Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1865-07-10
The Bodies OF Mrs. snrratt sud 9Th ers
spail In their Graves.

NEW YORK, S.-Ihe Posts Washington
SPECIAL says the bodies OF Mrs Surratt, Payne,
A zerott and Harold still remain In the graves
TO which they we're consigned yesterday. The
graves are guarded by senGnes.
The military authorities had not decided,
this morning, whether or not the remains
should be delivered to their friends
Mndd, o Laugnn, Arnold and Spanger
will be taken to the Penitentiary, ut A AIbany,
on Monday.
The health Of the President is much better.
He attended along session ofthe Cabinet last
evening Secretary Seward was also present
The Times account of the execution says
Harold made a atement yestsrd, y 10 tne ell
lect that in the original plot his part was to
shut off the gas IN the theater, ana he had
rehearsed his part with Booth; alterward,
however, he was required only to be ia wait
log near the Navy-yard Bridge, TO assist
Booth in hts escape.
Payne the night before the execution, said
that, so tar as he knew, Mrs Surratt had moth
ing to do with the assassination plot
The Worlds account OF the execution says:
TWAS with u shudder saw the officer gather
ropes tightly three times around the robes oil
Mrs SurrAtt, binding her ankles with cords
She half lhted aud sank backward but ut.
together, stood straight, and braced himself
30 stoutly that it prevented the breaking ci
his neck Harold stood beneath the drop
whlmp.rng, and Alzerott in groveling attl-
tude. The rest sa d nothing, except Mrs
Surratt, who asked to be supported, that she
might not iall
Harold protested against the knot by
which be Was to be dislocated, being double
All mechaHca proportions we're clumsy and
insrlisuc, aud the final scenes OF the execu
ton were revolving When the death caps
were all dtawp over the faces olthe prisoners,
aud they stood ia n line in awful suspense
between absolute life and speedy DEATH with
y man al the neck OF each adjusting cord, the
knot beneath the ears Of each protruded five
or SIX inches, and the cord WAS so thick it
could not be made 10 press tightly against the
flesh
The officer on the platform before men,
toned went back and signaled the execution
ers Great beams were darted against the
props, and simultaneously two traps fell and
four bodies dropped The spectators took
a little rush forward. Mrs SurralLs neck
was broken Immediately She scarcely drew
a breath. Her short figure, with skirts ooped
up closely, merely dangled in vibration.
Payne died a horrible death. The knot
slipped to the back Of his neck, and bent bis
head forward on his breast, so hat he strang-
led, as he drew his deep chest almost to his
chin, and his knees contracted till they
almost seemed to touch bis abdomen. The
veins 10 his great wrists were like whip.
cords, and expanded to twice their natural
dimensions, and his huge neck grew almost
black with the dark blood that rushed ia
Good 10 the ope. For long while he sway.
ed, ard twisted, and struggled, till nature
ceased her rebellion. .4 II
Harold also passed through some strug-
giles. il is doubtful if his neck was broken.
Azerott died easily
The Hersld's Washington special ssys;
The sisters OF Harold visited the arsenal
this afternoon, and obtained the clothing and
other effects OF their brother
The gallows remaius precisely as II was
after the execution, with the exception that
the rope and nooses have been removed, and
one OF the props that uphold The drop upon
which Mrs, Surrstt and Payne stood, has
been seized by curloslty-huhters, aud cut up
Tor relics.
Various persons have visited the arsenal,
hoplng;to OBTAIN some sOupeniers Of the execu-
ton Of yesterday but very few we're procured.
Captain Roth, Of General Harttaufs staff
to whom was charged the duty OF constfuc
ting The gailows,S arranging ard carrying out
the order OF the routine, says that three days
ago Payne pitched a game Of qnoits with
Spangltr a lew feet in front OF where the
scaffoid stands The same ohiorr also re-
marked that at the moment OF giving the
signal for sprlngipg The drop, ,Aizerott, who had
an idea that be was to be swuGg on at the
end Of the platform instead OF falling with the
tran IN uhirh he afnnd afaa in tha .ct = stau