Maryland free press., 1866-12-20
The Arrest of JOhn IL. Suratt.

WeIase already published the ttli and poin
Of The diplomatic currrspoudence il rciai.ou to
tue escapv vi John II. Suratt 10 Europe, and his
srres, IN iiu.ue, wthei he e.cLped 10 Eg, pit
where he War sul,seq Iehly re-Arrested. The
foreign news stated ihat lae mlh who gave the
information whi. le to tile arrest OF Sur.tt isa
French Canadian, naIe.l 81 Marie. lie was
fIrmcrly II Union soldier, and afterwards served
in The PIpd Iousves. Both he and Suratt .it is
;.itged were in love with the snme lady in
Washington, and st. Marie betrayed Suratt
through jealousy. The following is.sail TO be
the affidavit FIST. Marie, on which Suratt WAS
first arrested while serving as Papal Zouayc.
al was living in Maryland, at smlil VII
lage called Eltngowan, orLiuls Texas, about
twenty-five or thirty miles from Baltimore, where
WIS engaged us teacher for period Of about five
months. there and then got acquainted with
Lewis J. Weicliman aud John II. Suratt, who
came 10 that locality 10 pay Wait to the parish
PRIEST. At the first interview great deal was
said about the war aauA slavery the sentiments
expressed by these two individuals being more
IAin secessionist. In the course of the CONVEX
s1."n, remember Suratt to have said hat Pres
:icnt Lincoln would certainly pay for all the men
TIA; werc slain during the war. About month,
AFTER removed TO Washington, at the ins tiga-
tioa OF Weicanaa, aRd got ii situation rs tuter
-, where he MAS himself engaged. Sura.l
ysiterl Us weekly, AMI he at once offered to sead
r's Sub, batI declinel. did not remain
Eore than month at Washington not being.
sol to agree with Weichmaa, and enlisted in
.d" army Of the North, as stated in my first state
mcnt :ia.wyiting TO General King. haze me,
Sarat in ltAy, at II small towa caiel Yollctri
&c is now known under ths name OF John Wat
fon. recognized him before he 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
.! nus TO keep the thing secret. After some con-
versatlon we spoke Of the unfortunate affair of
tIe assassination of President Lincoln, and these
were kis words. "Dlmn the Yankees they:haye
hi'iei my mother. But have done them as
much harm as could. We have killed Lincoln
II" niggsrs' lriena.' lie thea said, speaking of
his mother, 'liad il not been fee me and that
coward Weichman my motacr would, bc living
now. 1t wss fear nlade him speak; had he Kept
his. tongue, there WAS no danger for him. But II
ever return to America and meet him else hare
Shail Kill him. He then said he WAS in the SER
vice Of tha South, and Wechman, who wal. in
some department there used to steal copies of
the dispatches and forward them 10 him and
n:ncs TO Rio!Moal. Speaking of TIE murder
he said they had acted uHdsr the orders sf men
who are not yet known, some Of whom are still,
iii New York and Others in London. am aware
that money is sent to him yet from London -
"heo left Canada, he said, hal but little
money, but had letter for a party in Londo,
WAS in disguise, W III dyed hair aad false beard
that party sent ME to N hotel, where lie told me
TO re'psiA:till would hear from him: after n few
weeks ne came and proposed 10 me to 20 10 Spair
cut declined, aud asked: togo to Paris He
gave him seventy pounds, with a letter of intro
ducIion to party there, who seit him berc n
Rome, where he joined the Zoraves. lie saws he
c"nget money in Rome at any time. 1 believe
he is protected by tie clergy, and THAT the nur-
DOR wis the result of Il deep laid plot, not oulv
sssinst the life of President Lincoln, but against
the existence of the republic, as we are aware
tina. priesthood and royalty are, and ALWAYS
have been, opposed to liberty. That such mtu
as Satttt, Booth, Weic.iman and others, should
OF tn'ir own accord, plan and execute the intern
al plot which resulted in the death of Prc,iden,
Lincoln, is impossible. nhere arc others behind
the sui;sin who have to make these scousdrc,s
act. have also asked him if he knew Jefferson
Davis. He SAID not Int that he had acted ur-
"2r Instructions of rergons under his immediate
orders. Being asked if JEFF Dsris had ANYTHING
10 do with the assassination, he said: 81 am
sot going to tell YOU" Ny impression is tIa,
no brought the order from Richmond, as he was
IN the habit ofgoing there weekly. lie mus,
have wished the Others TO do it., for when tho
event took place ne told me he was in New York
prepared to fly rs soon as the deed WAS done
liS says he does not regret what has taken place
and that he will visit New York in year or two
as there is heavy shipping firm there who had
opch to do with the South, and he is SURPRISED
;.'at they have not been suspected This is the
exact truth of what know about Surstt. Nor,
{! cold not learn, bein. afraid to awaken hi:
snSpcions, ana further do not say"