Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1865-07-15
THE ExECU11ON OF TnE
FOUR ASsAsslNB.
The scenes Coanecsed with the
Awfhi Ceremony.
DEVOTION OF THE DAUeHTER on
MRS. sURATT.
10 MAsmkoroN. Jult Z. 1se5.


dent by his order, and on Wednesday he, in
company with Judge Advocate General
Holt, carfully reviewed it, thoroughly ap-
proved it, and spportioned the sentences
The next step was to make known to those
who had received the death sentence, how
near and how terrible was the end they had
brought upon themselves by their own acts
by their own wicked perversity. This
duty was assigned TO Major General Hart
ranft. who has, ever since tue incarceration
of the assasins, been entrusted with their
safe keeping At12 O'Clock yesterday, ac-
companicd by Major General Hancock, he
went to the cells of each of the four con-
demed prisoners, and performed what must
at all time be an unpleasant duty. -r.e.,....
uslD1 now 1T WAS RECEIVED. slIl
The first cell visited was that of Payne.
He was found, we arc told cody reading,
and when his visitors entered, rose and con.
versed with intelligent politeness. General
Hartrantt immediately made known his
errand, read the specifications of the court
and the approval of the President, and
waited for their effect on the prisoner.
There was none. The same imperturha-
bility was manifested that seemer to sur
round him during the whole trial as if in
a mantel OF ice he received the announce
ment as if lie expected it, and was prepared
10 brave every consequence. He thanked
the officers for the. kind treatment he had
uniformly received while u prisoner, and
made q few remarks about his connection
with the great plot. He thought when he
first entered into it that he was right-the
Contederacy had taken too strong u hold on
his heart to ever allow him to believe that
lie was wrong. In the light of after circum-
stances he began to consider, however. that
he was wrong, and he was sorry for it. Thus
cooiy he talked with the certainty of death
on the morrow but not culver of the lip
betokened that he feared what was bearing
down on him so terribly and surely a . D..
But his case differed from that of Alter
ott Your readers have all read with more
or less attention the copious reports of the
trial, and they know that Atzerott has been
represented as II being entirely destitute OF
any manly quality, let alone that of courage
The record he made then he did not depart
from now AS ominous word after word
fell from the lips of the soldier bearer of
dark tidipgs, they seemed to fall with
agonizing sharpness on every fibre of his
being. His green, dull eyes were befiled
up 10y fear, with al expression where before
all was expressionless His lips paled to
ashes his whole form shook rs if then and
there the deadly drop was about to descend
which would rob him OF his life. He made
no acknowledgements no words
for strength and speech bad alike left him,
and it was after u considerable time that he
could ask that his relatives might he allow
ed to see him, and also Clergyman. Then
his visitants left him, and assembled to the
cell of Harold r.. .r.. ..
Boy in intellect, if in nothing else, the
awful sentence fell just MS crushingly on him
as on Atze.Ott.' He also trembled, but still
had strength enough left to admit the major
points Of the evidence brought out against
him in his trial, and to ayowl his affection
for the South. In thus far, lie was the
superior in viii to his cowartlly confederate
Mrs. Suratt was next visited, and the
tidings plunged her into grief SO pro-
found as to excite the pity OF the Generals,
performing stern duty rs they were. In
that little paragraph which took so little
room in The Press, which ones eyes can
glance over, and ones mind comprehend in
an instant, wrapped up all her hopes, all
her ambitions. all her life She saw the
world she left behind, and she saw how she
left it, more suddenly and awfully than our
poor President, who, through her cunning,
went out into the neither and unknown
little prayer. She saw au agonizng-oh,
how agoniziug because monstrous!y un-
natural and enforced parting with her fami-
ly-she saw an eternity before her, and the
stain of blood on ner soul. No wonder her
tears flowed so fdst But they were selfish
tears. She wept not thus wien the good
President died, and by her hand too /; she
now wept only for herself She expressed
the hope that Rev. Messrs. Walker, of St.
Patricks, and Wiget, President of Gonzaga,
Mr.. John z. Brophy, St. Aloysius Schools,
and Miss Annie Suratt, would 5c sum mon
ed. ' slt. a'a.. end
EXCITEMENT OVER THE SENTENCE.
The prisoners passed the night quietly /;
what they did is only known to the Eye
that looked down from among the stars,
and pierced their massive prison walls.
Their friends and counsel during the day
endeavored in vain to shake the lirmness of
the President, His will had been fixed,
aud its dictates must be carried into effect
Entreaties, arguments, appeals, importuni-
ties were to him all IN vain; he inexorabIy
referred them to Judge Holt, who, like the
President, was firm and the suppliants
went away with tears in their eyes, and de.
spair in their hearts. Yesterday morning
the counsel for Mrs Suratt, finding that
persuasion was p!u1l, attempted law through
writ of habeas Corpus, staying her execu-
ton, but this failed like ali the rest of the
efforts.
SAD scENE-A DAUGHTER's LOVE.
When hopes through friends and counsel
had iailed-when the execution of Mrs. Su-
ratt seemed sure-her daughter, vainly
hoping, In the tondness of her heart, that
her influence might do what other influence,
powerful us it Was, had failed to DO, sought
an Interview with the President On Thurs
day evening she had made .he attempt, but
in vain. So, early this morning, in com
pany with lady friend, she came to the
Presidents office, The President, feeling
unwell, had ordered that no one should he
admitted to him to day, and tine usher, in
abedience to the order, refused her an
audience. She plead with him, called him
10y endearing titles, appealed to his man
hood, his human sympathy, everything !;
but no other response was received than
You cannot see the President" AS a last
resource she asked for his private secretary,
General Muzzy, who kindly appeared almost
as soon AS summoned. To him she prayed,
OF him she begged that he might use his
influence to let her say but one little word
to the President, to just let her speak to
him once. Poor girl she little knew that
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