The Portland daily press., 1865-07-08
IL TELEGRAPH
TO THE DAILY PRESS.


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Atte.npt 70 Release Hrs. SasrGstP 5y a
Writ Of HGbeas Corpus.
WASHINGTON, July I.
On petition OF Mary E. Surratt, through her
counsel, Messrs. Aiken and Clanpitt Judge
Wylle, OF the Supreme Court of this District,
directed an issue of the writ of habeas corpus
to Gen. Hancock commanding him to produce
in court at 10 O'Clock this A. NJ. the body of
Mary E. Surratt, with the cause of her deten-
non. The warrant was served on Gen. Han
cock at the Metropolitan Hotel at O'Clock
this A. M. by U. S. Marshal Goodwin. He
Immediately consulted with the Attorney Gen
eral and Secretary of War. At 1890 A. NJ
the General had not obeyed the writ. The
TACT was brought to the notice of the Court by
her counsel, but the judge said he hadno pow
er to enforce the writ. trsti.sf
Early to-day guards were placed around the
arsenal grounds to prevent the intrusion of
persons to the scene of execution, none being
admitted except those previously supplied with
tickets by Gen. Hancock. The relatives of Mrs.
SuTratt and Harold spent several hours with
them during the forenoon, and they were also
attended by their spiritual advisors, as were
also Payne and Atzerott. 81
few moments after one O'Clock the outer
prison door was opened and Mrs. Surratt was
supported on her way to the gallows by the
Harold and Payne, accompanied by guard
and their respective ministers. Front seats
were provided for them ON the platform, in the
following order: Mrs. Surratt, Payne, Harold
and Atzerott, and the ministers occupied in
termediste positions. -
Major Gen. Hartnuf, who has been IN
charge OF the prisoners, came forward and read
the order Of the War Department already pub
lished, approving the sentence and ordering
mol Nv Of daofI he s,,As kA1 A l.
guard was stationed on the walls surrounding
the grounds, while below soldiers were formed
in two sides of square. Perhaps several hum
bred civilians were present as spectators of the
solemn scene. 4,
/ One of the priests who attended on Mrs.
Surratt repeated a short prayer, to which
Payne, who was seated next to her, attentively
listened. The minister who had been admin
istering to Payne expressed in the name of the
latter his sincere thanks to Gen. Hartsuff and
the officers and soldiers who had charge of
him, for their personal kindness. They had
not uttered an unkind word nor given an UNI
pleasant look or gesture, but seemed to COM
passionate his misfortune. The minister then
uttered brief prayer asking for Payne for
giveness for all his sins and passage out of
this world into the joys of heaven.
The minister who attended Harold also re-
turned thanks for the kind treatment of the
plloOuCA, dliu OIClCu prayer tldb OOu WOulu
receive his soul. Harold was affected to tears.
The minister who attended Atzerott also re-
turned thanks for him for kind attention, and
then invoked the mercy of God upon the pris-
oner. 33 s'l'A 3nRttA
The condemned were then required to rise
from their seats, when the chairs were remov-
ed. They were now all on the drops. Their
hands were fastended behind them and their
legs bandaged both above and below the knees
and white caps placed over their heads. VI
Atzerott, while being prepared for the exec
cution, exclaimed, Gentlemen, farewell. Take
care and good bye gentlemen now before me.n
One of the clergymen standing near exclaimed,
@May we all meet in the other world'' - Nj.
AS soon as the moose was placed around
each neck, Mrs. SurTatt's being the last one
adjusted, the section of the platform which
they had been standing on suddenly fell and
the culprits were hanging several feet from the
ground. Mrs. Surratt and Payne scarcely
moved a muscle. Atzerott exhibited some
twitchings, but Harold showed more nervous
sensibility than any ofthe others. Nj IL
The bodies hung until life was extinct and
were afterwards given over for burial the rough
collins being already at hand for that purpose.
The arrangements for the execution was per-
feet. Gen. Hancock was present throughout
the proceedings. Av sssn 9t7
1t is said Payne last night made a statement
in behalf of Mrs. Surratt, generating her from
completely, and that another person subserved
to an affidavit impeaching the testimony of an
important witness against her