John George Nicolay's Thoughts On the Beall Case-- Part 1

From the "Lincoln, Beall & the Gallows" By Jim Surkamp in Civil War Scholar site.

John Nicolay was one of Lincoln's two private secretaries.

John Y. Beall was captured: "in the state of New York near the Suspension Bridge in an attempt to throw a passenger train from the West off the track for the purpose of robbing the express company.  This was the third attempt which he had made to accomplish this purpose.

"He was in citizen's dress, engaged in an act of simple murder and robbery., yet he imagined that the fact that he had a Confederate commission in his pocket would secure him against punishment in case of capture.

He was tried by court martial and sentenced to death."

--Old Secesh