his own handwriting, with which I am fa- tents. I took all the papers to the Provost miliar. Marshal's Office, and placed them in the hands of Lieutenant Terry.

[The following letter from General Dix was then read and put in evidence:]

HEAD-QUARTERS, DEPARTMENT OF THE EAST,
New York City, 17th November, 1864.

C. A. DANA, Esq.-My Dear Sir: The inclosed was picked up in a Third Avenue railroad car. I should have thought the whole thing got up for the Sunday Mercury, but for the genuine letter from St. Louis in a female hand. The Charles Selby is obviously a manufacture. The party who dropped the letter was heard to say he would start for Washington Friday night. He is of medium size; has black hair and whiskers, but the latter are believed to be a disguise. He had disappeared before the letter was picked up and examined.

Yours truly, JOHN A. DIX.

Cross-examined by MR. AIKEN.

I am Assistant Secretary of War. 1 was The authorities of the War Department in Richmond, Va., on Wednesday, the 5th are in the habit of receiving a great many of April-Richmond being evacuated on the foolish letters from anonymous correspond- 3d. On the 6th of April I went into the ents and others; some of a threatening char-office of Mr. Benjamin, the rebel Secretary acter, and others making extraordinary prop-of State. On the shelf, among Mr. Benja ositions. min's books and other things, I found this secret cipher key.

MAJOR T. T. ECKERT.

[The secret cipher key is a model consisting of a cylinder six inches in length, and two and one-half in diameter, fixed in a frame, the cylinder having the printed key But-pasted over it. By shifting the pointers fixed over the certain arrangement previously agreed upon, the cipher cylinder on the upper portion of the frame, according to a letter or dispatch can readily be deciphered. The model was put in evidence.]

For the Prosecution.-June 13. An order was sent forward to General ler at New York for his troops to leave on the 11th of November. General Butler made application for leave to remain until the next Monday; the Secretary of War replied to the application, "You have permission to remain until Monday, the 14th of November."

I saw it was a key to the official rebel cipher, and as we had a good many of them to decipher at different times at the War Department, it seemed to me of interest, and I therefore brought it away. Mr. Benjamin's offices consist of a series of rooms in suc

IDENTIFICATION OF KEY TO SECRET cession. His own office was the inmost of

CIPHER.

LIEUTENANT WILLIAM H. TERRY.

For the Prosecution.-May 18.

all; the next room, where his library was, and which seemed to have been occupied by his most confidential clerk or assistant, was the one in which I found several interesting documents, and this cipher model among them. I am attached to the Provost Marshal's I sent it to Major Eckert at the War Depart Office in this city. On the night of the as-ment, who has charge of the ciphers there. sassination, Mr Eaton placed in my hands certain papers which he had taken from the trunk of J. Wilkes Booth, at the National Hotel.

A paper containing a secret cipher was handed to the witness.]

This is one of the papers I received from Mr. Eaton; it was in that envelope, on which Colonel Taylor marked the word "Important," and signed his initials to it.

WILLIAM EATON.

For the Prosecution.-May 18.

MAJOR T. T. ECKERT.

For the Prosecution.—May 20.

Booth, already in evidence, was here handed to the wit(A secret cipher, found among the effects of J. Wilkes ness; also the secret cipher model just testified to.]

Booth's trunk, and the other cipher just testiI have examined the secret cipher found in fied to by the Assistant Secretary of War, and find they are the same.

Cipher dispatches from the rebel authorities have from time to time fallen into my hands, and as I am somewhat familiar with

them, they have been referred to me for exto me were worked on the same plan. amination. Some of the dispatches referred

On the night of the 14th of April, after the assassination, I went, under authority of the War Department, to the National Hotel, to [The witness here produced cipher dispatches bearing take charge of Booth's trunk and its con-date October 13th and 19th.]

These dispatches which I hold in my hand | Johnson must come. Old Crook has him in are copies and translations of certain cipher charge.

dispatches which came from Canada; they Mind well that brother's oath, and you will passed through the War Department in this have no difficulty; all will be safe, and encity, where copies were taken of them, and joy the fruit of our labors.

the originals forwarded to Richmond. These We had a large meeting last night. All dispatches are written in the cipher to which were bent in carrying out the programme to this model and the paper found in Booth's the letter. The rails are laid for safe exit trunk furnish the key. Old always behind, lost the pop at

[The dispatches were then read as fellows, and put in ovidence:]

OCTOBER 13, 1864.

City Point.

Now, I say again, the lives of our brave officers, and the life of the South depend upon We again urge the immense necessity of the carrying this programme into effect. No. our gaining immediate advantages. Strain Two will give you this. It's ordered no more every nerve for victory. We now look upon letters shall be sent by mail. When you the re-election of Lincoln in November as write, sign no real name, and send by some almost certain, and we need to whip his of our friends who are coming home. We hirelings to prevent it. Besides, with Lin- want you to write us how the news was recoln re-elected and his armies victorious, we ceived there. We receive great encourage need not hope even for recognition, much less ment from all quarters. I hope there will the help mentioned in our last. Holcombe be no getting weak in the knees. I was in will explain this. Those figures of the Baltimore yesterday. Pet had not got there Yankee armies are correct to a unit. Our yet. Your folks are well, and have heard friend shall be immediately set to work as you from you. Don't lose your nerve. direct. C. B. No. FIVE The letter just read, is, I believe, a correct translation of the cipher.

OCTOBER 19, 1864. Your letter of the 13th instant is at hand. There is yet time enough to colonize many voters before November. A blow will shortly be stricken here. It is not quite time. General Longstreet is to attack Sheridan without delay, and then move North, as far as practicable, toward unprotected points.

This will be made instead of movement

before mentioned.

He will endeavor to assist the Republicans in collecting their ballots. Be watchful, and assist him.

CIPHER LETTER.

CHARLES DUELL.

For the Prosecution.-June 5.

Cross-examined by MR. AIKEN.

sistance of a gentleman in North Carolina, In making the translation I had the aswho told me he had seen the cipher before. W, that it was dated at Wilmington. The We first supposed, by its beginning with a but we could not make out any thing. The first evening we tried it with Wilmington, next evening we tried the word "Washing ton," and "April," and made an alphabet, and stuck figures and characters under the letters of the alphabet, and proceeding in that way we at length worked it out.

JAMES FERGUSON.

For the Prosecution.-June 5.

I reside in Washington. I was recently N. C., where I have been working under Mr. I have recently been at Morehead City, engaged in business, driving piles at More Duell. While there, I discovered a letter head City, N. C. While there, I found a let-floating in the water when we were at work, ter floating in the water; it was in cipher. and called his attention to it. The letter My attention was first called to it by Mr. which has been read is the same as was Ferguson, who was working there. The envelope was addressed "John W. Wise." I picked up; and I identify the envelope as the same. We found it either on the 1st or made inquiries relative to the person to whom 2d of May last. it was addressed, but I could hear of no one of that name in North Carolina.

[The translation of the letter was here read, and the original put in evidence.]

THE "LON" LETTER.

CHARLES DAWSON.

For the Prosecution.—June 2.

WASHINGTON, April the 15, '65. DEAR JOHN: I am happy to inform you that Pet has done his work well. He is safe, and Old Abe is in hell. Now, sir, all eyes are on you. You must bring Sherman- I am a clerk at the National Hotel in Grant is in the hands of Old Gray ere this. this city. In looking among the initials for a Red Shoes showed lack of nerve in Sew-letter for a gentleman whose name begins with ard's case, but fell back in good order. B, I found a letter addressed "J. W. B."

Lon.

I have seen his handwriting. He

The initials struck me as being rather peculiar, and I took the letter unopened to showed me some notes that he said he had Judge Advocate Bingham, about the 24th been black-mailed about. The writing of of May. the letter resembles his. I am the Purdy referred to in the letter.

(The letter was read as follows, and it and the envelope were put in as evidence:]

[P. O. stamp.] Cumberland, May 8.

ENVELOPE.

J. W. B.,

National Hotel,
Washington. C.

SOUTH BRANCH BRIDGE, April 6, 1865.

I captured a rebel spy a few miles from Lon's house. I understood he was to meet Lon McAleer that day to carry information there. I flanked the field and captured him, in company with two men named Darnduff, and a very reliable colored scout belonging to General Kelly. Lon McAleer had been playing both sides, loyal and disloyal; but as he FRIEND WILKES: I received yours of March had been lately bragging of his Unionism, I 12th, and reply as soon as practicable. I saw thought he would be glad to learn that the French, Brady, and others about the oil specu- great rebel spy had been captured, so I rode lation. The subscription to the stock amounts down to him and told him. He cursed me. to $8,000, and I add $1,000 myself, which is for capturing the man, and said I should about all I can stand. Now, when you sink have taken his money and let him go. He your well go DEEP enough; don't fail, every said, when he went out and saw a small thing depends on you and your helpers. If squad of rebels who could do no great damyou can't get through on your trip, after you age to the railroad, he did not report it; but strike ile, strike through Thornton Gap, and when he saw a force that could operate cross by Capon, Romney's, and down the against Cumberland and New Creek, he alBranch, and I can keep you safe from all ways reported it. A day or two after that, I hardships for a year. I am clear of all sur- overtook a girl near his house. I halted her veillance, now that infernal Purdy is beat. I and searched her, and found her carrying lethired that girl to charge him with an out- ters. This was in the winter, in January, I rage, and reported him to old Kelly, which sent him in the shade, but he suspects to (too) damn much now. Had he better be silenced for good? I send this up by Tom, and if he don't get drunk you will get it the 9th; at all events, it can't be understood if lost. I can't half write. I have been drunk for two days. Don't write so much high falutin next time. No more; only Jake will be at Green's with the funds. Burn this. Truly, yours,

Sue Guthrie sends much love.

LON.

The only guest at the National Hotel that I knew of to whom the initials J. W. B. belonged was John Wilkes Booth. Any letters addressed to Mr. Booth in full would be put into his box, as he had a room at the house. These being mere initials, the letter was put in with sundry letters for those who had no room in the house.

ROBERT PURDY.

For the Prosecution.—June 16.

think. A charge, such as that alluded to in the letter was made against me, but it was entirely false, and I afterward went to McAleer to get the thing settled. McAleer had a white servant named Tom, a deaf man, who afterward married this girl. I have heard he drinks.

I do not know any person of the name of Green in that neighborhood; but there are Greens some seventy or eight miles off, and there may be other families of that name that I do not know of.

The route through Thornton Gap, crossing by Capon, Romney's, and down the Branch, is an obscure route, of which I never knew till lately. It passes right through by Green's house at Thornton Gap. Green's reputation is that of a very disloyal man.

I do not know the Sue Guthrie mentioned, but I have ascertained that she is a lady who lived with Mr. French. I once wrote a letter to French, warning him that some deserters from our army were going to commit robbery at his house. It was then that McAleer told me that French was his father-in-law.

Cross-examined by MR. AIKEN.

I reside in Marshall County, West Virginia, near the Ohio River. I have been in the service of the United States since the 11th of I am acting for the Government as detecDecember, 1861. Since the 23d of August tive and scout. I have been charged with last, I have belonged to a scouting company. writing that letter myself. I was at South The letter signed "Lon" I never saw until Branch Bridge in January last. South Branch it was published in the public papers. I empties into the Potomac River, and is from have no knowledge whatever by whom it was twenty-one to twenty-three miles from Cum written. I have heard of French, who is re-berland. There is a railroad through South ferred to in the letter, but I do not know of Branch to Cumberland. People at South any one named Brady living on South Branch. There is a man in that region of country named Lon; his full name is Leonidas McAleer, but he generally goes by the name of

Branch Bridge are not in the habit of taking their letters to Cumberland to mail. They generally take them to Green Spring Run, about one and three-fourths miles above.

PLOT TO CAPTURE.

SAMUEL KNAPP CHESTER.

For the Prosecution.-May 12.

I am by profession an actor, and have known J. Wilkes Booth a great many years. For six or seven years I have known him intimately. In the early part of November last I met him in New York, and asked him why he was not acting. He told me that he did not intend to act in this portion of the country again; that he had taken his wardrobe to Canada, and intended to run the blockade. I saw him again on the 24th or 25th of November, about the time we were to play "Julius Caesar" in New York, which we did play on the 25th. I asked him where his wardrobe was; he said it was still in Canada, in charge of a friend. I think he named Martin in Montreal.

that it was an impossibility; and asked him to think of my family. He said he had two or three thousand dollars that he could leave them. He urged the matter, and talked with me, I suppose, half an hour; but I still refused to give my assent. Then he said to me, "You will at least not betray me;" and added, "You dare not." He said he could implicate me in the affair any how. The party he said were sworn together, and if I attempted to betray them, I would be hunted down through life. He urged me further, saying I had better go in. I told him "No," and bade him good night, and went home.

He told me that the affair was to take place at Ford's Theater in Washington, and the part he wished me to play, in carrying out this conspiracy, was to open the back door of the theater at a signal. He urged that the part I would have to play would be a very easy affair, and that it was sure to suoHe told me he had a big speculation on ceed, but needed some one connected or aohand, and asked me to go in with him. I quainted with the theater. He said every met him on Broadway as he was talking thing was in readiness, and that there were with some friends. They were joking with parties on the other side ready to co-operate him about his oil speculations. After he left with them. By these parties I understood them, he told me he had a better speculation him to mean the rebel authorities and others than that on hand, and one they wouldn't opposed to our Government. He said there laugh at. Some time after that I met him were from fifty to one hundred persons enagain, and he asked me how I would like to gaged in the conspiracy. go in with him. I told him I was without means, and therefore could not. He said that didn't matter; that he always liked me, and would furnish the means. He then returned to Washington, from which place I received several letters from him. He told me he was speculating in farms in lower Maryland and Virginia; still telling me that he was sure to coin money, and that I must go in with him.

He wrote to me again from Washington about this speculation; I think it must have been in January. I did not keep my letters. Every Sunday I devoted to answering my correspondence and destroying my letters.

In January I got a letter from him, saying I must come. This was the letter in which he told me his plan was sure to succeed. I wrote back, saying that it was impossible, and I would not come. Then by return mail, About the latter part of December, or early I think, I got another letter, with fifty dollars in January, he came to New York, and called inclosed, saying, I must come, and must be on me at my house, No. 45 Grove Street. He there by Saturday night. I did not go, nor asked me to take a walk with him which I have I been out of New York since last did. We went into a saloon known as the summer. The next time he came to New "House of Lords," on Houston Street, and York, which I think was in February, he remained there perhaps an hour, eating and called on me again, and asked me to take a drinking. We afterward went to another walk with him, and I did so. He then told saloon under the Revere House, after which me that he had been trying to get another we started up Broadway. He had often party, one John Matthews, to join him, and mentioned his speculation, but would never when he told Matthews what he wanted, the mention what it was. If I would ask him, man was very much frightened, and would he would say he would tell me by-and-by. not join him; and he said he would not have When we came to the corner of Bleecker cared if he had sacrificed him. I told him Street, I turned and bade him good night. I did not think it was right to speak in that He asked me to walk further with him, and manner. He said no; but Matthews was a we walked up Fourth Street, because he said coward, and was not fit to live. He then Fourth Street was not so full of people as urged me again to join, and told me I must Broadway, and he wanted to tell me about do so. He said there was plenty of money that speculation. When we got into the un- in the affair; and that, if I joined, I never frequented portion of the street, he stopped would want for money again as long as I and told me that he was in a large conspiracy lived. He said the President and some of to capture the heads of the Government, in- the heads of the Government came to the cluding the President, and to take them to theater very frequently during Mr. Forrest's Richmond. I asked him if that was the engagements. I desired him not to again speculation that he wished me to go into. mention the affair to me, but to think of my He said it was. I told him I could not do it; poor family. He said he would ruin me in

the profession if I did not go. I told him I could not help that, and begged him not to mention the affair to me.

When he found I would not go, he said he honored my mother and respected my wife, and he was sorry he had mentioned this affair to me; but told me to make my mind easy, and he would trouble me no more. I then returned him the money he had sent me. He told me he would not allow me to do so, but that he was so very short of funds, and that either he or some other party must go to Richmond to obtain means to carry out their designs.

On Friday, one week previous to the assassination, I saw him again in New York. We were in the "House of Lords," sitting at a table. We had not been there long before he exclaimed, striking the table, "What an excellent chance I had to kill the President, if I had wished, on inauguration day!' He said he was as near the President on that day as he was to me.

Cross-examination by MR. EWING.

Booth spoke of the plot to capture the President, not to assassinate him, and to take him to Richmond. By the expression "other side," I understood him to mean across the lines-across the Potomac.

That is all that he ever absolutely purchased. There was money spent for expenses on this lease, previous to his purchase of the land interest. He never realized a dollar from any interest possessed in the oil region. His speculations were a total loss.

The first interest he acquired in any way was in December, 1863, or January, 1864. I accompanied him to the oil regions in June, 1864, for the purpose of taking charge of his business there. The whole amount invested by him in this Alleghany River property, in every way, was about $5,000, and the other investment was about $1,000, making $6,000 in all.

His business was entirely closed out there on the 27th of September, 1864.

One of the conveyances was made to his brother, Junius Brutus Booth, which was without compensation; but a consideration was mentioned in the deed. The other transfer was to me, and it was done in consideration of my services, for which I never received any other pay. There was not a dollar paid to J. Wilkes Booth at all for these conveyances, and he paid all the expenses on the transfer and the conveyances.

ROBERT ANSON CAMPBELL.

For the Prosecution.-May 20.

I reside in Montreal, Canada, and am first teller of the Ontario Bank, of that city.

Booth did not say any thing as to the means JACOB THOMPSON'S BANK ACCOUNT. he had provided or proposed to provide for conducting the President after he should be seized. On one occasion he told me that he was selling off his horses; that was after he had told me he had given up this project of the capture. It was, I think, in February that he said he had abandoned the idea of capturing the President and the heads of the Government. The affair, he said, had fallen through, owing to some parties backing out It was on Friday, the 7th of April, one week previous to the assassination, that he said what an excellent chance he had had for killing the President:

BOOTH'S OIL SPECULATIONS.

JOSEPH H. SIMONDS.

I know Mr. Jacob Thompson very well. His account with the Ontario Bank I hold in my hand. It commenced May 30, 1864, and closed April 11, 1865. Prior to May 30th, he left with us sterling exchange, drawn on the rebel agents in Liverpool, for collection.

The first advice we had was May 30th, when there was placed to his credit £2,061 17s. 1d., and £20,618 11s. 4d., amounting to $109,965.63. The aggregate amount of the credits is $649,873.28, and there is a balance still left to his credit of $1,766.23; all the rest has been drawn out. Since about the first of March he has drawn out $300,000, in sterling exchange and deposit receipts. On the 6th of April last there is a deposit receipt for $180,000. The banks in Canada give deposit receipts, which are paid when presented, upon fifteen days' notice. On the 8th of April he drew a bill of £446 12s. 1d., and on the same day £4,000 sterling. On the 24th of March he drew $100,000 in exMr. Booth's interest in the oil speculations change; at another time $19,000. This ster was as follows: He owned a third undivided ling exchange was drawn to his credit, and interest in a lease of three and a half acres also the deposit receipt.

For the Prosecution.-May 13. 1 was acquainted with J. Wilkes Booth in his lifetime, and was his business agent, particularly in the oil region. I did some little business for him in the City of Boston, but it was very little, and was entirely closed up before I left there.

on the Alleghany River, near Franklin. The Mr. Jacob Thompson has left Montreal land interest cost $4,000. He paid $2,000-since the 14th of April last. I heard him that being one-half of it. He also purchased, say that he was going away. He used to for $1,000, an interest in an association there come to the bank two or three times a week, owning an undivided thirtieth of a contract. and the last time he was in he gave a check