The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-07-15
THE CASE OF MIS-. sURRATT.
Ahidnvit Of Ir. John II. Brophy-The
Confession of Payne-Its Truth En-
dorsed by General Hartraun.

Iu our telegraphic column yesterday
appeared the substance of an affdavl,
made by Mr.. John P. Brophy, discredit'
ing the testimony of Weicbman, one OF
the witnesses i'll the conspiracy trial
| who boarded at Mrs Surratt's house In
Washington. and whose testimony lore
| particularly on her case. The point oi
one statement in the affidavit, TO the
effect that Weichman always was a
coward according to, the W" DIS OF his
| father was, it appears, To indicate that
he was frightened into giving the testI-
mony he did with the view of saving
himself Aportion of Brophy's affidavit
which is dated the 7th, the day of the
execution, and which was omitted in the
! telegram, is as follows:
That he (Weichman) told me since this
| trial closed that he was arrested as con-
spirator and threatened with death un-
less he would reveafall about the assassi-
nation-they alleging that he (Weich
man) knew all about 1t,
That he told me since the close OF the
trial that the detective who had him in
charge in Canada, was offered twenty
FIVE thousand dollars to bring him
(Weichman) back safely TO Washington;
that he stated to me since the trial closed,
that if Captain Gleason had not inform
ed on him they would never have got a
word out of him concerning the assassi-
nation: that since the trial closed he has
admitted to me that lie was liar; that
he swore to a falsehood on the witness
stand; tn at since the trial closed he told
ME he would rather be hoOted at as a spy
and informer, &c, and do anything than
be tried as a conspirator, and have all his
future hopes blasted; that other very
important facts in Mrs Surratts favor
can be brought to light if time be al
lowed
The Constitutional Union youches for
Mr.. Brophys lifelong character as being
without spot or blemish, and the notary
public, John F Callan, before whom the
affidavit was made, certiiies that the
affiant is respectable citizen aud worthy
of credit
The Constitutional Union also has the
following:
The CONFESSION OF LEWIS r. PAYNE AND
ExONoRATIoH OF MRS. sCRRATr.
On Thursday afternoon, July 9th Rev.
B. F. Wiget, Rev. j. d. Walter, Mr.. John
P. Brophy, and Miss Anna +. Surratt re-
ceived permission to visit Mrs Mary L.
Surratt, at her cell in the penitentary,
Mr.. Brophy, remembering that Payne
had declared Mrs. Surratt's innocence all
through the trial, urged Father Wiget
and Father Walter to visit Payne and
ask him whether she were guilty or not.
They did visit Payne, by permission, and
he told them openly that she was an in
nocent woman.
Friday morning, Father Walter sent
Mr. Brophy with letter to the Presi-
dent, containing Payne's statement, and
asking that little time be allowed Mrs.
Surratt to prove her innocence.
Father Walters letter was endorsed by
Gen. Hartrauft, who has had the prison.
ers in charge, and whose orders were to
carry out the execution. Gen. Hartrauft
wrote in substance as follows to the
President short time before the execu-
ton
THE prisoner Payne has just told me
that Mrs. Surratt is entirely innocent of
the assassination Of President Lincoln,
and of any knowledge thereof. He also
states that she had no knowledge what
ever of the abduction plot, that nothing
was ever said to her about it, and that
her name was never mentioned by the
parties connected Herewith
At the close Of the letter which Gen.
Hartrauft wrote to the President he
(Gen. Hartrauft) said: Il believe that
Payne has told the truth in this matter"
He then signed his name, rank, &c,
and very kindly and humanely furnished
Mr.. Brophy with two of his best horses,
in order that he might arrive at the
Presidents in time for reprieve At
the White House Mr. Brophy met Mrs.
Douglas, wife of Senator Douglas, who
united her exertions with those Of many
other distinguished persons who had
come to ask even a short respite for a
woman whom they believed to be inno-
cent All efforts proved fruitess, how
GNtl. uC 1iNil obu
Mr.. Seward, were inexorable The wo.
wan must die, and not minnie should
she have beyond the appointed.
MRS. sURRATT's LAST MOMENTS.
So many contradictory and false &C
counts have been published concerning
Mrs Surratt's last moments, that we feel
compelled to furnish the public with
true version To ali she declared herself
innocent The parting of daughter and
mother was agonizing in the extreme.
Mr.. Holchan next took leave, and after
him, Mr.. Brophy bade her adieu On the
scaffold she said to her spiritual attend
ants, Shall l say anything7" Father
Walter asked: What do you wish to
say, Mrs. Surratt}' Che replied: II
wish to say to the people that I am in
nocent" Father Walter told her it
would be useless to do so now. She
said: Il am innocent; but Gods holy
will be donei'