The Life, Public Services and State Papers of Abraham Lincoln

By Henry J. Raymond

Official Announcements

THE FINDING OF THE COURT.

WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT-GENERAL OFFICE,  WASHINGTON, July 5, 1865.

To Major-General W. S. HANCOCK, U. S. Volunteers, commanding Middle  Military Division, Washington D. C.:

Whereas, By the Military Commission appointed in paragraph 4, Special  Orders 211, dated War Department, Adjutant-General's Office, May 6,  1865, and of which Major-General David Hunter, United States Volunteers, is President, the following persons were tried and sentenced as  hereinafter stated, as follows:--

First.--David E. Harold.

Finding.--Of the specification "Guilty," except combining, confederating, and conspiring with Edward Spangler, as to which part thero-of "Not  Guilty." Of the charge "Guilty," except the words of the charge that  "he combined, confederated, and conspired with Edward Spangler," as  to which part of the charge "Not Guilty."

Sentence.--And the Commission therefore sentence him, the said David  E. Harold, to be hanged by the neck until he is dead, at such time and  place as the President of the United States shall direct, two-thirds of the  members of the Commission concurring therein.

Second.--George A. Atzerodt.

Finding.--Of the specification "Guilty," except combining, confederating, and conspiring with Edward Spangler. Of this "Not Guilty."

Sentence.--And the Commission does therefore sentence him, the said  George A. Atzerodt, to be hanged by the neck until he is dead, at such  time and place as the President of the United States shall direct, two thirds of the members of the Commission concurring therein.

Third.--Lewis Payne.

Finding.--Of the specification "Guilty," except combining, confederating, and conspiring with Edward Spangler. Of this not guilty. Of the  charge "Not Guilty," except combining, confederating, and conspiring  with Edward Spangler. Of this not guilty.

Sentence.--And the Commission does, therefore, sentence him, the said  Lewis Payne, to be hanged by the neck until he be dead, at such time  and place as the President of the United States shall direct; two-thirds  of the members of the Commission concurring therein.

Fourth.--Mary E. Surratt.

Finding.--Of the specification "Guilty," except as to the receiving,  entertaining, harboring, and concealing Samuel' Arnold and Michael  O'Laughlin, and, except as to combining, confederating, and conspiring  with Edward Spangler. Of this not guilty. Of the charge "Guilty," except as to combining, confederating, and conspiring with Edward Spangler. Of this not guilty.

Sentences.--And the Commission does therefore sentence her, the said  Mary E. Surratt, to be hanged by the neck until she be dead, at such time  and place as the President of the United States shall direct, two-thirds of  the members of the Commission concurring therein; and

Whereas, The President of the United States has approved the forego ing sentences in the following order, to wit:--

EXECUTIVE MANSION, July 5, 1865.

The foregoing sentences in the cases of David E. Harold, George E.  Atzerodt, Lewis Payne, and Mary E. Surratt, are hereby approved; and  it is ordered that the sentences in the cases of David E. Harold, G. A.  Atzerodt, Lewis Payne, and Mary E. Surratt, be carried into execution  by the proper military authority, under the direction of the Secretary of  War, on the 7th day of July, 1865, between the hours of 10 o'clock A. M.  and 2 o'clock P. M. of that day.

ANDREW JOHNSON President.

Therefore, You are hereby commanded to cause the foregoing sentences  in the cases of David E. Harold, G. A. Atzerodt, Lewis Payne, and Mary  E. Surratt, to be duly executed in accordance with the President's order.

By command of the President of the United States.

E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant-General.

In the remaining cases of O'Laughlin, Spangler, Arnold, and Mudd, the  findings and sentences are as follows:--

Fifth.--Michael. O'Laughlin.

Finding.--Of the specification "Guilty," except the words thereof as  follows: "And in the further prosecution of the conspiracy aforesaid,  and its murderous and treasonable purposes aforesaid, on the nights of  the 13th and 14th of April, A. D. 1865, at Washington City, and within  the military department and military lines aforesaid, the said Michael  O'Laughlin did then and there lie in wait for Ulysses S. Grant, then Lieu tenant-General and Commander of the Armies of the United States, with  intent then and there to kill and murder the said Ulysses S. Grant." Of  said words, "Not Guilty," and except "combining, confederating, and conspiring with Edward Spangler." Of this not guilty. Of the charge  "Guilty," except combining, confederating, and conspiring with Edward  Spangler. Of this not guilty.

Sentence.--The Commission sentence Michael O'Laughlin to be imprisoned at hard labor for life.

Sixth.--Edward Spangler.

Finding.--Of the specification, "Not Guilty," except as to the words,  "the said Edward Spangler, on said 14th day of April, A. D. 1865, at  about the same hour of that day as aforesaid, within said military department and the military lines aforesaid, did aid and abet him," meaning  John Wilkes Booth, "in making his escape, after the said Abraham Lincoln had been murdered in the manner aforesaid," and of these words,  "Guilty." Of the charge, not guilty, but guilty of having feloniously  and traitorously aided and abetted John Wilkes Booth in making his escape after having killed and murdered Abraham Lincoln, President of the  United States--he, the said Edward Spangler, at the time of aiding and  abetting as aforesaid, well knowing that the said Abraham Lincoln, President as aforesaid, had been murdered by the said John Wilkes Booth as  aforesaid.

The Commission sentenced Spangler to be confined at hard labor for  six years.

Seventh.--Samuel Arnold. Of the specifications--

Guilty--Except combining, confederating, and conspiring with Edward  Spangler; of this, not guilty.

Of the charge--

Guilty--Except combining, confederating, and conspiring with Edward.  Spangler; of this, not guilty.

The Commission sentence him to imprisonment at hard labor for life.

Eighth.--Samuel A. Mudd. Of the specification--

Guilty--Except combining, confederating, and conspiring with Edward  Spangler; of this not guilty; and excepting receiving and entertaining,  and harboring and concealing said Lewis Payne, John H. Surratt, Michael O'Laughlin, George A. Atzerodt, Mary E. Surratt, and Samuel  Arnold; of this, not guilty. Of the charge "Guilty," except combining,  confederating, and conspiring with Edward Spangler; of this, not guilty.

Sentence.--The Commission sentenced Dr. Mudd to be imprisoned at  hard labor for life.

The President's order in these cases is as follows:--

It is further ordered that the prisoners, Samuel Arnold, Samuel A.  Mudd, Edward Spangler, and Michael O'Laughlin, be confined at hard labor in the penitentiary at Albany, New York, during the period designated in their respective sentences.

ANDREW JOHNSON, President.

The sentences were duly executed, except the Dry Tortugas was substituted for the Albany  Penitentiary, for the imprisonment of Arnold, Mudd, Spangler, and O'Laughlin.

 

 

Book Navigation Title Page Preface Illustrations Memorandum Table of Contents   ► Chapter I.   ► Chapter II.   ► Chapter III.   ► Chapter IV.   ► Chapter V.   ► Chapter VI.   ► Chapter VII.   ► Chapter VIII.   ► Chapter IX.   ► Chapter X.   ► Chapter XI.   ► Chapter XII.   ► Chapter XIII.   ► Chapter XIV.   ► Chapter XV.   ► Chapter XVI.   ► Chapter XVII.   ► Chapter XVIII.   ► Chapter XIX.   ► Chapter XX.   ► Chapter XXI. Anecdotes and Reminiscences of President Lincoln.   ► Mr. Lincoln's Sadness   ► His Favorite Poem   ► His Religious Experience   ► His Sympathy   ► His Humor, Shrewdness, and Sentiment   ► The Emancipation Proclamation Appendix. Letters on Sundry Occasions.   ► To Mr. Lodges, of Kentucky   ► To General Hooker   ► To John B. Fry   ► To Governor Magoffin   ► To Count Gasparin   ► The President and General McClellan   ► Warnings Against Assassination Reports, Dispatches, and Proclamations Relating to the Assassination.   ► Secretary Stanton to General Dix   ► The Death-Bed   ► The Assassins   ► Reward Offered by Secretary Stanton   ► Flight of the Assassins   ► The Conspiracy Organized in Canada   ► Booth Killed. Harold Captured   ► Reward Offered by President Johnson   ► The Funeral Official Announcements   ► Acting Secretary Hunger to Minister Adams   ► Acting Secretary Hunter to his Subordinates   ► Orders from Secretary Stanton and General Grant   ► Orders from Secretary "Welles   ► Order from Secretary McCulloch   ► Order from Postmaster-General Dennison   ► Proclamation by President Johnson of a Day of Humiliation and Mourning.   ► Secretary Stanton to Minister Adams   ► Important Letter from J. Wilkes Booth   ► Indictment of the Conspirators   ► The Finding of the Court