Today in  the Lincoln Conspiracy:  June 30

After hearing testimony from more than 350 witnesses during a seven-week trial, the nine members of the Lincoln assassination conspiracy tribunal issued their verdicts on June 30, 1865.  All eight of the defendants were convicted and four -- Lewis Powell, David Herold, George Atzerodt and Mary Surratt -- were sentenced to hang.  Another conspirator, Dr. Samuel Mudd, escaped execution by one vote.  He, Samuel Arnold and Michael O'Laughlen were sentenced to life in prison.  "Ned" Spangler was sentenced to six years.

Today in the Lincoln Conspiracy:  June 16

Michael O'Laughlen

At the outbreak of the Civil War, Michael O'Laughlen joined the Confederate Army and served for about a year.  He was discharged in June of 1862 and returned to Baltimore, where he worked at his family's feed business.  On June 16, 1863, he took an oath of allegiance to the United States and filed a signed declaration with the U.S. Army in Baltimore.