Surratt Courier

[L Verge]

In an earlier posting, someone inquired about the memorandum sent by M.A. Clancey regarding Owens/Adams. Here it is as printed in The Evidence tome compiled by Evans and Steers:

M.A. Clancey
"C" 634 (JAO)
M.A. Clancey (memorandum by)
Washington, May 1st 1865

Thos. Henry Owens (gives his name as James Owens) states that two persons corresponding to the description of Booth & Herold came to the house of Austin L. Adams (now a prisoner) with his wife on Thursday night succeeding the assassination; stayed there until Friday night, when they disappeared. They did not stay in the house, but were fed by Mrs. Adams. Adams & his wife deny all knowledge of the affair. Owens is a workman for Adams. From other witnesses, it appears that Owens assisted either Booth & Herold or other parties to cross the Potomac. He is an ignorant, stubborn fellow, and will require the sternest measures to elicit anything from him.
Henry Woodlawn (colored) (not arrested) is a witness against Adams & his wife. Testifies that Adams said he was going to hide a boat on the Thursday succeeding the assassination. Adams was missing from Thursday noon until Friday morning; supposed to have assisted Booth & Herold across the river.
Ask Owens about Tom Harbin, who stopped at Adams's some time previous to the assassination, and who is supposed to have made arrangements for the passage of the assassins across the River.
Capt. Samuel Cox is clearly implicated by the evidence of Osborne Swann (colored) (both sent here under arrest). Swann has a wife & 8 children, who are left without protection in Bryantown, and all due leniency should be shown him.
Dr. Samuel Mudd (under arrest) has made a statement, a copy of which (I believe) was forwarded to Col. J.H. Taylor, Chief of Staff, AAG of Maj. Gen. Augur. It is not clear that he had any "guilty" knowledge in setting Booth's leg.
Maj. John A. Wait 8th Ill. Cav. has arrested and sent up some 18 or 20 prisoners, accompanied with sworn statements or memoranda. I believe he has also reported in person at Headquarters, Washington & will be able to give ample information in regard to prisoners.
Col. Wells at Port Tobacco, Md., has written statements of several witnesses (some arrested and some not) and will be able to give full information. He can do better personally than by letter.

Pretty much what we already knew. HOWEVER, after seeing this transcript of the original memorandum, I am going to incur the wrath of Wild Bill and Rick and return to my original belief that James Owens was a white man, not African American.

Please note that, after the names of both Woodlawn (sic) and Swann, there are notes of "colored." This is at least 95% standard in everything pertaining to this era and the assassination, from statements to court testimony and more. Yet, nowhere have we found such a notation after the name of James Owens. Also, his stubborn attitude indicates to me that he was a white man and soured on the situation that had befallen Southern Maryland -- likely a poor white, whose station in life was becoming even lower with the freeing of slaves. He hated those Union invaders and was not going to cooperate -- either at Newport, Bryantown, or in Old Capitol, where I do believe that he was beaten to death.

P.S. I did check on Maj. John M. Waite as mentioned in the above. His telegraph dispatches begin on April 20 and were sent from Leonardtown. His unit was obviously scouring St. Mary's County, Maryland. It was a part of four units who arrive at Port Tobacco and then split with one going down the Patuxent River to Benedict, another going along the Potomac and the Wicomico River. There is also mention on an infantry squad being sent by order of Gen. Hardie to seize a schooner named "Breeze" that was supposed to come in at Allen's Fresh on April 19, but had not arrived by noon on the 20th. That had something to do with the schooner having been purchased in Allen's Fresh and supposedly having "Walter A. Barnes, one of the conspirators" on board. Would love to know what that is all about!

Aha!! Back to The Evidence book and found a lengthy statement from Walter Barnes. Will peruse and send significant points in a separate posting.