The Portland daily press., 1865-05-27

g
| be supposed a flt receptacle for him, though
/ we are far from asserting positively that thai
would be suitable home for him, unless be
were subject to solitary confinement. Some
1 OF the rest of this precious family went tic
Texas and bought large drove OF cattle with
| some of this counterfeit money, and drove the
cattle to Vicksburg and sold them, One OF
this twain is the one who was hung al
1 Natehez. D
i The assassin Payne probably found the con,
federacy too hot for him, and when those
twin-bo captains, &C. Clay, Jake Thomp
on, Beverly Tucker, George N. Sanders,
Cleary, and the rest of the commissioners ol
JEFF. Davis, in Canada, were organizing a
scheme OF assassination, they were probably
embarrassed with their riches In suitable ma.
terial.
The reader will remember that when these
precious scoundrels, Jake Thompson, C. C.
Clay, George N. Sanders, and the rest of Da-
vis's gang, were organizing devastations upon
Detroit, the two Paynes were chosen irsiru-
ments. The gang, were companions, as OF
congeniality they should have been, in Cana
da, colony OF the Southern Confederacy,'
the palladium of Southern treason, where
crimes of rebels are held to even less accom-
liability than in the home of the treason =
Payne was selected by the Canadian plotters
% q VI uobJ eOpi III llc u1flitu6Ab dScdcclLln
tion. These facts are conclusive as to the
completely OF the Confederate demons in Can
ada in the conspiracy OF assassination. Payne
went on to play his part in the work on the
4th Of March, but as the scheme was post
poned, be found his way to the house OF Mrs.
Surratt, the she; devil of the concern. At her
house he passed under the name of Wood,
whether Ben or Fernando, we do not know.
After his failure TO assassinate Secretary
De- l.
provided for him, but found some trouble In
attempting TO hurry through the city because
the population OF Washington was in the
streets by the time be got under way. And
when he worked himself to point where he
supposed il was sale TO hurry, and commenc-
ed that part OF his game, his horse fell
and pitched him headlong in the road !
When be recovered his senses, he crept from
the road and attempted 10 disguise himself.
His hat was gone, and he made an impromptu
cap Of one of the sleeves OF bis flannel i lirt,
smeared himself with dirt, stcle pick from
the Washington fortihcations, and headed for
the house 0. his friend and coadjutor, Mrs.
Surratt, where presented himself 4as day-
laborer. He walked into trap that had not
been baited for him. When be arrived detec-
lives were in the house arresling Madam Sur
raits sud upon being asked for some account
Of himself, he did not possess ingenuity
enough to flake q plausible lie.s He said he
had come to, dig trench for Mrs. Surratt.
which that amiable lady denied. The applicat
tion of water TO bis face and hands soon re-
veaIed the fact that an important capture had
been mades and upon being confronted with
some OF the persons who met him at Mr.. Sew
ards house, be was recognized as the assas-
sin. s. .s ,.i -as sl KS ,ss-s, ~
b When placed in prison, his past and future
loomed up before him, crowded with herrid
spectres, and to rid the eyes ofhis thoughtsfrom
their startling forms, he attempted to- beat
out his brains against the walls OF his prison.
How grandiy do the ringing uttsrances of
Daniel Webster, In referring to Richard
Crowningshield, the hired murderer Of Captain
Joseph White, startup In memory, as we look
at, this scene. Payne felt himself safe in
Washington. He was unknown, except to
the assassins confederated with him, confed-
Grated in double sense, and he had nothing
to fear from them. When bsffied in his flight,
his return to Washing gton shows how small an
amount OF sense his crime had left him. In
the language Of Webster to which we have
referred: 81 y 4ie8 gar4 safsss gIsglha NV
The secret which the murderer possesses
soon comes to possess him; and like the evil
"spirits OF which we read, it overcomes him,
"and leads him WhithersoeVer it will. aHefeels
1T beating at his heart, rising to his throat
sand demanding disclosure. He thinks the
"whole world sees it in his face, reads it in his
eyes, and almost hears its workings in the
Every silence Of his thoughts. IT has become
'his master 1t betrays his discretion. it
"breaks down bis courage, II conquers his pru-
"denee. WhensuGpi pieions from Without begin
''t0 embarrass him, and the net of crcum-
stances TO entangle him, the fatal secret
struggles with still greater violence TO burst
sforth. II must be confessed, it will be CON