Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1865-07-27

Letter From New York.
New YonK, July 18th, 1865


New YORK, July 18th, 1865.
FRIEND HLDRErH Those shameless
political hacks, who arrogate to them
selves the exclusive title Of" Demo-
Gratis" are just at this time on the
rampage over the hanging of the four
assassins of Abraham Lincoln. Sub
tile arguments, hair-splitting theories
of court Jurisdiction, brazen appeals
to the passions, church prejudices of
Catholics, sudden gallantry for the
fair sex by violent denunciations of
U. S. soldiers, charging them with be-
ing degraded to the mental Office of
hangmcs of women, partisan ,vitupera-
tion, unblushing falsehood in stating
the facts against the culprits-these
are measures adopted by the unwhip-
ped and unhung copperhead leaders,
to cast odium upon the administration
for bringing up to punishment with a
Jacksonian snap the brutal murder
ers of the late President. ..-
Read what their organs say on the
execution: The New York Ne,ns
speaks Of the execution Of the assas-
sins as "a murder by military COM
missions" The New York World de-
clares that the evidence against Mrs.
Surratt was by no means conclusive"
The Journal of Commerce says, it is
a melancholy fact that the community
at large have no confidence in the re-
suit of the trial, nor can we conscien-
tiously advise such confidence" The
Rochester Union denounces the &C
ton of the packed pliable star cham
Der court" The Buffalo Courier says,
"the act was crime against the Re-
public" Thus | might quote almost
without end from the so-called Demo
cratic journals. .....' ......
have examined over fifty of this
kind of papers to ascertain if there
could be found in them one open,
hearty expression of satisfaction that
the assassins had met with righteous
summary justice. But l looked in
vain. Three of the assassins confess
ed their guilt in the conspiracy.
Then, three clearly are guilty and
in view of the efforts to create sympa-
thy for Mrs. Surratt, by alleging her
innocence and thereby stir up opposi-
ton to the Government, it would be
we'll to reprint the evidence against
her, resume of which | herewith en-
close you, and trust you have room in
your columns for its publication:
The principal witnesses against Mrs. Sur
RAFT were John M. Lloyd, the keeper of the
Surrattsville tavern, and Louis Weichman.
About six weeks before the assassination Lloyd
. testified that Harold, Atzerodt, and John III
Surratt came to Lloyd's tavern at Surratts.
vile, bringing with them two Spencer car
; bines, formidable seven-shooting RIFLES, also
ammunition and rope. Surratt wished the
witness to conceal these weapons, and he him
self showed Lloyd where to conceal them, be-
tween the joists of the second floor.
On Monday preceding the Friday of the
murder, Wechman was sent by Mrs. Surratt
to Booth, TO obtain from him the use of his
horse and buggy. Booth had sold the buggy
l but gave Weichman ten dollars with which
to hire one for Mrs. Surratt He did so, anC
drove her 10 Surattsville, to Lloyd's tavern
Wha. took place there is not fully known
On the afternoon of the fourteenth, the day o
the assassin alton, Wechman again drove Mrs
Surratt to Lloyd's tavern, Booth having had
: conference with her q few minutes before
!, she left. Weichman testifes that, on that
occasion, she took with her two parcels. LLOYD
testifies that these parcels contained a field
glass and two bottles of whisky, and that in
her conference with him, she desired him tC
have " those shooting-irons ready for partie:
who would call that night
It was afterward known in Washington that
other facts had come to light as conclusive a
any which came out upon the stand, implica
ting Mrs Surratt in these deeds OF death
During the ride to Surrattsville, on the eve
ming of the 14th, she inquired of person
who lived on the road if the pickets remained
, out all night, and on being told that they
were called in at eight o'clock, replied that
, the l4th of April she was pacing her sitting
room, counting her beads, in state of highly
, nervous excitement A torchlight procession
was parading the city, in celebration of the
national victories she inquired of Weichman
the direction the procession was taking, re.
marking that she had great interest in that
procession. She desired Weichman and heI
daughter Miss Surratt, also Miss Fitzpatrick,
to ''pray for her intentions" These young
II rAsca will th..sy
talking and laughter, and she excitedly babe
all Of them leave the room. Before this some
one came to the house and rang the bell. Mrs.
Surratt answered at the door. 1t was after
, ward known that the person who called was
j. Wilkes Booth, who doubtless came to in
quire the result of her visit to Lloyd's tavern,
: and to ascertain if the arrangements made
were such that he might rely upon them.
f The fact that Lloyd had the " shooting
irons " ready, in obedience to Mrs. Surratt s
instructions, and that Booth and Harold, in
their fight after their guilty deed, did call at
Lloyd's tavern and obtained one of the two
carbines, Booth confessing his inability from
his wound to carry the other, leaves no ques-
ton as to Mrs Surratts guilty knowledge OF
the participation in the conspiracy.
Another proof of the guilt of this woman is
circumstantially furnished in the return OF
Payne to her house ms to a place Of refuge. af-
ter three days and nights OF skulking before
the pursuing officers of justice. The Surratt
House was taken possession OF by military
guard. They had not occupied it an hour,
when ring at the door was heard. 1t was
answered by an officer. man stood at the
door, having dirty hands and soiled garments,
pick upon his shoulder, and upon his head,
for a cap, what afterward proved to be sleeve
cut from his wooden shirt.
Finding himself entgapped, lac protested to
account for his visit at 80 unreasonable an
hour by stating that Inc had come to dig a
drain for Mrs. Surratt. In answer to the 9TH
or inquiries, he said he was laboring man
, that he had no money and accounted for
his dirty appearance by saying that he had to
sleep in the trenches around Washington.
The discovery of $50 bill, a toothbrush, a
pocket compa IS, jar of pomade, a pocket
dictionary, and other articles which laboring
men do not usually carry, was deemed suffi
! GENTLY suspicious to detain him. Mrs. Sur
raft was asked II she knew him, and she sol
EMMY appealed to her God that she had new
er seen him before. This man was Lewis
Payne, the assassin of Secretary Seward.
So much for the case against Mrs.
Surratt.
Ii old time honored democracy