralded with joy, feeling convinced, 
 we would hereafter, remain secure from the intrusion of 
 such base and designing parasites of the Government. 
 Our condition from this time remained unchanged until 
 March 1868, when Major Andrews was releived in com- 
 mand of the Post. Brt. Major McConnell, Col. G. St. Leger 
 Grenfell's inveterate Enemy and bitter foe was ordered 
 back to the Fort, and thro seniority, assumed Command. 
 At the same time there arrived Lt. Frank Thorpe, who 
 was appointed Provost Marshall. Between him and Mc- 
 Connell, the island became a hell again, they devising 
 measures to make prisoners uncomfortable and imprison- 
 ment more galling. As soon as Major McConnell, assumed 
 the reins of power, the tendency to persecute Grenfell be- 
 came apparent, it having been stated to me, by Major An- 
 drews, before his departure, that Major McConnell felt 
 very bitter towards Grenfell, on account of the article 
 published by him, it nearly being the means of his dis- 
 missal (from) the service. He had an able companion to 
 assist him in Lieut. Frank Thorpe. What Major McCon- 
 nell could not conceive, Lt. Thorpe could, as deceit, treach- 
 ery and hatred, were stamped upon every lineamant (sic) 
 of his face. Each studied out the most cruel measures 
 
120 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 to adopt, in persecuting prisoners and what the one could 
 not devise, the other would. Lt. Thorpe remained Provost 
 Marshall from March 1868, until our release, ruling with 
 an iron rod, creating necessities to carry out his plans, con- 
 stantly keeping men in perturbed condition. When he 
 found prisoners contented and obedient, some new order 
 was issued to awaken them from it. He picked as Provost 
 Guards, the most contemptible men of the garrison, who 
 abused, cursed, struck and maltreated the prisoners un- 
 der their charge in every conceivable manner, Col. Gren- 
 fell, finding, as he often expressed to me, that they had 
 started upon him to kill him inch by inch determined to 
 attempt escape at all hazards, preferring as he said a 
 watery grave in preferance to the indignities such heart- 
 less and malicious men would impose upon him. Grenfell 
 at this time had charge of the small garden lately made 
 within the enclosure of the Fort. Major McConnell on 
 assuming Command, releived (sic) Grenfell from this duty, 
 and placed the old man at the heaviest work that was to 
 be done. Each day was productive of changes and each 
 change, bred a worse condition. Finding persecution grad- 
 ually setting in upon him, Grenfell went cautiously to work 
 with others, and soon suceeded (sic) in making arrange- 
 ments to escape. There was a soldier by name Wm. Noriel, 
 belonging to Maj. McConnell's Company, who had received 
 very harsh treatment at his hands and was anxious to 
 desert, and with this man Grenfell formed his plans, in 
 combination with another soldier of same company. On 
 the night of the 6th March 1868, their plans were com- 
 pleted. Norreil (sic) was a Sentinel on Post No. 2, guard- 
 ing the small boats within the boom. At 10 o'clock at 
 night he went on duty and Grenfell with three other pris- 
 oners suceeded (sic) in eluding the sentinel within the 
 Fort making there (sic) way to the North westerly side, 
 let themselves down through one of the port holes into 
 the moat, thence to the break water-wall, where they walked 
 to the rendevouz (sic) of meeting, arranging all the neces- 
 sary articles of food and water, for their perilous under- 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 121 
 
 taking. The night was pitch dark, and a furious gale 
 raging at the time, which had existed for six consecutive 
 days. Never did men venture upon a more perileous (sic) 
 undertaking. The white capped waves rose Even within 
 our sheltered harbor to fearful heights, but beyond in the 
 Gulf, during the day, they reached to mountain heights. 
 The sentinel waited until 11 o'clock was called and em- 
 barked with Grenfell and the others in a small boat picked 
 out for the purpose, and soon with sail set, fled from their 
 ocean bound home. No one as yet outside of my room 
 mates & myself, knew any thing of it. The hour of 12 
 arrived, when the Sentinel on post No. 1 cried out the hour. 
 No sound came from Post No. 2. No. 1 again cried out the 
 hour and yet no sound from Post No. 2. The Corporal 
 with a witness advanced stealthily upon his Post, Expect- 
 ing no doubt to find him asleep, a subject for Court Mar- 
 tial behold his amazement, when no sentinel could be found. 
 He forthwith returned to the guard house, reported the 
 fact to the Sergeant, who in turn reported to the Officer 
 of the Day. Soon there was commotion all through the 
 Fort, men hurrying here and there in search of the miss- 
 ing man, and then to the prisoners quarters in search, as- 
 sured an escape had taken place. After diligent search, 
 it was found that Grenfell and others were missing, and 
 on looking into the boom found the means used in ac- 
 complishing it. Norreil (sic) deserted his Post, carry- 
 ing his gun & Equipments with him. Everything remained 
 quiet during the remainder of the night, but the next morn- 
 ing, the fort within was all bustle and preperations (sic) 
 made for pursuit. There was a Steamer lying in the har- 
 bor at the time, the Commander of which, readily assented 
 to go on the search and about 8 o'clock, she steamed out 
 after the Escaped party. After cruising nearly the en- 
 tire day, they failed Either to hear or see anything of 
 them, and returned into harbor again. When the Com- 
 manding Officer found they were not overhauled, he is- 
 sued the most stringent orders against the remaining pris- 
 oners. No one after Retreat, was permitted to place his 
 
122 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 head out of the aperture of his casemate under the penalty 
 of having a musket ball come crashing through his brain. 
 All intercourse between soldiers and prisoners strictly pro- 
 hibited, a violation of such order, being at first severely 
 punished and repetition leaving them open to be arraigned, 
 before a Court Marshal (sic), and many other orders is- 
 sued, without sense or reason in them. The escape of 
 Grenfell was another blow struck Major McConnell, who 
 felt dubious about holding his commission consequently 
 something had to be done to exhonorate (sic) himself from 
 blame. He communicated to Headquarters that Grenfell 
 had been furnished with means by outsiders which had 
 been used in bribing the sentinel, also that he had consid- 
 erable money in his possession when he escaped. This 
 was not so, Grenfell did not have in his possession at the 
 time of his escape twenty-five dollars. He could have gone 
 without a dollar, as the rule of the place, was as disgust- 
 ing to the soldier as it was to those confined, and help at 
 any time would have been rendered, to any man who de- 
 sired to Escape, providing they were in so doing, not com- 
 promised. The remaining prisoners, had to bear the brunt, 
 for Grenfell's & others escape. They were worked from 
 sun rise until sunset, in in (sic) the heat of the broiling 
 sun, a Provost Guard, with the Command'g Officer and 
 the Provost Marshal, more frequently than otherwise, 
 standing over them and hurrying them up. Not a mo- 
 ment's rest was obtained during the day, Excepting at 
 dinner hour, and this continued until the 5th Artillery 
 was releived, the 10th March 1869. There were sent seven 
 prisoners there from Eutaw Alabama, for the alleged of- 
 fence of threatning (sic) to ride a carpet bagger on a rail. 
 At them was centered a deep hatred and prejudice, as they 
 were southern men. They were termed by Lt. Thorpe, 
 Ku-Klucks, for the purpose of engendering hatred in the 
 hearts of the soldiers against them, in which it failed to 
 some extent. There (sic) stay was short owing to the 
 press of the country taking the matter up, but their man- 
 ner of treatment, was cruel, unjust and tyrannical in the 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 123 
 
 extreme. When they were torn from their homes and 
 families supplies of Every kind were denied them! They 
 suffered from indignities heaped upon them all along the 
 route from Eutaw Ala. to the Dry Tortugas, weighted 
 down in chains and most spitefully used by those in charge 
 of them. As a matter of course they were without money, 
 and when released, they asked for transportation and sub- 
 sistence to their homes, which was denied them. They 
 were taken to Key West, and island in the sea, and there 
 among strangers, were left to make the best of their situa- 
 tion they could. From them I learned they met with 
 friends, (all being Free Masons) and without the assist- 
 ance of the Government, safely arrived at their homes. But 
 a short time after the departure of the prisoners from 
 Eutaw Ala, it was reported that some parties had been 
 overheard to express, how easy a matter it would be to 
 break through their quarters, into one of the soldiers Com- 
 pany quarters, seize their guns some night, when the whole 
 garrison, Excepting those on duty were at the Theatre, 
 overcome the guard and seize the Quartermaster Schooner, 
 Matchless, moored at the wharf, raise Anchor cut ropes 
 and put to sea. This rumor reached the ears of the Pro- 
 vost Marshal, so said, when in a trice the most stringent 
 measures were adopted to frustrate the design. Double 
 Sentinels were placed over the prisoners quarters, Every 
 privelege (sic) formerly granted was recinded (sic) . My- 
 self and companions became the full recipients of a ne- 
 cessity created only to persecute. From the first touch 
 of the hand of the Military branch of the United States 
 we had received the full weight of their cruelty and ty* 
 ranny; we had been made to study the effects of partial 
 and then of total darkness, of damp and loathsome cells, 
 of foul and filthy dungeons, of tortures, irons and chains, 
 of degredation (sic) of all kinds and now we were forced 
 to study branches of a more edifying nature, as we were 
 boarded up and denied the pleasure of looking upon mother 
 Earth and the few green spots of vegetation, growing 
 within the enclosure of the Fort, the only visable (sic) 
 
124 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 parts of creation left us to observe, being the overhanging 
 sky and the boundless deep, they determined by such pro- 
 ceedure (sic) and action, that we should become learned 
 in Astronomy and Navigation. This unjust proceeding, 
 on the part of those ruling, not only deprived our quarters 
 of proper ventilation, but caused the dampness in our quar- 
 ters to increase, and at the same time had a tendency to 
 cast odium upon us alone. Every passer in and out of the 
 Fort was confronted with it and naturally were led to 
 inquire why of all other quarters, this alone was boarded 
 up. As no cause had been assigned for this unlooked for 
 and sudden display of the hatred of the Provost Marshal, 
 we applied to the Com'd'g Officer, to be informed, what 
 offence we had committed to justify such action, and wheth- 
 er he was acting upon secret information, and if so, we 
 desired to be confronted with out accusers, knowing we 
 had neither infringed upon the rules governing nor con- 
 templated any unlawful undertaking. We were informed 
 we were not accused of anything, but the rumor was cur- 
 rent of the intended escape of some of the prisoners, and 
 that the boards were placed up to prevent prisoners from 
 crossing the guard house shed, to the corridor beyond, 
 thence into the enclosure of the Fort. A poor Excuse was 
 better than none. Immediately below our quarters was 
 stationed the whole guard, and two sentinels guarding all 
 exits from the Fort, who had full view at all times of our 
 immediate quarters, which would have rendered it impos- 
 sible for any one to have crossed over. Even had it been 
 possible to have eluded the vigilance of the sentinels at this 
 point, they would have been forced to have come in direct 
 contact with the entire guard, as they descended the steps 
 leading to the ground work of the enclosure of the Fort. 
 Finding we could not accomplish having it removed, we 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 125 
 
 became resigned to the new order of things, never after- 
 wards asking any questions relative to it, from our humane 
 jailors. This continued until a few days before our de- 
 parture from the island. When it became known that 
 Dr. Mudd had been pardoned and the 5th Artillery had 
 been releived, (sic) Spangler requested that the portion 
 of the fence, directly in front of our quarters, be removed, 
 so that we could obtain light and proper ventilation to our 
 room, the side walls of which hung in deep masses of slime 
 and spongy substance, created through its extreme damp- 
 ness. The Provost Marshall said he would consult Genl. 
 Hill Com'd'g, in regard to his request. He did so, and 
 the following day the obstruction was removed. Very soon 
 afterwards, we received the news of our pardons, when 
 we became callous to all surroundings, feeling, that their 
 tenure of persecution and intense hatred, which under the 
 Military arm of the United States, had existed for nearly 
 four years, was drawing to a close. Before the departure 
 of the 5th Art'y, we received a telegram notifying us of 
 our pardon, whereupon for the first time during incar- 
 ceration we received the congratulations, of each Officer 
 of the Post. Whether real or ficticious (sic), it is be- 
 yond my knowledge to state. On the 29th March 1869, 
 having received my release from their custody, by virtue 
 of the offical (sic) 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 re- 
 turn, and had it not been for my father who came for me, 
 I would have been left penniless among strangers, with- 
 out means to reach my home or to purchase subsistence 
 
126 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 to alleviate hunger. Like justice followed my footsteps 
 from its beginning to its End. 
 
 Armed and bearing with me the official Authority, which 
 restored me again to the world, a free man, a pardon grant- 
 ed by the United States Government, a copy of which is 
 herewith appended to wit: 
 
 ANDREW JOHNSON 
 
 President of the United States of America 
 
 To all to whom these Presents shall come Greeting: 
 
 Whereas, on the 30th day of June in the year 1865; one 
 Samuel B. Arnold was, by the judgement of a Military 
 Commission convened and holden in the City of Washing- 
 ton, declared guilty of the specification wherein he was 
 charged in the words and figures following to wit: 
 
 And in further prosecution of said conspiracy, the said 
 Samuel Arnold did, within the Military Department and 
 the Military lines aforesaid, on or before the 6th day of 
 March, A.D. 1865, and on divers other days and times 
 between that day and the fifteenth day of April, A.D. 1865, 
 combine conspire with and aid, counsel, abet, comfort and 
 support the said John Wilkes Booth, Lewis Payne, George 
 A. Atzerott (sic), Michael O'Laughlin and their confed- 
 erates in said unlawful, murderous and traitorous conspir- 
 acy and in the execution thereof as aforesaid ; 
 
 And whereas the sentence imposed by said Military Com- 
 mission upon the said Samuel Arnold was, that he is im- 
 prisoned at hard labor for life, and the confinement under 
 such sentence was directed to be had in the Military prison 
 at Dry Tortugas, Florida, and the said Arnold has been 
 for more than three years and six months, and now is 
 suffering the infliction of such sentence ; 
 
 And whereas the evidence adduced against said Arnold 
 before the said Military Commission leaves room for un- 
 certainty as to the true measure and nature of the com- 
 plicity of the said Arnold in said murderous and traitorous 
 conspiracy, and it is apparent that the said Arnold ren- 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 127 
 
 dered no active assistance whatever to the said Booth and 
 his confederates in the actual execution of said abominable 
 crime; And whereas the pardon of said Arnold is strongly 
 recommended by the City Council and more than two hun- 
 dred other citizens of Baltimore and vicinity; 
 
 Now, therefore be it known, that I, Andrew Johnson, 
 President of the United States of America, in considera- 
 tion of the premises, divers other and sufficient reasons 
 me thereunto moving, do hereby grant to the said, Samuel 
 B. Arnold, a full and unconditional pardon. 
 
 In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name 
 and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed. 
 
 Done at the City of Washington this first 
 day of March, A.D. 1869, and in the In- 
 (S E A L) dependence of the United States, the 
 
 Ninety-third. 
 
 (Signed) Andrew Johnson 
 (Signed) William H. Seward 
 
 Secretary of State. 
 I was at last a free man. 
 
 — -Conclusion — 
 
 I have in the foregoing pages strictly confined myself 
 to the truth, compiled from a diary kept in the most part 
 and placed it before the public in a diary form, as daily 
 taken note by me. It has not been written through malice 
 nor vindictiveness on my part, but solely for the purpose 
 of giving to the world the manner of treatment, adopted 
 and pursued by the Government of the United States, in 
 my respective case, both during the period awaiting trial, 
 throughout the trial itself and Even after sentence had 
 been imposed, also relating to the treatment of others un- 
 dergoing sentence, and confined at the Dry Tortugas, Flor- 
 ida. The hatred Engendered by the Civil War had not 
 yet abated, the crime in which I was supposed to have been 
 connected and for which I was imprisoned, was of such 
 
128 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 an abominable and atrocious nature, that the hatred which 
 at first had been instilled into the hearts of the entire na- 
 tion, did not subside during my entire incarceration. They 
 looked upon me as a monster, from the sentence imposed 
 by the Military Commission, and nothing could be brought 
 to bear, to change or modify their deep seated convictions. 
 Not even the Government nor those in high authority could 
 be apeased (sic), and they still persecuted, even after sen- 
 tence had been imposed and would have continued to have 
 done so, had I remained under their charge, to this date. 
 To have obtained justice at or about the period of my trial, 
 was an impossibility as well as a fruitless undertaking, 
 whilst the public mind was in such chaotic excitement and 
 frenzy. Evidence was hardly necessary to convict. There 
 (sic) desire was only to gratify and appease the public 
 mind and to avenge the death of Abraham Lincoln. The 
 crime in itself, was of such a base cowardly, damning and 
 atrocious nature that it necessitated harsh measures, yet 
 justice should have interposed its hand seperating (sic) 
 the innocent from the guilty, which was not performed 
 in the begining (sic) , nor through the entire period of my 
 imprisonment. History, will associate my name, as one 
 of the participators in the crime, but in doing so it will 
 lie, as I was as guiltless as an unborn babe, as to knowledge 
 or connection in any way whatever in the horrible crime. 
 When Genl. Thomas Ewing who had been retained by me 
 as counsel and came to see me in my cell, he remarked he 
 would have nothing to do with my case if I was in any way 
 connected with the crime. I told him I was as innocent, 
 as he was himself, as to knowledge, connection or partici- 
 pation therewith. That I had been a party to it, or had 
 counseled, abetted or aided in any manner, the commission 
 of the horrible act, I would have scorned to solicit defense ; 
 would have plead guilty to the charge, and met with what- 
 ever doom the Goverment (sic) might impose, with as 
 much fortitude as I could command, feeling I had by my 
 own act entailed upon myself, its full burden and merit. 
 After the conversation had ended, he became counsel for 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 129 
 
 me. I narrated to him the entire knowledge I possessed 
 & my connection with Booth at one time, gave the names 
 of witnesses to be summoned in my case. As he was on 
 the point of leaving my cell, his eye centered upon the hood, 
 which had been removed before his entry and hurriedly 
 thrown into one corner of the cell. He enquired of me 
 what it was, I remarked, handing it to him, a torture, in- 
 vented by Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War. After 
 a careful examination of it in all its devices and details, 
 he made some very uncomplimentary remarks in reference 
 to Stanton, which I forbear expressing. I requested him 
 in the opening of my defense, to give to the nation and 
 the world at large, my treatment. This was his reply, the 
 very language and words used, verbatim. The less you 
 
 say about that the better; you have a d d hard court 
 
 to try you, and as for Judge Holt, he is a G — d d d mur- 
 derer. Hope died within my heart, at his utterances, and 
 from that hour I endeavored to nerve myself to meet my 
 fate, fully expecting to meet with death. To my father 
 who was allowed to see me twice during my trial, I ex- 
 pressed the same views, stating that perjury was being 
 subborned, and being resorted to, to secure my conviction. 
 From the moment Genl. Ewing made that remark I lost 
 all interest in the trial and surroundings and patiently 
 awaited my doom — death I thought. There never was any 
 connection between Booth and the Confederate authorities. 
 I was in Booth's confidence and had anything existed as 
 such, he would have made known the fact to me. Beside 
 such a Quixotic scheme, would have been laughed at by 
 them, had it been possible for Booth to have obtained 
 audience with them, and he would have been dismissed their 
 presence, and in all probability, been overlooked as an in- 
 sane man. The scheme originated in Booth's own vision- 
 ary mind; he became a monomaniac on the sucess (sic) 
 of the Confederate Arms, which generally follows, when 
 a mans thoughts are constantly centered upon one subject 
 alone. His last act, was the act of a madman, and I am 
 convinced he did in in a moment of temporary insanity, 
 
130 DEFENCE OP A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 caused by the defeat of the Confederate Armies, and its 
 cause so dear to his heart, lost. This is my opinion, which 
 cannot be controverted in this world, its truth or falsity 
 will only be known in the world that is to come. The men 
 by whom he was surrounded and who had associated them- 
 selves with him, were to a great extent ignorent (sic) men. 
 They clung to him for the bounty they were receiving at 
 Booths hand. No labor to perform to earn their living, 
 Booth provided it, and they were willing to let it so con- 
 tinue, hugging within themselves the thought, the fast ap- 
 proaching end of the war, would soon dissolve companion- 
 ship, terminate the conspiracy in which they were engaged, 
 without any bodily harm falling to their lot. When in 
 his frenzy, he made known his design to them they were 
 so entangled, retreat was impossible, and even had they 
 attempted to do so without surrendering themselves to the 
 authorities their knowledge alone would have made them 
 just as guilty before the law, as if the blow had been struck 
 by their own hand. Herold, a mere boy, acting in the role 
 of pilot, steering Booth through the country, taking no 
 part in the murder itself, thought in his ignorance of the 
 law, that he would not be reached. Atzerod (sic) of same 
 mould, thought the same, when he fled failing to execute 
 the part assigned him to be performed by Booth, ignorant 
 of the fact that before the law, he was just as guilty as 
 Booth who committed the deed. Payne was differently 
 situated. He was far from his native State in a strange 
 city, penniless. Booth had for months provided for him, 
 food, lodging and raiment & limited means to meet his 
 daily incidental expenses. For all these things he could 
 not be ungrateful, beside he was subordinate to Booths 
 stronger mind, who controlled him in his every movement, 
 and when the crime to be committed was sprung upon him, 
 he was as bold and as fearless as Booth himself, and tried 
 his utmost to carry out the part alloted him by Booth to 
 perform. These four men comprised the entire conspira- 
 tors in that crime. No knowledge of it extended beyond 
 them; according to confessions made by Herold and At- 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 131 
 
 zerodt, it was first made known at 8 o'clock and executed 
 at 10 o'clock the same evening. No officials of the Con- 
 federate Government had any knowledge in regard to it 
 altho it was attempted to be shown by the Military Com- 
 mission that they had, through such witnesses as Sand- 
 ford Connover, Dr. Merritt, Lt. Montgomery, Campbell 
 and many others of the same click (sic), perjurers as well 
 as subordinators of perjury. Everything went upon our 
 trial. It had been fixed in its entirety and all were con- 
 demned before being heard. No cross-examination of wit- 
 nesses, their evidence being so deep laid that no opening 
 was left, beside counsel declined to do so, having no ground 
 work left to stand upon, and so that long drawn out trial, 
 lasting months, daily adding to the public excitement, grew 
 from a mere moals (sic) hill, to a stupendious (sic) struc- 
 ture reared and built through perjury alone, and permit 
 me to say the evidence adduced may have been rehearsed 
 in all its details in the Judge Advocate Generals Office, 
 before being related in Court, as the chain of evidence fit 
 link by link unbroken. There was a witness to establish 
 the conspiracy, from Baltimore, by name Wm. Spandauer, 
 a criminal from his birth, having on numerous ocassions 
 (sic) been arrested, convicted, confined for various of- 
 fences against the law, and who finally died in the Balti- 
 more City Penitentiary. When cousel (sic) desired that 
 he be produced for cross examination, he was no where to 
 be found, he had been spirited away by the prosecution 
 not however before leaving his imprint before the Court. 
 Cypher letters were found floating in the water at More- 
 head City, N. C. unblurred by contact with the water, in- 
 tended no doubt to encircle me at Fortress Monroe, with 
 participation in the crime, in fact the conspiracy through 
 Government witnesses grew to immense proportions, Ex- 
 tending from the Lakes to the Gulf, Even penetrating into 
 Canada, whereas it was but the act of four deluded men, 
 dwelling in the City of Washington. When Sandford Con- 
 nover, & others attempted to fasten the crime upon Jef- 
 ferson Davis & others, before a committe (sic) of the House 
 
132 DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 
 
 of Representatives, men, of less legal attainments than 
 Judge Holt, they tripped Connover, involving to some Ex- 
 tent Judge Holt, who in defense of himself, stated he had 
 been duped by this man Connover, coming out in a pham- 
 plet (sic) in defense of his Ermine, denouncing attacks 
 made upon him, as rebel slanders, etc., without any proof 
 whatever to support it, outside of his own utterances. The 
 pupil had returned to its instructor and both were tripped 
 and caught in its meshes. Retributive justice has followed 
 in the wake of that trial. Numerous not very important 
 witnesses, died during my incarceration. Soon after the 
 verdict some died from suicide and later on some died in 
 the Penitentiary, while some served terms in the Peniten- 
 tiary. Of the members of the Court, who sat in condemna- 
 tion of me, I am not advised, but the prosecuting Judge 
 Advocate and his assistants, I think have all been called 
 before the bar of God. 
 
 The late Dreyfus trial in France was a counterpart in 
 many respects to my own; the same means employed and 
 resorted to to convict, viz. Forged documentary Evidence, 
 as well as false swearing, the same arms of the Govern- 
 ment service sitting in judgement. But I will say for 
 France, that when the prisoner appeared and stood before 
 the Military Court, he stood as a man, as a guiltless man, 
 not as a condemned convict and felon weighted down in 
 shaekels and chains, neither was he tortured before nor 
 during his trial by the Government and only publicly de- 
 graded after conviction. This miscarriage of justice in 
 his case aroused the people of all nations in Europe, also 
 the people of the United States. The official organs how- 
 ever representing the various Governments abroad, as well 
 as my own, remained in passive silence, that no offence 
 should be given to nations on friendly terms or that any 
 breach of international law should occur; at the same time 
 every nation in Europe, as well as the United States, had 
 at one time or another, been guilty of the very same thing, 
 which was condemned by the press of the civilized world. 
 The sentence inflicted upon Dreyfus, was loudly condemned 
 
DEFENCE OF A LINCOLN CONSPIRATOR 133 
 
 far & near, as a miscarriage of justice, and the stress upon 
 the President of the French Republic, became so intense, 
 that a pardon was granted Dreyfus. The crime of which 
 he was accused was false, in Every particular in his case, 
 his only offence being, that he was a Jeiv. In my case far 
 worse conducted than in Dreyfus' case, I have yet to learn 
 or hear of a single voice raised in my behalf, or denouncing 
 my treatment at the hands of the Government, but to the 
 contrary, correspondents of the press, at times, contributed 
 scurrelous (sic) articles against me, in which no truth 
 exists, their hatred not satiated although thirty years have 
 elapsed. Age is creeping upon me, I am steadily march- 
 ing towards that goal, where many have gone before me, 
 and before many years have passed will reach it and there 
 confront my accusers, and then and not until then, will 
 the mysteries surrounding my unjust trial, torture and 
 condemnation be truthfully revealed. 
 
 Saml. Bland Arnold.