Maryland free press., 1866-12-20
The Arrest Of john IL. suratt.


Wehave already published The pi,h and poin
Of .te i.rio,nttic corrrs, ,,oudence il Relation TO
tue escape VI Juhi II. Suratt 20 Europe, and his
arrest in Ru.uc, wlithe he e.cLped 10 Ey, pt
where he War sulseq Iea,ly re-arrested. The
ioEsi "a news stated ih,l lae m..d wiiJ gave the
French Canadian, naiIel 81. Marie. liz was
iurmc,ly II Union soldier, and afterwards served
in The Papal Zousvcs. Both he and Suratt .it Is
a,;,1ed, were in love with the same lady in
i .,shiugton, and st. Marie betrayed. Suratt
through jealousy. The following is::sail TO be
the affidavit of st. Marie, Oh which Suratt was
fest arrested while serving as Papa! Zouayc.
al Was living iii Maryland, at Il smlIl VII
lage called EiltnGowan orLittlo Texas about
twenty-five or thirty miles from Baltimore, where
WIS engaged as teacher for a period Of about five
months. there and then got acquainted with
Lewis ]. Weichmal aud John II. Suratt, who
came 10 that locality to pay Wait TO the parish
l'!sst Al the first interview great deal was
said about the war aana slavery, the sentiments
expressed by these two individuals being more
chan seceasiorist. In the course of the CONVEX
s,tinu, remember Suratt to have said that Pres
!I'nt Lincoln would certainly pay for all The men
TIA; wero slain during the war. About q month
niisr removed TO Washington, at the ins tiga-
toa of WeicamaH, aad got II situation ss tutsr
-, where he WAS himself engaged Suratl
yisitel US weekly, AMI he at once offered to send
rls Svu.h, bat declined. did not remain
riore than month at Washington, not being
sol to agree with Weichmaa, and enlisted in
Ir army Of the North, stated in my first state
mcnt, ,ta.wyiting to General King. have met
Sarast in Italy, at II small towa cal,ei Yolletri
'e Is now kuowl under ths nane Of John Wat =
fon. recognized him before ho made himself
known ID me, and told him privately "You ar.
John Suratt the person laTe known In Mary
and He Acknowledged he was, :and' begged
u! nla TO keep the thing secret. After some con-
versation we spoke of the unfortunate aiisir of
the assassination Of President Lincoln, and these
were his words "Damn the Yankees theylavs
hiei my mother. But have done them as
'nnch harm as could. We have killed Lincoln
Tie nisgsrs' friena.' lie then said, speaking of
his mother, ''Ilad it not been fee me and that
coward Wcchn,an my motacr would Le living
now. 1t wss fear niade him speak; had he kep,
his. tongus,i there was no danger for him. But
ever return to America and. meet him clsewhars
shall kill him. He then said he Was in the SER
vice Of tho South, and Wechman, who wal. in
some department there used to steal copies of
the dispatches and forward them 10 him and
n:Acs TO Richmoal. Speaking of Tie murder
he said they had acted uHdsr the orders ef men
who are not yet known, some Of whom are still,
III New York and Others in Lsudon. am aware
that money is sent to him yet from London -
"heo left Canada, he said, had but little
money, but had letter for party in London.
WAS in disguise, W IN dyed hair and false beard
'hst party sent ME to hotel, where lie told me
TO re'nais;til would hear from him; after few
weeks ne came and proposed TO me to 20 10 Spain
but declined, aud asked togo TO Paris" lie
gave him seventy pounds, with letter of intro
aucIlon to ptrty there, who SO him Ierc %
Rome, where he joined the ZoEaves. lie saws he
can get money in r R,me at any time. I believe
he is protected by lhs clergy. and that the mur-
Ssr whs the result Of deep Laid plot, not oulv
against the life of President Lincoln, but agains,
tie existence Of the republic, as we are aware
tina. priesthood and royalty are, and ALWAYS
have been, opposed to liberty. That such mtn
as Sasatt, Booth, Wec.iman and others, should
OF tuir own accord, plan and execute the intern.
al plot which resulted in the death of Prc,den,
Lincoln, is impossible. There arc others behind
the Gut;sn who have to make these scoupdrc,s
act. have also asked him if he knew Jefferson
Davis. He sald not, Int that lie had acted ur.
"2r instructions of rersons under his immediate
orders. Being asked if JEFF Davis had nnytlins
10 do with the assassination, he said: 81 an
sot going to tell you" Ny impression is tha,
no brought the order from Richmond, as he wa;
in the habit ofgoiHg there weekly. lie mus
have wished the Others TO do il, for when III,
event took place ne told me he was in New Yorl
prepared to fly as soon as the deed was done
liS says he does not regret what has taken plac,
and that he will visit New York in q year or two
as there is heavy shipping firm there who hat
aach to do with the South, and he is surprised
i''at they have not been suspected. This is til,
exact truth of what know about Suratt. Nor
cold not learn, bein. afraid to awaken hi
suSpicions, ana further do not say.' T.
.