The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1865-07-13
Execution Of the Conspirators.
Washington. July

Execution Of the Conspirators.
Washington, JULY.
All the condemned conspirators, sen.
fenced to be hanged to-day, were executed
On petition of Mary l.. Suratt, through
her couuSel, Messrs. Aiken and Clarnpitt
Judge Wyley, of the Supreme Court of this
District, directed an issue of writ of habeas
corpus to Gen Hancock, commanding him
to produce in Court, at 10 o'clock this
, morning, the body Of Mary Z. Suratt, with
cause and day of detention: The writ was
: served on Gen. Hancock, at the National
Hotel, at o'clock this a. NJ, by L. s. Mar
shal Gooding. He immediately consulted
with the Attorney General and Secretary
of War At 1890 the General had not
obeyed the writ. This fact was brought to
the notice of the Court by her counsel, but
the Judge said he had no power to enforce
the writ.
Early to-day guards were placed all
around the arsenal grounds to prevent the
intrusion of persons to the scene of execu-
ton, none being admitted excepting those
previously supplied with tickets by Major
Gen. Hancock.
The relatives of Mrs. Suratt and Harold
spent several hours with them during the
forenoon, and they were also attended nv
their spiritual advisers, as were also PAYNE
and Atzerodt,
A few minutes afler 10 O'Clock the outer
prison door was opened, and Mrs. SSuratt
was supported on her way to the gallows
by two military officers; next followed
AtZerodt, Harold and Payne. accompa-
MED by guard and their respective min
listers of the gospel. Front seats were pro-
vidcd for them on the platform, in the fol-
lowing order: Mrs. Suratt. PAYNE. Harold
and Atzerodt. The officers entrusted with
the execution. and the minister's occupied
intermediate positions. Major Gen. Hart
raupt, who has been. from the commence
ment, in charge of the prisoners, came for
ward and read the order of the War De-
! partmcnt, already published, approving
/ the sentence and ordering the penalty of
death to be inflicted.
| heavy guard was stationed on the walls
surrounding the grounds, while below SOL
| diers were formed on two sides of the
square. Perhaps several hundred civil
! iians were present, anxious spectators of
the scene. One of the priests. an attendant
I on Mrs Suratt, repeated a short PRAYER. 10
which PAYNE, who was seated next to her,
attcntivelv listened. The minister who
! had been administering to Pavne express
! ed, in the name of the latter. his sincere
| thanks TO Cen. Hartraupt and the officers
and soldiers who had charge Of HIM for
their personal kindness. They had not
uttered an UnlliNd word. nor given him an
unpleasant look or gesture. hut seemed to
compassionate him in his misfortune.
| The minister then uttered a brief pra yer.
asking for Payne the forgiveness of all his
sins and passage ont ofthis world into the
| joys Of heaven. The minister who attend
ed Harold also returned thanks for the
kind treatment of the prisoner. and offered
a prayer that God would receive his soul.
Haarold was affected to tears. The minis
ter who attended AtZerOdt also returned
thanks for him to Gen. Hartraupt and 9TH
er officers for kinu attention. and then in
vOked the mercy Of God upon the prisoner.
The condemned were then required to
rise from their seats. when the chains were
removed. Theywere nowall on the drops,
and their hands were fastened behind them
and their legs bandagod both below and
above the knees, and white caps placed
over their heads. Atzerodt, while being
prepared for the execution. exclaimed
! "Gentlemon, farewell; take care, and good
bye gentlemen now before me-" One OF
the clergymen standing near exclaimed.
I'VE meet in the other world"
As soOn as the moose was put around
each neck, Mrs. Surratt's being the last
one adjusted, the section of the platform
on which they had been standing suddenly
fell and the culprits were hanging several
feet from the ground. Mrs. Surratt and
Payne scarcely moved muscle. Atze
rodt exhibited some twitching. but Har
rold showed more nervous sensibility thar
, any of the others.
: The bodies hung until life was extinct
and were afterwards given over for burial
the rough cofiins being already at hand fol
that purpose.
The arranrnr, a,, - ----..--------
perfect. Major General Hancock was pres
ent throughout ther Proceedings
II lS stlu IdNle idst llgHI NlttIe state
} ment in behalf of Mrs. Surratt, exonera
! ting her from completely, and that all th'
: other prisoners subscribed to an affidavit
impeaching the testimony of an importan
: witness against her.
New York, July :.
The Posts Washington special say
: strong efforts We're made this morning f
induce the President to reprieve Mrs. Sur
ratt by her counsel and the Roman Catho
lie clergymen who have acted as her spir
l itual advisers, but to no purpose; the Pres
- ident was firm in his decision while hear
e ing the arguments, courteously refusin
l to alter or modify the woman's sentence
: 1t is reported Mrs. Surratt has written
V statement or confession which has bee
i handed To her spiritual advisers.
&a-The whole Army of the Tennessee
n to be mustered out at once. This will brin
q homo To Iowa her boys in the followin
# regiments: ID, 4th, 9th, 7th, 9th, 10th, It'll
: 18th, 18th, 10th and 18th. The regiment
! ,ire in the 18th and 18th army corps. Thei
It are probably other Iowa regiments, bot
o infantry and cavalry, that will be mu,
tered out under this order.-Gdte city, "a
: The new Constitution in Missouri
:. adopted by majority of 1852. The raj
"a road ordinance is also adoptpd