The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-07-03
THE SURE ATE TRIAL.
WASHINGTON, July

WASHINGTON, July ..
The trial of Surratt was resumed to-day.
Dr. Mcmillan was recalled and testified that
Surratt told him that he was III Montreal on
the first day OF the week of the assassination,
and that he Was summoned to w ashington by
Booth by letter; Surratt also told me day or
two after the ASSASSINATION that he was at st.
Adams, aud the train being late he strolied
through the town and went to the hotel .or
break i.sl; while sitting at the pubic table he
saw great deal OF excitement among those
sitting at il; that he asked his neighbor what
al the excitement was about, and his neighbor
said, Don't you know that President Lincoln
has been assass. mated; The prisoner said, 'tht
story is too good 70 he true; the man then
showed him the paper, and the prisoner saw
his own name mentioned, and that was the
last of his breakfast that morning; he left the
table, and at that moment a man came in and
said Surratt's handkerchief had been found
the prisoner felt tor his handkerchief anu
found he had lost 1t, and he then made himself
scarce; ne went to Canada and stopped at the
house OF Mi. Porterheld, a Confederate agent,
and staid there until the detectives search fol
him admonished him to leave; Surratt descriD-
ed to mt how no got away from MT. forter-
fields; two carriages were brought to the
house. and Surratt placed IN one and a man
dressed like him in another, and they were
driven in different directions; Surratt said he
was driven to the loot Of the Island of Mon
was piloted by boy TO a small town called ST.
Laboise; lac SJaid there some tvs weeks in the
house OF a person named Charles Bouse; he
told me one day the priest being absent he
was lying on sofa in the priests best room,
and between the bed room and the sitting
room there was place for a,stove, and under
the stove Was a trap door, and one OF the fe-
male servants being DESTROYS of seeing who
the priest was concealing, put her head above
the trap door and Surratt frightened her
OFT. A lumor then got out that the priest
Was keeping woman in his room
and the priest then told Surratt that le
could conceal him no longer and tnat
Surratt went to Montreal and was concealed
by Priest L3pierre for four months in a dark
room, and he never left it except late at night
10 take stroll ON snipboard; the prisoners
appearance and conduct was genIiemanly, but
he was very nervous, especially when any one
would come behind him; on the evening be-
fore landing at Londonderry, between II and
Ii o'clock, was called out and passed the
prisoner standing on what is called the after
square; he WAS ali dressed ready to 20 ashore !;
he had previously asked my advice about land
aug, and would give him no advice, and he
SAID he would go on to Liverpool; l was sur
prlsed to see All apparent intention of landing
ut Londonderry; after some conversation told
the prisoner he had been telling me good
DEAL ana expressed my doubts OF his travel
ling under his correct name, and asked him
TO give me his right name; he looked around
aud tnon whispered in my ear, my name is
Surratt;" SurratI went ashore twenty. five or
thirty minutes afterwards; before going ashore
the prisoner asked Tor drink; it il the custom
in England and on board ships for. the bar
keepers 10 help customer to the drink asked
Tor, and not to place decanter before him, but
IN this instance the barkeeper put the bottle
up and Surrast poured out anu drank half 1.
tumber Of raw brandy; then treated, and
the Darkeeper treated, aud Surratt Ut each time
TOOK the same quantity; the prisoner then
landed and the ship Went on to Liverpool; |
next saw the prisoner on the Wednesday tol-
lowing at my own house in Birkenhead; ] re-
member Surratt telling me one day that lie,
Booth and others planned the abduction OF
Abraham Lincoln, but had to abandon it,
Cross-examination by Mr.. Merrick.-Id do not
remember any day Surratt gave me except on
two occasions, when he said he was in Rich
mond the week before it fell and when he said
he las IN Washington the day OF the assassin
alton; he merely told me the abduction plan
had failod; Surratt told me he was in Rich
mond, and that he was in Montreal the week
OF the the assassination, and that he received
a letter FROM Booth while in Montreal direct
ing him to return to Washington, that it had
been necessary to change their plans and act
promptly; he did not tell me what change of
plans that letter referred to; he left immedi-
ately afterwards, and said he reached Elmira
on the Thursday before the assassination; he
said he teiegraphed from Elmira to Booth at
New York TO know if he (Booth) had gone to
Washington; he did not say whether he went
further thai Elmira or not; all remember his
saying about St Adams Was that he was there
a few days after the assassination; the prison.
er told me all that have related, but he never
told me anything connected with the incidents
of the assassination in Washington, nor did he
ever say that he was in Washington ON the
day of the assassination l made affidayits TO
these facts in Liverpool the day after landed
Witness was crosS-examined at great length,
but without developing anything additional OF
Importance. l made the affidavit because
considered that the crime was not only one
against society but against civilization; con-
ceiyed the idea of giving him up after knew
who he was; when went to Mr.. Welding the
Vice Consul, / told him had q secret but did
not wish my name to be known in the matter;
MIR. Welding told me after made the affidavit
that large reward was offered for Surratt, and
nave SAID, II any one was entitled to the re
ward for his arrest he was entitIe TO it" L have
stated thai IN this city; never specified the
amount OF the reward; never said intend
ed to claim the reward; have never said SO
to any one.
At 12.45 the Court took recess till / O'Clock.
Upon reassembling Paymaster Barton, U. s.
n, was sworn and examinsd.-Was attached
to the U. 5. steamer Swatara, en- which Surratt
was brought from Alexandria, Egypt; witness
testified to The reception OF Surratt on board
That vessel and his conveyance to the United
States.
Some other witnesses were examined, but
nothing additional of importance was elected.
Henry BENZ. st. Marie sworn and examined
In 1906 in April, was in the Papal States at
Valentia; it is about 40 miles from Rome; was
a soldier Of the Papal army, and in the 9th
company; they were called the Papal ZOu-
aves. The dress worn by Surratt was exhib-
lied. That IL the dress worn by the Zouaves;
saw the prisoner there and knew him; I
think the time refer to was the 14th or 10Th
OF April; about the 18th or 10Th of June, 1866,
saw the prisoner again; he came to my guar
tiers with TWO other Zouaves named Dibart
and Labean, and we four took walk; we
took the road to Naples; we had some CONVEX
sation at that time, and was occasionally
speaking to my companions in French and to
Surratt in English; I asked the prisoner how
he got out from Washington, and he told me
that he left the night OF the assassination or
the next morning, and said he was so disguised
that no one could recognize HIM as an Amer-
can, and that he was disguised as an English
man with scarf over his shoulders; then
went to Malta and did not see Surratt, but 1
afterwards saw him on the Swatara.
No cross-examnation. liilt.-
Judge Fisher said the Court had now been
in session over three hours, and as it was a very
oppressive day it would probably be well to
take recess now. .'-..,.,.
Mr.. Bradley said the defence would like to
know when the prosecution would close the
testimony, in order that they might know what
TO DO with the witnesses for the defence.
Mr.. Darlington said they would probably
close tomorrow, but he could not be certain
ON that point.
Mr.. Merrick suggested that there was an
hour that could be very probably used to-day.
JndEe Fisher said he had already exceeded
the limits prescribed by hrs physician.
The Court therefore adjourned at 30 until
1O O'Clock Tomorrow morning.
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