The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-07-27
Jhs Norfolk 9ost.
THURSDAY, JULY q, 1865.
MRS. SURRATT.
Card from the Principal Witness giving
Further Testimony Of Guilt.

-A~~~~~~-~.~-
The testimony of Mr.. j. L. WEIGH
mann, the principal witness for the pros
ecution against Mrs. Surratt, having
been questioned, and doubt sought to be
cast upon it by the publication ola state,
ment from one John T. Brophy, WEIGH
Mann replies, and gives lis the following
additional interesting particulars of Mrs.
Surratt's connection with Booth. WEIGH
| mann, it will be recollected, was clerk
in one of the departments at Washing
ton, boarded at Mrs. Surratt's house and
was an intimate friend of the family.
We will omit his reply to Brophy's |
charges, which are sufficient to clear him |
Of every imputation of anything dis
honorable, and will give the additional |
and thrilling particulars of the night of |
| the murder. He says
Much has been said and much has |
been written about Mrs Surratt's inno-
cence. Sensation paragraphs are being
scattered throughoutthec country, ridicul- |
ing our own times, accusing IL of a want
of Difference and respect to the female
sex, and recalling us tothe days ofknight-
erfantry, when woman was respected sin
court, and camp, and journey, and ban
quet hail. The United States govern
ment itself is assailed, and charged with
having murdered all innocent woman.
That woman so kind, so compassion
ate, SO generous and SO religious, should
have been cognizant of plots to capture
| or assassinate the President of the Uni
ted States, is hardly to be believed. Yet
it is strangely true. Her own actions
and words, for weeks prior to the assas.
| sination, and even on the 14th OF April
itself, leave very little doubt in my mind
| but that she was guilty. But guilty TO
what extent do not know.
She may possibly have been cognizant
only of the capture and of the parties
concerned i'll it. Yeteven that deserved
death. 1t was reasonable and criminal
to lay hands on the person of the Presi-
dent in aid Of the enemy, and as such it
ought to be punished.
Mrs. Surratt is to be much blamed.
She should have exercised woman's
| influence and mothers love, and then
she could have prevented all. But no;
she was too much infatuated. She loved
the South too much. None can regret
her untimely end more than yet none
can detest her crimes more than do.
Particles OF conversation which We're
once intended to blind me, and which
had u certain air of mystery about them,
now co me back in their dread reality,
with peculiar and awful significance.
Before the 4th of March. Mrs. Surratt was
continually remarking toevery body that
: something was goingto happento "Old
Abe" which would prevent him from
taking his seat, because Gen Lee wasgo-
ing ito make a movement which would
startle the whole world.n This appear
ed in the papers, and notice was taken
of it. The 4th of March came and
went President Lincoln was inaugu-
rated, but General Lee did not execute
his movement What that "move-
ment' was l do not know. A short
time after asked her why John brought
such men as Harold and Atzerot into
the house? "Oh, John wishes to
make use of them for his dirty work, "
the "dirtyn work was. She said, "John
wants them to clean his horses lie
had two at that time.
When Richmond fell, and Lees army
surrendered, when Washington was in
blaze of glory, and all hearts beat high
with Joy, Mrs. Surratt wept and closed
her house. When the illumination took
place her home remained dark and ST.
lent, without one single ray of light at
the windows to denote gladness. Gloomy
and forlorn it then was. To use her own
EXPRESSION, it was indicative of her
own feelings But, oh! gloom and
horror now invests it blacker than the
Furies themselves.
On Good Friday drove her into the
country ignorant of her purposes and
intentions. Holiday had been granted
to all the clerks in the department, by
the Secretary of War. We started at
half-past two. Before leaving she had
an interview with John Wilkes Booth
} in the parlor, and, no doubt, she then
received from him the field-glass which
she gave to Lloyd.
On the way down she was very lively
and cheerful, taking the reins i'll her
own hands several times and urging on
the steed. We halted once, and that
was about three miles from Washing
ton, when, observing that there were
pickets along the road, she hailed all old
farmer, and wanted to know II they
could remain there all night. On being
i told that they were withdrawn at about
8 o'clock in the evening, she saidshe was
glad to know it.
On our return I CHANGED to make
: some remark about Booth, stating that
/ he appeared to he without employment,
and asking her when he was going toact
again. 4" Booth is not acting" she said,
"and heis going to New York very soon,
never to return.H
; Then turning round, she remarked,
Yes, and Booth is crazy on one sub
ject,H and, +" am going to give him 4
good scolding the next time see him.
What that Zone subject was Mrs. Sur
raft never said. The people can judge
for themselves.
She was very anxious to be at home at
nine o'clock, saying she had an engage
ment with some gentleman, who was to
meet her at that hour. | asked her II II
was Booth. She answered neither yes
nor no.
When about a mile from the city, on
our return, and having from the top OF q
hill caught a viewof Washington swim
n ming in flood of light and glory, rails.
ing her hands, she said, 81 am afraid
ali this rejoicing will be turned into
mourning, all this glory to sadness
. asked her what she meant. She replied
that after sunshine there was always 4
l. storm, and that the people We're to-
proud and licentious, and that God woult
nun;Sh tham Tie gentleman whom