The Spangler Connection

[RJNorton]

James Gifford was asked about the hole at the trial of John Surratt.

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Q. Did you make an examination at any time to ascertain how the door was fastened?

A. Yes, sir; while the Secretary of War was there I explained it to him. There was a hole cut in the plastering of the wall; from that they had a bar that slipped against the door, and the door being at an angle, was secure from any rushing in or attempt to force it in; but if they shook the door the bar would at once fall out. There was a hole in the door close to the President's box, that I thought at first was where a pistol was fired, but on close examination I found it was cut with a left-hand auger bit.

Q. Describe where that cut was.

A. It was right in the corner of the panel, by the moulding. I thought, at first, it was shot through by a pistol.

Q. How did you examine it?

A. By looking at it; the only way I know.

Q. Go on with your statement.

A. That is all I have to say.

Q. Do you think it would have been observed easily by persons whose attention had not been called to it?

A. No, sir; you might have passed it a dozen times, you might have passed H a year and not have taken notice of it.

Q. How large was the hole?

A. It was about a quarter of an inch in diameter.

Q. When did it appear that this hole had been made? Did it seem to be fresh cut?

A. It appeared to be tolerably fresh.

Q. You had never observed it before?

A. Never.

Q. Could you tell what it had been made by?

A. Yes, sir; I could tell by the way it was cut; it was cut by a bit that turned left-handed.

Q. What sort of an instrument?

A. It was cut by a gimlet. I understood the government had the gimlet that cut it. The hole had been tampered with by cutting it, so as to make it appear larger on the outside of the box.

Q. How long would it require to make it?

A. A man could put it there in half a minute. All he had to do was to turn the bit a few times round. The stuff was not more than three-eighths thick. Two or three turns would take the gimlet through it. It was at the rising of the panel, right in the corner where the moulding of the panel mitres. Mr. Pierrepont. Step to that door and explain to the jury where, corresponding in the door, it was. (Witness explained.)

Q. How high was it from the floor?

A. I judge about 4 feet five or six inches, so that a man could look through.

By Mr. Wilson: Q. Was it so that any person looking through it could easily see the whole interior of the box?

A. No, sir; he could see the left-hand side of the box; he could not see over the box. It was in a direct line from where the President sat.

Mr. Bradley. You mean by that that the President would be in full view from that hole?

A. He could see the back part of the President's head from where that hole was bored.

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Welcome to our new member, Gino. James Gifford was Gino's great great grandfather!