Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1865-07-08
I s.! |

wAsslssser. July 7.-An ~ ss&de.n-
"a conspifator6 ssntsnced 70 b hangsd 70
DAY. were executed.
% peaitlon Of Mary E. Snrfett, through
her counsel, Messrs. Aiken L Campbell,
Judge WyIs Of Ne Supreme Court Of this
District, instructed N issue Of > writ Of
habeas corpus to Gen. Hancock, command
ing him to produce in court ct 10 o'clock
this morning the body Of Mary E. Surratt,
With cause of detention. The writ Was
served on Ger. Hancock At the Military Ho
tel At 8 o'clock this .. m, by U. $. Marshal
Gooding. He having consulted with the
Atty General and Sec'y Of War. At 1890
the General had not obsyed the writ This
fact was brought to the notice Of the court
by her counsel, the Judge said he had pow
Of 70 enforce the writ early to day.
Guards were placed all round the arsenal
grounds to prevent the intrusion of persons
to the scene Of execution, no one being ad-
United excepting those previously supplied
with tickets by Maj. Gen. Hancock.
The relatives Of Mrs. NJ L. Surratt and
Harold, spent several hours with them dur
ing the forenoon, and they were also attend
ed BY their spiritual advisers, as were also
Payne and Atzerott
A few minutes after o'clock the outer
prison door was opened and Mrs. Surratt was
supported on her way to the gallows by two
military officers.
Next followed Atzerott, Harold and
Payne, accompanied by . guard and their
respective ministers Of the gospel. Front
seats we're provided for them on the platform
in the following order:
Mrs. Surralt, Payne, Harold and Atzerott.
The officers entrusted with the execution
and the ministers occupied the intermediate
| position.
Maj. Gen. Hartyaupt who has been from
the commencement in charge Of the prison
ers, came forward and read the IdeT OF the
War Department already published, approx
ing their sentences, and ordering the penal
ty Of death to be inflicted.
A heavy guard Was stationed on the walls
surrounding the grounds, while below sol
diers were tined on two sides Of square.
Several hundred civilians were present
anxious spectators Of the solemn scene.
| One Of the Priests attendant on Mrs. Sur
raft repeated . short prayer, to which
Payne, who was seated next to her, atten-
lively listened:
The minister who had been attending
| Payne, expressed in the name Of the latter
his sincere thanks to Gen. Hartrt ust and Tie
officers and soldiers who had charge Of him,
for their personal kindness. They had not
uttered an unkind word, nor gave an impl-
pudent look or gesture, but seemed to com
passionate his misfortune. The minister
then uttered brief pra, er, asking for
Payne the forgiveness Of all his sins and a
passage out Of this world into the Joys Of
heaven.
| The minister who attended Harold also
returned thanks for the kind treatment Of
the prisoner, aud offered a prayer that God
would receive his soul. Harold was affect.
| ed TO tears
The minister who attended Atzerott, also
did the same, and then invoked the mercy
Of God upon the prisoner.
The condemned were then required to
rise from their seats when the chairs were
removed they were all on the drop, their
hands were fastened behind them, and their
legs bandaged both below and above the
knees, and white cap placed over their
heads.
Atzerott while being prepared exclaimed,
Gentlemen, faremeil, take care and good
bye gentlemen now before me.
One Of the clergymen standing near ex-
claimcd-may We all meet in the other
world
As soon as the moose was put around
each neck, Mrs Surratt being the last one,
adjusted the section Of the platform on which
they had been standing suddenly fell, and
the culprits we're hanging several feet IRON
the GROUND. Mrs. Surratt and Payne scarce
ly moved, Atzerott exhibited some twich
ing but Harold showed more nervous sen
sibility than any Of the others. The bodi.
hanged until life was extinct, and were al
forwards given over for burial.