Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1865-07-14
Last Of the Assassins
Execution Of Mrs. Surratt, Payne, Bdr.
rOld and AtZerOdt.

+ , EACNuttOu vi MFNs SuTrutls T0y H. UNr
r0ld and AtzerOdt.
The President !saspends Wfit Of Habcus terpa
:. for the Boc'yW Mrs. Styraa.
scene; = che ss: ',Sls...ApPe:r:c o.
From tho Chicago Tribune's Special Dispatch
WASHINGTON, July 7th, 1866.
ASKING A RESPITE.
When the sentences were officially
promulgated yesterday, the friends and
relatives of the conspirators began tt
flock to the White House to plead for q
; respite. The counsel for Mrs. Surratt
, the spiritual advisers of the condemned
0 and a number of others whose sympa-
> thy with treason or its victimized tools
: was their only reason for Interference
0 were among the pleaders for clemency.
: The President decided that the only rea-
, son for q reprieve which could properly
! be considered must rest on purely legal
grounds, such as the production Of inn
, if that were possible, and therefore re-
) ferred the whole matter to the judy
ment of Judge Advocate General Holt.
2 No such reason could be produced.
MISS sURRATT.
Miss Anna Surratt, who had visited
the executive mansion last evening, en-
deavoring to obtain an interview with
the President, again repaired thither
accompanied by lady friend, between
eight and nine O'Clock this morning.
The President having given orders
that he would receive no one to-day, she
was stopped at the foot of the stairs lead
ing to the Presidents office. Finding
she could not get further, she asked to
see Gen. Muzzy, the Presidents Militia
ry Secretary. He at once came down,
when Miss s., with streaming eyes and
agonizing sobs, threw herself upon her
knees and seized him by the coat, and
begged him to aid her in obtaining an
interview with the President. As ten
derby as possible she was told that as
the orders to admit no one were imper-
alive, it was impossible to grant her re-
quest. Gen. Muzzy then left her, when
she threw herself upon the staircase
steps, where she remained some time,
sobbing bitterly, asserting the innocence
of her mother, and imploring every one
who passed to intercede for her. She de-
elared that her mother was too good and
kind to be guilty of the great crime of
which she had been convicted, and said
if her mother must die she wished to
die also. Many who were present at
this affecting scene, including many
hardy soldiers, were unable to restrain |
their tears. Miss s. finally became
more composed and was induced to |
take seat in the East room, where |
she stayed several hours weeping 81
lently and springing up each time the
front door of the mansion was heard to
open, hoping to see some one who could |
aid her in seeing the President.
HARROLDS SISTERS.
Harrolds two sisters, dressed in deep |
mourning and heavily yelled, also came
to the White House soon after the arri- !
val of Miss s., to intercede for their broth
er. Unable to see the President they ad-
dressed note to Mrs. johnson, but she |
being sick it was not thought proper to
deliver it. Failing in this they asked
permission to forward note to Mrs. |
Patterson, the Presidents daughter, |
who, being also indisposed, the request |
was not granted. The Misses Harold !
showed much self control, and restrain
ed most of the outward manifestations ,
Of sorrow.
THE WRIT or HADEAs CORPUS.
This morning Judge Wylie granted |
an application of the counsel of Mrs.
Surratt for q writ of ho6eas corpus, COM
handing Major General Hancock to
produce the body of Mrs. Surratt before
the Court The writ was returnable at |
ten o'clock, but nearly two hours after
that time General Hancock entered the
Court accompanied by Attorney Cen
eral Speed, who apologized for the APP
parent delay in making return on the
part ofthe General, as it was unavoida-
BILE. He then proceeded to read the re-
turn in which Gen. Hancock said that
the body Of Mrs. Surratt was i'm his pos
session under and by virtue of an order
Of President Johnson for the purpose ex-
pressed, &c, which order is as follows:
EXECUTIVE OFFICE, July
Major Gen. ". s. Hancock, &c:
I, Andrew johnson, President Of the United
states, do hereby declare that the writ of hdbeos
corP.s has been heretofore suspended in such
this writ, and direct that You proceed to exc
cute the order heretofore given upon the judg,
ment OF the military commission, and you will
give this order in return to this writ.
ANDREW JOHNSON, President.
THE GALLONS.
The gallows, which was erected by
from the arsenal, was compile
ted by II O'Clock this morning. There
are nine uprights holding the floor
above, which faces on the west side.-
The uprights supporting the beam, from
which hung four ropes, each being of
strong hemp, are twenty feet long and
ten feet high. The drops, of which
there are two, each four feet by six, are
beneath the beam, and are held
in their place by an upright, which is
from under by two pieces of I
scantling being swung against it. The
drop is six feet. ,
THE GRAVES.
A few feet south of the scaffold, near :
Che east wall, the four graves, each seven
feet long by three feet wide and four ,
deep, are dug. it being the intention !
that they (the condemned) should be ,
buried there in case their friends do not
claim them. ,,
PAYNE. Z
During the night Payne slept for |
several hours, and spent most Of the I
time in conversation with Rev. DIR. Gill J
let. He paid close attention to what
was said, but did not show much emo {
ton. None of his friends had been to
zee him. G
ATZERODT. &
Atzerodt was unable to sleep, although !.
he made several attempts. His broth /
er was with him yesterday and again Q
this morning. His aged mother, who ,
arrived during the night, also came to
see him. Her meeting with her DOOM .
ed child was very touching, and brought {
tears from the eyes of some of the prison !
officers who had been accustomed to -,
such scenes. Rev. DIR. Butler, of the /,
Lutheran church, who had been sent {
for was with Iatzerodt during the night. s
HAROLD. ,
Harold slept considerable during the |
night. Rev. DIR. Odds, of hrist' 'Episeo-
pal Church, and five of his sisters visit
ed him last night. He conversed freely .
with them, and said he was ready to die.
This morning the minister and the
whole family of seven sisters were with
him.
MRS. SURRATT,.
Mrs. Surratt slept little if any, and
suffered much. Her daughter was
with her some hours, and also Rev. |.
Fathers Walter and Wigel.
The breakfast which was sent to the +
prisoners this morning was eaten IF hy