Smyrna times., 1866-12-12
John H. Surratt.

ANOoAAy SASAOOSh nave DdSSeQ SlUC6 |
the death OF the principal conspiratOrs in the |
assassination of Abraham Lincoln, and still the |
plot remains mystery. \ bright theater-
Death leaping on the scenc-a wounded man
at bay IN Virginia barn, defying his pursu-
ers, and shot by the blunder of a soldier-a
sick mans bed, and the assassin with his knife
at his thr0at-the secret consultations OF muir
derers, coming and going under various names
and dlsguises-theSe are the figures in that
terrible picture, in which, like those of Rem
brandt vast shadows enshrOud a fierce and lu-
rid light. The gallOws, with four corpses, and
one OF them wOman-the Dry Tortugas,
where four convlcts expiate in wretched soli-
tude their crlmes-a quiet grave far away in
Illlnols-these are its companion pictures, and
yet there Is one more terrible. 1t is that of a
man flying from the land where he was born; fly
ing from the ayenger Death, from the body Ofhis
victim, from the corpse of his mother on the
scafOld, seeking in vain to lose himself in the
great world, and to blot his name from the
memory OF man. This is John Harrison Sur
ratt, of whose equal guilt in the crime there is
no doubt, and by whom, it is believed, much
that is hidden may be revealed
The evidence taken before the Military Com
mission In June, 1865, proved John ii. Sur
rat to be one ct the principal conspiratOrs. 1t
was at the house OF his mother that the meet
lngs were held up to the week of the aSsassi-
nation he had been jOurneying between Rich
mond and Montreal Booth was his constant
companion; Mudd concealed him in the woods
near his house; Payne consulted with him
Atzerodt confessed that Surratt induced him
to join the conspiracy; one Mott, a Rebel,
when he heard of the murder, it was sworn,
exclaimed, My God John Surratt knew all
about this, and do you suppose he is going to
stay IN Washington and let them catch him?"
his name was the first in the Indictment. Had
there been any doubt of his guilt his flight
would have removed it, for though none of the
principals were more frequently seen up to the
I'd Of April, on the afternoon of the l4th he
was seen for the last time, booted and spurred,
ready for his escape From that time the very
existence of John II. Surratt was a mystery :;
it was believed he was dead; that he had re-
vealed the names of his fellow w-conspirators to
the Government, and had been allowed to es-
cape; that he was secretly imprisoned. 1t was
noted that no reward was offered for his arrest
Yet, as time passed on, John Surratt was for
COTTON, till the other day came the startling
news that he had been arrested by the Ameri-
can Consul-General in Egypt.
Surratt person was not very easy to dis
gulse. A tall man, with prominent forehead
and very large nose, with deeply sunken eyes
and long black hair. Thus he was described
at the trial.
Of his wanderings, little is known. 1t is
said he was recognized on Liverpool steam
er shortly after the murder. Then came the
rumOr that he was serving as a private soldier
in POpe's Guards at Rome. We know now
that he had been soldier in the Papal Zou-
aves at Veroli, and served under the name of
John Watson. The fact became known to Mr..
Rufus King, our Minister at Rome, who tele-
graphed to the Government, and was instruct
ed to secure his arrest. Mr.. King conferred
with Cardinal Antonelli, who issued an order
for his seizure. Surratt was taken; he was
imprisoned; and on removal from jail, guard
ed by five soldiers, broke from their hands,
jumped, it is said, over a precipice more than
100 feet high, and escaped into the Italian ter
ritOry. Mr.. Marsh, our Minister at Florence,
obtained telegraphc instructions from the Ital-
ian Government to have all the seaports Of
Italy watched to prevent his escape. He was
soon supposed to have embarked in steamer
for Malta, and dispatch to that island arriv.
ed too late to detain him another was sent tC
Alexandria, and when Surratt stepped upon
the shores Of Egypt, hi, was seized by the
strong, far-reachlng arm of America. United
States detectives, It is said, have watched hin
since October. But long before this he mus
have been overtaken by speedier, surer-foe
Fear was ever at his back; from remorse hC
could hardly escape, for even if be could for
get the crime he had committed, how could he
ever cease to see the phantom of his mother
on the gallows? Coward all the world believ
cd him, since that day when he fed and left
her to suffer; coward, it is said, she held
him, and in her last moments refused to hea
his name.
There is true dramatic interest in this imper
feet history. The escape and pursuit of nj
other criminal in this century has so much Il
excite the imagination. No man, it is posi-
Bile, not even Booth, worked harder to accom-
plish the murder; and deeper interest is Civ
en- to his share in the conspiracy by his tre
quent journeys to Richmond. Upon Surratt'
, presumed connection with the Rebel Govern
ment, Andrew johnson charged Jefferson Da
, Wis with completely in the assassination. Nov
revelations are expected from the trial; tn
public may bedisappOinted in that, yet if Johl
Surratt could be induced to confess, before tn
death which is almost certain to be his fate
there is no reasonable doubt but that he Nigh
tell the whole story of Lincoln's assassination
from the beginning to the end.--M T. Tr
blae.
The TUNNEL AND THE BRIDGE.-The Yves
is at present in great excitement about th
: completion of two enterprises Of large magn
tude-the Chicago tunnel and the Cincinna
4 bridge. The last shovelful Of earth havin
been removed on Friday week, the tunnel
q