New-York tribune., 1866-12-06
JOHN n. SURRATT.

! Nearly eighteen months have passed since tue
death Of the principal consprators in the assassina-
ton of Abraham Lincoln, and still the plot remains
mystery bright theater-Death leaping on the
scene-a wounded man at bay in a Virginia barn, de-
fyng his pursuers and shot by the blunder Of sol
der-a sick mans bed and the assassin with his knife
at his throat-he secret consultations Of murderers,
coming and gong under various names and DISCUSSES
these are the figures in that terrible picture, IN
which. like those Of Rembrandt, vast shadows en-
shroud fierce and lurid light. The gallows with
! four oorpses, and one Of them a w0man-the Dry
Tortugas, where four convicts expiate in wretched
solitude their crimes quiet grave far away in Hi
nos-these are its companion pictures and yet there
is one more terrible II istha Of man flying from the
land where he was bo flying from the ayenger Death,
from the body Of his victim, from the corpse Of his
mother on the scafIol, seeking in vain to lose
himself in the great world, and to blot his name
from the memory Of man. This is John Harrison
Surratt Of whose equal guilt in the crime there is no
doubt aud by whom it believed, much that Is hidden
may be revealed.
The evidence taken before the Military Commission
in June 1865, proved John II suuau to be one OF
the principal conspraors. 1t was az the house OF his
mother that the meetings were held; up TO the week
Of the assassination be had been ourneyng between
Richmond and Montrcal; Booth his constant
comnanon; Mudd concealed him in the woods near
his house; Payne consulted with bm Azorodt con-
ssed that Surratt Induced him 70 join the conspiracy;
one Mott a Rebel when be 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 frat in the indictment. Had there
been any doubt Of his guilt his flight would have re-
moved IT, for though the PRINCIPALS were more
frequently seen up the Sd Of April on the afternoon
of the ath he was seen for The last time, booted and
spurred ready for his escape. From that time the
very existence Of John Surratt a mystery; 1t was
believed he was dead that be had revealed the
of his fellow consprators TO the Government and had
been allowed to escape; that be was secretly i'm
prisoned II was noted that no reward was offered
for his arrest. Yet, time passed on, John surratt
was forgotten, til the other day the startling
news that he had been arrested By the American
Consul. General in Egypt.
De Quincey, in illustration Of the vast empire and
power Of the Romans imagnes fugitive from the
vengeance Of the Emperor yainly seeking TO escape
his grasp North, South East or West, wherever the
wretched man may fly he treads within the circle Of
Rome, and her hand is raised above him; though he
hy to the uttermost parts Of the earth, Cesar will be
before him. In this age Justice is as hard to escape
The great criminal hides in vain in foreign lands,
changes his name DISCUSSES his person. Surratts
person was not very easy TO disguise 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. II is said that
he was recognized on a Liverpool steamer shortly
after the murder Then came the rumor that he was
serving as private soldier in the Pope's Guards at
Rome We know now that he had been a soldier in
the Papal Zouayes at Vero, and served under the
name OF John Watson. The fact became known TO
Mr. Rufus King, our Minister at Rome, who tele-
crapbed TO our Government and was instructed TO
secure his arrest Mr.. King conferred with Cardinal
Antonell who issued an order for his seizure. Sur
ratt was taken; he was imprisoned and on removal
from JAIL guarded By five soldiers, broke from their
hands Jumped it is said over precpce more than 100
feet high and escaped into the Italian territory. Mr.
Marsh our Minister at Florence, obtained teegraphic
instructions from the Italian 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 arrived too
late to detan him; another was sent TO Alexandria
and when surratt stepped upon the shores of Egypt
he was seized by the strong far-reaching arm of
America. United States detectives it is said, have
watched him since October. But long before this he
must have been overtaken by speedier, surer foe
Fear was ever at his back; from remorse he could
hardly escape for even if he could forget the crime he
had committed, how could be ever cease to see the
phantom of his mother on the gaowsl Coward all
the world believed him, since that day when he fled
and left her TO suffer- coward, it was said, she held
him and in her last moments refused to hear his
name.
There is true dramatic interest il this imperfect his