Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1867-08-06
LOCAL NEWS.
THE TRIAL OF JOHN H. SURRATT.

prisoner were brought in, and the Court was
called TO order at 10 20.
MIR. Pierrepoint resumed his argument for
the prosecution He said yos remember Mr..
Msrrick asked us why we did not produce the
record OF the conspiracy trial. ION will re-
member brought the record here and handed
1t to the counsel during my argument. part
OF that record contained ommendation
from the members of the court 10 the effect that
one OF the con demned being q fem ale, they
would respectfully suggest that her sentence
De commuted to imprisonment for life. L want
no misunderstanding bout this That paper
was in the hand writing Of one Of the members
OF the court Gen. Ekin. The original paper
was in the hand writing of the A ssistaat
Judge Advocate, Hon. John A. Bingham
When the counsel asked for that record, I
sent 10 the Judge Advocate General. He
himself that 1t was the identical record before
the President, and the part Of that record con
tanning the recommendation was before the
President when he signed the warrant OF exe
cution, ana he had a Conversation at the time,
On that very subject, with the Judge Advocate
General Mr.. p. stated that the Judge Advo-
cate General was his authority for making this
statement Mr Plerrepoint then referred to
the testimony of Wood, the barber, and said
the counsel fer the DEFENSE say that Surratt
could not have been at his shop at the time
Wood said he WAS. 1 will show you he was
there. Mr.. p. then read from the testimony of
wood. He tells You Surratt was al his snop
about o'clock. He thought that was about
the time. He had been to Secretary Stewards,
and had his breakfast The days were shorter
then, and il took him some time to 60 to Score.
tary Stewards and then get his breakfast, and
there Is no doubt that Surratt was in his sh on,
NIP next referred to the ties simony of Rhodes,
as TO seeing the prisoner in the box at Ford's
Theatre. The END of the stick to fasten the
door had been sawed off, for the pur pose of
making the end TO fit in the hole somewhat
smaller. MIR. z. next read from the te stimony
of Judge Olin. He went to the theatre 10 exam
lie the premises and described the hole in the
COor and the wall. Now, gentlemen, that lit
lie TACT examined into just after this crime was
committed shows that that bar was fitted
there just before the deed was done. It goes
10 con firm Mr.. Rhodes. I come now to the
testimony OF DIR. Cleaver. He says he was
here on the day OF the assassination was out
CRYING, and came down street. He met
IoEL h. Surratt on street; he knew him
Vel. Surratt was on horseba TX and CIeaver
spoke I" h'ln- He made no mistake about it,
lie either committed wlliuI and wan
ton perjury without any favor or re.
varu, or or he tells the truth; but
one thing is certain, he cannot be mis-
sand ne was well acquainted with Surra5t,
and was inclined to shield him. He was an
En- ghshman, our enemy, and IN sympathy
win the rebellion Yon are aware that Ciea.
Yer WAS arrested and put in PRISON for a crime
OF which you all know. He told Conover what
be anew, and shortly Mir. Ashley. who is a
vesugating these facts, went to see Cieaver.
Cieaver old not know Mr.. Ashley. He
told what he knew 10 CoIover conf
1sni.ai ,ss,moe en'lsmep, you know OLE
reluctant he was to give 1t. He was the friend
OF Snrratt and MS testimony is true. Mr.. p.
next read rom the testimony of David U. Reed.
lie said on his former examination before the
conspiracy trial, tn at he was as sure of seeing
Snrratt as he was OF standing there.
Mr Merrick.-Where do you find that testi-
mCnyl
Mr Pierrepoint.-It is here, sir, taking up
the report OF the conspiracy triaL)
MT Merrick.-Not there, sir. You must
speak of this trial.
Ma. errepoint--I spoke of the conspiraey
trial.
Mr. Merrick-We are not to take the co,-
sFirscy trial but this trial.
Mr.. Pierrepoint.-WelI, think he said it
here. (To MIR. Darlington Look and see: /
may he mistaken. Mr.. PIerrepoint continued.
and read from the testimony of Reed. He had
or spurs, and yon have heard testimony about
those eight pr OF spurs in John Surra,t's
room at Mrs. Surratt's house. Mr.. P next re-
h. came here with NO object except to do lus-
lice. be knew john Wilkes Booth in New
York; He belonged to the Lone Star Club
with him. On the 14th of April he saw Jonn
likes Booth and spoke with him, first near
Wizards, next on the left hand side of Penn.
sylyania avenue. bet ween 10Th and 18th, or 18th
ard l2th. He saw the prisoner with Wilkes
Booth and two or three others. They were
sitting around round table with glasses on
H. He bad not been contradicted in one single
thing, as l Will prove to you He did not ties.
tity that there was any exhibition or concert
there One single woman came out and
danced. He saw Booth and Surratt plainly
" Do Twelve VI HiltcH ret from tQem. Was
there any motive for this man to lie He
could not be mistaken. aud he is posi-.
tive, and entirely so. An attempt was
made to discredIt him. not by proving
that he was not 81 the place he said he was
but by producing witnesses to testify that there
was no exhibition At Metropolitan Hail in the
thing about Metropolitan Hall, or about d
street. He said the hall was on Penn sylyania
avenue They were mighty careful 10 keep
aW ay from Teutonia Hall. which was the hail
\ 49,,
read from he testimony of NaHderpoel. He
could not swear positively to the name OF the
nall, Ieutonia Hall Is on the south side OF
Pennsyiyania avenue, between 9th and 10th
streets. That IL the hall where EanderpoeI
saw Booth. They mad rehearsal there in
the day time. They have not called
single witness to show you that this
did no. take place at Teutouia Hail. Mr. p
next referred to the testimony of John Lac He
knew John ID. Surratt by sight. He recog-
nl2ed Surratt here. All the witnesses tell Won
he had no goatee on. lou wont find in any of
this evidence any TWO things that do not come
IN harmony. The reason is they are all truth,
Surratt near Steinmetz's hat store Mr. p
next referred TO the testimony of Sclploue
G!i!lo. He met Herold and man whom he
Il ok to be the prisoner, at Wizards hotel He
thought the prisoner was the man, but was
no, certain. He had a nous tacne. All the wit
nesses tell you he had no beard but a NOUS
OF Mr. Coleman. He saw Booth on the avenue,
between 10th and lltn streets. He was en-
gagged there IN earnest conversation with an
oIher man. Booth was very pale. He was
talking win young man in grey clothes; tho
prisoner certainly looked like the man. Mr..
r next referred TO the testimony of Taltayull
de kept the restaurant next 10 the theatre
Booth was In lis restaurant and got some
Whiskey on the l4th before the murder. Mr.
+. next referred TO the testimony of Susan
jackson, and said any one experienced in I'm.
man testimony knew the witnesses most to be
relied upon, were frequently persons Of simple
intellect Chidren, women, and men OF
simple intellect always tell the truth and
when witness Is telling the truth no la wyer
can disturb that witness by cross examination.
DIR. +. here read from the testimony OF susan
jackson She saw the prisoner in the dining
room at Mrs. Ssrratts. when she was gatAer.
ing up some clothes for the wash She asked
Il they were for Mr.. Weichman. Mrs Surratt
replied, no, they were for her son. Mr. Hol.
iohan tells you he found some of Surratt's
clothes clean on the bed. He put two of the
handkerchiefs in his pocket. Do you think
TINS coiored woman made up that story. and
certainly counsel did not put 1t into her head
She identified the prisoner, and saw him ON
that evening when she took in the Dot of tea
l lat was on the l4th OF April. bet ween and o
o'clock in the evening. Surratt came in the
dining room after Weichman went ont The
rrcot is clear and perfect that on the Cd OF
April, he was only at the house fe W minutes
went out before seven clock; went 10 the
metropolitan and took his supper there
Captain Smith made the examination Of
Susan Jackson and put 1t in writing
MI. Bradley objected, and would not let us
put II in. wanted 10 pat IL before you, but
they did not want II. Susan Ann Jackson
saw Surratt IN the dining room on the Friday
oh Esn -f.kr