"Alabama's ties to the Lincoln Assassination: 3 strange tales"

[Wild Bill]

Clement C Clay was part of the Confederate spy system in Canada in 1864. He was sent there to keep an eye on Jacob Thompson, whom Jeff Davis and Judah P Benjamin did not trust monetarily. He generally worked out of St Catharines near Niagara Falls on the Canadian side. I believe that he was one of the Confed Commissioners who met with Lincoln's secy, John Hay, at Niagara Falls to discuss a peace plan. Thompson had served as Secy of the Int during Buchanan's administration and was accused of pocketing funds intended for Indian reservations, hence his bad reputation. He was suspected doing the same with part of the $1.5 million in secret service monies sent to Canada. Clay was arrested and charged with complicity with Booth in planning in the Lincoln assassination. He was held for a year or so and released. He had little to nothing to do with Booth. George Sanders, who fled to Europe, was a more likely target in the conspiracy, but he stayed there long enough to beat the rap. See last my Confederate Heroes, Part IV, section 4.