The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-07-21
Secretary Stanton and Mrs, surratt

IRON Special Dispatch to the New York Tribune |
On the publication of the statement in
the Tribune a few days ago that the,
Secretary of War had interfered with
the attendance of Mrs. Surratt's spirit
ual adviser, the, New York Times
and an obscure Philadelphia journal
took OCCASION without any knowledge
of facts, to denounce it as a malicious
fabrication. j The subjoined statement
was obtained from the very best author
ity, and neither the Times nor the Sec
rotary of War dare deny it. alA -Al g
On Thursday morning, the 9Th inst,
the Reverend Father Walter, pastor OF
st. Patrick's, Church in this city, went
to the War Office to ask for a pass te
visit Mrs. Surratt, ignorant of the fact
that she had already been condemned
to suffer death on the following day ~
He had neverpreviously visited Mrs; s.,
nor did he know her except by reptlta.
ton. On application he was Informed
by General Hardie, A. A. G. to Secreta-
nv Stanton, that he could not give him
pass without first consulting with Mr..
Stanton, who was out at the time. i
Father Walter returned home, and at !
o'clock p. NJ, on the same day received
pass to visit the prison, signed, by or
der of the Secretary of War, Gen. Har-
die, A. A. G.. -
The messenger who brought the pass
to Father Walter, being an intelligent
Irishman, Father Walter entered into
conversation with him on the subject OF
the execution, firmly asserting the be-
lief in Mrs. Surratt's innocence. In
half, or perhaps an hourafterward, Gen.
Hardie himself called at the residence
of Father Walter, and, after some irrele
want conversation, said: FEATHER Wal
ter, you made quite an impression on
the mind of my messenger in regard to
the execution of Mrs. Surratt.n To
which Father Walter remarked that he
was firmly impressed with her entire in
nocence. General Hardie then said:---
"Father Walter, the pass you have will
not admit you to the military prison to-
morrow, because it is not signed by the
Secretary of War. want you to make
me promise to say nothing of Mrs. Sur
rats innocence, and will give you ths
necessary pass" - zet
Father Walter, naturally indignant
Immediately refused to accede to Gene
raj Hardie's demand, giving him to un
derstand in the plainest kind of Ian
guage that no official, civil or military
could enforce his silence on this point
duu TtHldThIuS tudt liz kuCW uHuC
whose authority he General Hardie
was acting. General Hardie, convert
ed Catholic, by the way, then said, pa
tronizingly, that as yet there Were nt
charges lodged against him (Fathe1
Walter) at the War Department, to
! which the latter rejoined that he might
his master, Stanton, that he conscien.
tiously believed Mrs. Surratt guiltless
that he should proclaim his belief. ant
that the War Department might hant
him if it thought proper.
General Hardie was about to go with
out giving Father Walter the pass, whel
the latter said: General Hardie can
not suffer Mrs. Surratt to die withou
administering the sacrament; say we
to your proposition; give me the pass.
General Hardie then drew from hi
pocket pass, duly filled up and signed
by Edwin M. Stanton, admitting hin
Father Walter) to the prison until afte
the execution. as. ss.ail . ..9ss
Previous to the removal of Mrs. Sur
raft from the Carroll to the Military
prison, Father Walter had made appli
cation to the War Office for pass to
visit her, she being very ill, but in every
instance his applications were denied,
and, up to the very day before the exc
cution, Mrs. Surratt was deprived by
the Secretary of War of spiritual atten'
QAntS --tt ti-. tl t5H-E- 3HG t.=ei $500 li5r-