Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1867-06-08

l might print this conversation, and here
set it down in running order. and it makes
unless l am over-sanguine, the straightes,
story OF the conspiracy against the Govern
ment's preservers, yet related -
wEIcnMANN's NARRATIVE.
In 1859, he began, ! left the High School
where you had known me, and in February
OF the same year entered St. Charles Col
lege at Ellicott's Mills. near Baltimore.
considerable number of students were pre-
sent. and the Principal was the Rev. Fatbel
Jenkins About six months after my ad
mission Surratt came there to study for the
diocese of Florida. He attracted no atten
tion, either by his talents or prowess, being
one of the most sober end obedient scholars
and winning the commendation of all the
professors by his tractable bearing He was
then fresh faced fellow of sixteen, straigh,
and thin, with good, broad forehead, and
deeply sunken eyes. We were not allowed
to sleep with one another, the monastic sys
TEN being enforced, and, although talked
often with Surratt, recall nothing now that
showed him to have any depth of character
| nor pointed ever so remotely to this crime
When the war broke out the whole school
was, with few exceptions, favorable to the
success Of the Rebellion. The teachers
| seemed to have little enthusiasm for the
liberty OF opinion, the secular education
| and the republican civilization of the North
| and most of the students either came from
slave States, or meditated ministering in
them. We were kept ignorant of Union
victories; the newspapers were prohibited
and when l emerged found myself as mis-
Informed as if had been in Jail. Surratt
with the rest, sang secession songs very fire.
| quently, and he left school the same day tha,
| did, in July, 1862 He haG previously
satisfied himself that the priesthood was moi
his vocation, and at leaving was so much
affected that he wept.
The President held his hands over him
and said John, you have been a good
boy. Do not feel disappointed. You will
always be remembered here" Indeed, Sur
ratt belonged to Students Society, called
the Society of the Angels, very pious in its
nature, and wac altogether too wild to be
admitted to it. Surratt had often spoken to
me OF his home in Maryland and some
months after left the school he wrote me q
letter, inviting me to visit him. Meantime
| accepted tutorship at Borromeo College
Maryland, and. after four months, went to
visit a friend at Ellangowan, familiarly called
Little Texas, small limeki In town on the
Northern Central Railway. and here helped
him teach small Catholic school for a few
weeks. In the meantime Surratt between
whom and myself several letters had passed
wrote to me to ask for teachers position
in Borromeo College; his father had died
and his family we're involved I failed to
get him an appointment but when, soon
! atterward, changed to teach in St. Mat
thew's College, Washington City, Surratt
! called upon me, and we personally renewed
our acquaintance. He spoke enthusiastically
! OF his home, and invited me down to see i,
whenever | chose. / observed that he was
still persistent Rebel. but had seen So
many OF his class in Washington, that took
| no personal ofiense at what he said, having
already made myself obnoxious by political
| arguments.
Meantime the life of the country tavern
and the entire change in his ambitions. had
given Surratt brusquer and more worldly
manner. He talked variously of teaching
farming, or entering the Rebel service His
mind was unsettled. saw him several times
at school and in town.
1t was on Friday afternoon in March
rainy and dreary, when at last went dowr
| to Surrattsvile with John. He came for mt
IN buggy, and the road was so rutty and
miry that we were four hours on the way
erably disappointed. The theme of so mucl
panegyric was a solitary frame tavern at
cross road. few sheds and barns around il
and hitching stall, and peach orchard
reaching behind. The farm consisted O
800 acres, and it was afterwards let, with thu
tavern, for 5000 year.
A small porch stood in the middle, or
which opened a'hall reaching quite through
the house. At the foot of this hall, to the
left, was the bar room and Post Office, will
a door opening upon one of the crossroads
and to the right were the parlor and dining
room. Altogether there were eight rooms
comfortably furnished Mrs. Surrstt received
me pleasantly, and we had good warm
supper, after which went awhile to the bar
room, where there were some of the Rebe
farmers of the neighborhood, come to ge
their letters, to lounge, and to play cards
John kept the bar, and we had a game will
two Jewish persons who had carpet-bag
with them. These carpet bags Mrs
Surratt came in and removed Thei
owners left before daylight next morning
and one OF them named Jacobs was arrested
crossing the Potomac with $4,000 upor
him.
| Mrs. Surratt was proud, and counted he
beads great deal. She was convert, ant
not an original Catholic, and her husband
was Protestant till his death, which hap
pened of apoplexy in August, 1869. Their
were three or four negroes about the place
it was dull, crossroads existence, bu
pleasant for a day or two to a stranger. Mex
morning, at daylight, we were awakened
by very beautiful music. II was bras
band, come out from the Washington Navy
Yard, to serenade the Democratic count,
officers just elected. Among the hangers-o oil
was seedy, frowsy, monkey-faced boy
whom Surratt introduced to me as Mr.
Herold. He came in with the rest, took 4
drink, and went further up the road will
them. ] left the house on Monday, pleased
with my visit, and we stopped at drug
store by the Navy Yard, Surratt and /, t
get a cigar. The boy, Herold, was olerl
there. Surratt told me on the way that hi
brother, Isaac Surratt, an engineer, had lef
his home on the 7th of March, 1861, at tn,
news of Lincoln's Inauguration, and gone t,
Texas, where he had been ever since in th
Confederate service.
Igot to consider Surratt an intimate fIien,
after this visit, and he had good points o
character; but his isolated life in the countr
kept me from knowing of more than tn
director concerns Of our friendship; Will
meantime the war went on more bitterly
and his home wna prohablv couv enient An,