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The Trial of the Assassins and Conspirators at Washington, D.C., May and June 1865, for the Murder of President Abraham Lincoln, with the front cover similarly entitled, “Trial and Execution of the Assassins and Conspirators,” and featuring an engraved portrait of John Wilkes Booth, 6 x 9.25, 196 pages, published by T. B. Peterson & Brothers of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with the reverse of the title page marked "Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1865.”
The cover and title page feature a lengthy caption which reads: “Being a full and verbatim Report of the Testimony of all the Witnesses examined in the whole Trial, with the Argument of Reverdy Johnson on the Jurisdiction of the Commission, and all the Arguments of Counsel on both sides, with the closing Argument of Hon. John A. Bingham, Special Judge Advocate, as well as the Verdict of the Military Commission, and the President's approval of the same; with his official order for the execution of Mrs. Surratt; Payne; Harold; and Atzeroth; and full particulars in relation to the condemned, from the time of their having their sentences of condemnation read to them by Major-General Hancock, until the moment of their Execution; with scenes on the Scaffold, etc. With a sketch of the Life of all the Conspirators, and Portraits and Illustrative Engravings of the principal persons and scenes relating to the foul murder and the trial. It also contains Mrs. Surratt's petition for a writ of Habeas Corpus on the morning of her execution; its indorsement by the Court; and process served on General Hancock, with his appearance in court, and return made to it, with the address of Attorney-General Speed, and the President's indorsement on the return, suspending the writ of Habeas Corpus in the case, and the remarks made on it by the Court, with other items of fact and interest not to be found in any other work of the kind published. The whole being complete and unabridged in this volume, being prepared on the spot by the Special Correspondents and Reporters of the Philadelphia Daily Inquirer, expressly for this edition.”
In fine condition, with an ownership stamp to the title page and wear to the covers, including a missing lower right corner tip, slight creasing, and some light stains; an exceptionally well-preserved example of this notoriously fragile publication, remarkable for retaining its original covers and fully intact spine, which is frequently deteriorated or lost on surviving copies.
Published in 1865, this contemporary account presented itself as a comprehensive record of the military commission trial of the eight defendants charged in connection with Lincoln’s assassination, incorporating witness testimony, legal arguments, verdicts, and material surrounding the executions. Substantially more extensive than the shorter Barclay & Co. account of the same proceedings, the Peterson edition was advertised as complete and unabridged and, according to its title page, was prepared from reporting by special correspondents and reporters of the Philadelphia Daily Inquirer present at the proceedings.
Originates from The President's Box Bookshop, a Washington, D.C.-based specialty mail-order and antiquarian book dealer operated by proprietor David Lovett.
