Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1865-07-20
Mrs. Mary o.. Surrntt.

Tho conviction is strengthening, by the
light Of recent disclosures, that Mrs. Mary
E. Surratt was innocent of any completely
in the murder Of Mr.. Lincoln, and if she
bad not been executed in such hot and in
decent haste, it would have been made
manifest to the world. Everything in her
personal character rcpcls the idea that she
could have lent her aid to the atrocious
decd. The Washington correspondent ofthc
Commercial says on this score:
''Sho was born of Catholic parcntago,
and was, in early life, designed for con
vent. She grew up fcrvid in picty and
strict in the observance of religious duty.
She had borne blamcless life, but never
made friends anywhere. If she was not
cold and rcpcllant, she was, at least, re-
Serrot amt not costy approochcd. Her
tongue was cautious and her ways were cir
cumspcct AS Il maiden she was attractive
and impcrious; as wife, she was at the
head of house, but was neither scold
nor brawler; as mother, she was pas
sionatcly devoted to her children, whom
she brought up in naughty scclusion and
strict regard to Catholicism; as a neighbor,
she had few intimacies, but gave readily to
the poor and needy; as Catholic, she was
constant, in season and out Of season, 10
her religious duties, could talk hucntly and
undcrstandingly thereof, and said her pray
crs with fcrvid and impassoned feeling.
Lately, she lived much retired, and saw few
of the inconsidcrablc number Of persons
who visited the house. She wholly sympa-
thiscd with the south, but never allowed
herself or her daughter to indulge in the
usual hippancy of Southern rebel women.
She ordered tho ways finer household with
vigor, was known by but few persons be-
sides members of her own faith, and was
spoken Of in Catholic and Southern circles
as a good christian and most excellent ma.
tron. In prison she made no complaint;
spoke none but very civil words to the
guards and officers. On the scaiIold she
displayed no bravado and no insocnce-wa,
at first touched with iaintncss, but met hcl
fate with calm strength"
| That is the portraiturc Of woman tho
least likely to engage III plot Of assassina
ton. 1t is admitted that she bore blame
less liln, was tcrvcnt in piety, was cautious
with her tongue and circumspcct in hel
ways, and lived in retirement and saw bu
few people. 1t is admitted that she wa
humane and kind to the poor, and dcvoi(
OF bravado.
Payne, the assassin of Seward, to whom
all conccde the virtue of truth, bore, in hi
last moments, his testimony to her limo
ccncc. Her religious conicssor, to whom
she opened her whole heart, is also solemn
ly impressed with the same belief. The ey
idencc against her was given by two me
whom the government spared upon the cor
dition that they would testify against otl
, crs. 1t was in many respects improbabl
f and contradictory, and would not hav
avalcd much before an intelligent jury G
before any tribunal not organized to cor
vct. No time was given her to prcpar
t for death, or for her friends to intcrccde i
her behalf with the Executive, and the tel
riblc tragedy was consummated in such
way as to leave dark stain of cruelty b,
hind that will never be cifacod from our al
n nails. Cincinnati Enquirer.