The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-07-14

courage than Atzsrodt, and he wanted
Atzerodt to be with Harold to urge him
to do it.
There was meeting at restaurant,
about the middle Of March, at which Mrs.
Surratt, OIaughlir,l Booth, Arnold,
Payne, Harold and himself were present,
when q plan to capture the President was
discussed. They had heard the President
was to visit camp, and they proposed to
capture him, coach AMI all, drive through
Langoldfelds to T. B ten miles in Mary
land, where the coach was to be left and
fresh horses were to be got, and the party
would proceed to the river to take boat.
Harold took buggy to 7. B., in antici-
patton that Mr.. Lincoln would be cap
tured, and he was to 60 with the party to
the river. Slavery had put him on the
side of the South. He heard it preached
in the church that the curse of God was
upon the slaves, for they were turned
black. He always hated the negro, and
felt that they (the negroes) should be kept
in ignorance. He had not received any
money from Booth, although he had been
promised that if they we're successful they
should never want; that they would be
honored through the South, and that they
could secure an exchange ofprisoners and
the recognition ofthe Confederacy.
Atzerodts brother has occasionally
visited him, and this morning bis aged
mother arrived in town and proceeded to
his cell. s@.
At II O'Clock the preparations for the
execution was completed. The scaffold
had been finished an hour before. The
privileged persons we're admitted in the
yard when it was erected. Some sat on
the platform almost Frustrated by heat.
Gen. Hancock, who had charge of the
execution, did not arrive till half hast one,
having been detained in court making re-
turn to the writ of habeas corpus in Mrs.
Surratt's case, which he was directed by
the President to refuse to obey.
Within the prison walls at this hour the
condemned were making their final pre-
para.ions for death. One of the Catholic
priests administered the sacrament to Mrs.
Surratt.
A few minutes after all of Harold's sis
tiers babe him farewell, and were borne
fainting from the room.
Atzerodts relatives left about the same
time. -.
1t was now after one O'Clock. Some of
the spectators thought the delay meant q
reprieve for Mrs. Surratt, but in five min
utes the prison door near the scaffold
opened and the prisoners appeared with
guard of soldiers, headed by Gen. Hart
rauft. Each prisoner was manacled, and
Mrs. Surratt beaded the procession. She
was SO physically Frustrated that she had
to be lifted on the steps leading to the
scaffold. In addition to this her limbs
were so heavily manacled that her steps
were impeded. She was accompanied by
two officers and two olergymen. Once
on the platform, che was placed on the
northern end and seated in chair. She
seemed at this moment in fainting con-
dition, leaning on her left arm and look
ing sorrowfully upward A soldier held
an umbrella to protect her from the sun.
She was attired in plain black dress and
black bonnet Before the moose was ad-
jnsted one Of the Catholic priests admins
tered the dying service Of that church,
as Mrs. Sarratt held the cross to her lips.
Payne was placed next to Mrs. Surratt
and seated on the same drop. His eyes
were redeemed from weeping, but his face
had much colored. He seemed very
much collected. he was clad in shirt and
pantaloons, blue, and wore a sailors straw
hat.
Harold and Atzerodt were seated next
Harold looked slovenly. His hair was
unoombed, his clothes soiled, and he ap-
peared in his stocking feet. He wore an
old slouched hat with the brim turned
down all round. Atzerodt was also in his
stocking feet and dressed in coarse gray.
He was undemonstrative at first, but soon
showed fear. Payne looked at the specta-
tors, kept his head erect, and maintained
half defiant air.
Thus arranged, the death warrants were
read, and the closing religious exercises
took place. All of the clergymen, at the
request Of Harold, Payne and Atzerodt,
stated that the prisoners desired to thank
the officers who had tended them. Prayer
was offered for each one, in which the
CONDEMNED visibly Joined. D. s. Gillett
first prayed for Payne, whose eyes at the
moment filled with tears. The priests re-.
peated latin prayer for Mrs. Surratt.
These solemn services being over, all
of the prisoners then stood up and were
bound. Atzerodt was first bound at the
wrists with his arms behind him, and his
knees and ankles. Mrs. Surratt and the
others we're bound in the same way. Ow-
ing to her dress it took several moments
to bind Mrs. Surratt, who was held up
during the operation. Long strips of white
cotton cloth were used instead of ropes.
The fatal nooses were opened to admit the
heads of the criminals, and the knots, as
usual, were adjusted exactly under the left
ear. Payne worked his neck in his moose,
as if dissatisfied with the adjustment, and
the moose was widened little to suit his
ample neck.
Mrs. Surratt seemed to find some Diff
Guilty, and said to those near her, s'please
don't let me fall" This was just before
the drop fell. Atzerodt, who seemed to
grow excited as his moments approached,