Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-07-11
End of the AssassinS

l-saddened as the country was by the terrible
calamity brought upon it by the damnabe deeds
Of these deep-dyed villains, astounded as it has
been By the daily revelations OF the trial OF the
criminals, it Wa, doubtless unprepaied as were all
here for The quick lash Of the sword Of power
whose blade to-day fell upon the guilty heads Of
the assassins of our lamented President. Tried
convicted and sentenced they stood this morning
upon the threshold Of the house Of DEATH all COW
cred with The great $40 whose pail fell darky upon
the land.
Mrs. Surratts friends have been constant and
hithfu They have manipulated presses and
created public sentiment. The papers received
here today were singuary unanimous in the sup
position that the President would commute the
sentence Of Mrs Slrralt TO imprisonment for life.
Such a sentiment found no tcho here. 1t was well
known that the counsel family aud friends Of the
ClIprt were determined to make every exertlon,
to strain every nerve 10 o strong pull and tug at
the tender heart OF the President il her behalf
che was womal, and sick woman at that.
Her daughter wa. with her, and her cowardly son,
with secrets in lis possession that ght mitigate
her guilt-these and like arguments, 1t was said,
would be brought TO bear upon the President,
back lh certain political strength which could
nor fiji. to succeed. Bot such talk has seemed
idle from the first. Woman as she was, she knew
her business we'll sick as she was, She had
strength sufficient for her fearful purpose and
stern as the sentence was, It's justice was absolute
is execution certain.
The scenes at the old Capitol Prison on Thurs
day night were by no means so narrowing IN n
teusuy as the public doubtless imagine So Tar
as the authorities were concerned, there was pos
sibly an increased vigilance and extra precautions
we're taken with Mrs. SuTatli but beyond that,
matters went along quile in accordance with the
genera custom.
Mrs Surratt, about whose fearful participation
10 the murder Of the President there has been
thrown so much ny stery, was very remarkable
woman aud, hRc mosl remarkable women, had au
underoue OF superstition which served her IN
place Of true religion, and enabled her to sleep
peacefully even while cognzant Of sucha crime as
that for when she has nov suffered She was
fifty years OF age, but, although since her illness
Of the past two week, She has grown old and
10 oked pale and thin, She would be called rather
forty two or three. Frmness and decision we're
pat and parcel Of Der "a ure. A cold eye, that
would quail at no scene of torture a close, shut
mouth, whence no word Of sympathy with suffering
wou pass a firm chin, indicative Of hxedness Of
resolve a square, solid figure, whose proportions
were never Ghfgufed by remorse Or marred by
loss Of sIeep-,heselA have ever mirked The yerS0n
mel Of Mary Suutt-lhsse, her neghbors say
we're correct indices OF her every day and every
year lie.
Her guardians say She anticipated an acquital,
she alone knew why. When, therefore, she was
informed Of the finding Of The court, the sentence.
ind rs near execution, She might well be reused
from the state Of utter i-tiessuess she had hther
to maintained. Weakened by continued illness
with head stunned By the sudden blow, she for
moment fgot the ouratt in the woman, and felt
the keenuess Of her position. Painting, she cried
aloud IN he bitterness Of her woe waiIng forth
great waves Of sorrow, she fell upon the hJor and
gave vent TO paroxysm Of grief partially hyster-
zeal, and wholly nervous. Vine Of yaIeran and
, other quoting drink was given her and she re.
viyed, but no longer was she the Mrs. Surrat Of
the courtroom. She desired TO see her spiritual
advisers, and they we're sent for. The sacred Vail
Of ghostIy comfort should not be ~ ely rent nor
lightly lifted, but We may state with entire pro-
prIsty that the miserable woman expressed the
. most emphatic desire for prayer and holy cousJ-
lauon. DESTROYS OF clearing her mind first Of oil
worldly aif4rs, she indicated the spostion she
wished made OF her property and talked long aud
earnestly OF her children aud their future pros
, PEGS. Toward her cowirdy son John she quite
naturally e1tetAued feeling, Of deep seated uit.
, leratss. TINS he "a measure oyetclme - Il
= having rehe,ed hst mind abou; bin aud his con-
/ due, and finally appeared fec1ncIed 20 his deser-
I ton.
, a, the night wore on Mrs. SuuaJt, WAC had
4 been removed from Tie larger room where She
had been confined since her illness, began 10 toss
uneasy on her narrow bed. she was really l.b
aud The kind Offices Of the physician we're ire
{ quenty needed Conscious OF the approach OF
, day, she bsook herself again to The preparation
of her soul for It's Infinite journey Sue rallied
3 mentally and physically aud determined evidently
I to bear ana brave the scait0ld. Her daughter,
whose faithful. service has been most touching 10
1 its consauey, bad done all she could. The Pres
dent had been seen, Judge Holt had beeu visited
10 both OF them the mos lrryent appeals TO-
4 spred by fill love as devoted as it was dlsl-
terested, bad been presented, but IN vain Five
}. Of the members OF the court had Joined in re-
commentator tor commu,auou TO mpri, onmen,
q for life, and it was understood thd the entire
. court coucutrsd IN the same, bu, this too was 10
j. van. These fact. III heart broken daughter had
1 communicated to her sentenced mother, and as
e she ben, her head upon her neck she ha,hud her
1t shoulders with tears Of unitigued guei aud sym
If pathy.
/ Seemingly convinced of the utter hopeIessues,
.t of her situation, and apparently desuous OF qn-
3. eting the exceedingly demo0stmtye outburts o.
/ her daughter Mrs. Surrau rose from her bed and
again oetook herself 20 her devotional exercises
Il may seem strange that THIS wemln, who was
proven to know ai abou. the pref cted assassina-
u ton, who kept open house lon he sc0undrels who
n planned and the villains Nh0 did the deed, who
IT insisted that she had never seen and never knew
a PAYNE and who said, when informed Of her sen.
tence, e had 40 hand Ia the murder Of the
'' President" should seem SO cain and consistent
n 10 her preparation Tor death. Nevertheless the
b. fact is after turning be, back upon hope, She gave
# herself with apparent sincerity and with hearth
ness to prayer and communion, the effect OF which
1t is not Tor us to Judge
y This morning, however, the counsel of Mrs,
d Sutrat', went at an early hour before Judge
a Wyie, Of the S9preme Court Of this city, aud
. applied for viii Of habeSs corpus, directed to
~ Mi. Gen. Hancock, who had charge Of the prs.
d on and contre OF the prisoners, commanding hun
n to bring into CONT ,hs body OF Mary +. Surait.
h The VII, w.s formally issued, aud the Marshal OF
the Disrgl was drtc.ed to serve l..
u. At II 80 o'clock Cen Hluo3ek appeared, &c.
compared by \ torney General Speed and
is he adttes I'd the court as follows;
=. "NAy it please the Court IN regard to the writ
Of h0H as corpus directed to Gen. Hancock desire
. to say by way of apology Tor his not sooner mas
e. nt return, tat the process was rot served on
N hm until about breakfast time this morning, and
% hat, owing TO his having great many persons to
- see, great many important matters requiring
~ immediate auention, nd his distance from the
G. court house, he was not able 10 get here at an