The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-04-05
9}irICmond QIspatth,
cn-rnsr,,, - 81 tho Rsltimorc Sun.

Waud"y.U -, sc.
WASHINGTON, April 3.-Thc interest at
,schiuC totac risorcr John IL. Surratt, now
confined IN the Washington Jail, charged
with completely in the assassination of Pre-
>;icut Lincoln, induced your correspond.
on, % seek and obtain an interview and
conversation with him.
Contrary to tGG current reports Of the
close confinement and careful ohscurity in
which this important prisoner Is held,
toaud him occupying, temporarily, the
watchman's lodge in the iail-yard, a small
octaEonal structure Of wood, with large,
open windows on seven sides and a glass
door ON the eighth.
The furniture consisted OF n stove, a
small deal table, two chairs, bench, a
water bucket, and variety of old rub
M~h. The yard i'm which this rather loose
prison is situated Is enclosed by n brick
1r.N eighteen or twenty feet in height,
having TWO getaways leading into other
Yards, surrounded 10y walls about ten or
twelve feet high. did not examine these
zltcwayS 10 ascertain If they could easily
20 opened, hut they appeared TO he fast
eged simply by tar on the inside. II
MS was their ouiy fastening, and they
.auld he opened 4s easily rs appearances
dictated, thc security tor prisoners was
a1t very great, As the outer yards were
Sled with rubbish taat could quickly and
readily be brought into requiSition to aid
one deSirouS Of scaling the walls.
The prisoner was innocent of any en-
tauglcmcnt for his security whatever. He
vvt l.af .f L.. xysr
dowS, reading small volume, the charac-
tor Of which | did not inquire. On my
entrance he rose aud advanced towards
me with extended hand. Not expecting
to meet 50 distinguished character in
such place, ! was somewhat taken by
surprise when the name was pronounced,
and after shaking hands, venturcd TO in
qulrc once again the name. "Surratt,"
replied nay new acquaintance, with q
smile. al think / have heard OF you be-
FORE" ] remarked. to which he quietly
responded, every likely lie was dress
ga in a suit OF dark mixed goods, cut III
the prevailing fashion at walking suit,
evidently new. Upon his head he wore a
black SOFT felt hat, also new. In stature
should Judge him TO be five feet nine or
ten inches high, rather slender in form
almost delicate, pcrhaps-and apparently
twenty weight years OF age. His hair Is
very light auburn, nicely cut and trimmed,
parted behind and combed forward. He
wears moustachc and goatee, rather
more positive in color than the hair on his
head. The rest Of his face was carefully
shaved. Altogether, his appearance was
that ot wcll-drcSscd aud very present
able Young mainland certainly the last
one that would he selected from crowd
as desperate character or villain. lie
has very pleasant voice, in conversation
asses good language, understands himself
perfectly, and usually wears smile upon
his face.
Ny conversation with this somewhat re-
~arkabic man was not 50 full and free a
I could have wished. He evidently was
in no mood to talk Oh the topics that were
most prominent IN my own mind, and the
Witnesses to the interview prccluded me
nom making any efforts 10 get his conf
.ruce. Alter Jew commonplace remarks
uu the state Of the weather and such gene
ryusic, as usually open up conversation,
! y.utU3yd 10 ask him Il leading question
in regard L. his escape 10 and couccalment
i'll Canada, - which, with a smile only, he
replied, ~ have nothing 20 say about that
but" he added, "there was no secrecy
about ms leaving Canada. | went OF
board a steamer az midday, wholly with
out disguise, and with hundreds OF people
ON and about the wharf. The steamer had
fully TWO hundred passengers, with whom
associated freely during the voyage. No
body recognized me, though there were
those among the passengers that | recog
uizcd." He could not say what steamer
This was, nor from what port II sailed, more
than il was one of regular line leaving a
large city.
lie spoke Of meeting ST. Marie in France.
He claims that he recognized St. Marie
rr,t, and that they travelled to Italy to-
grller. He manitcntS no yiudictivcneS>
towards this witness Tor having discovered
h.a 10 the authorities, but considers him Il
"trcachcrous fellow, ana thinks he was
mistakenin his character. Surratt says that
be had information of ST. Maric'S treachery
before II was fully accomplished, and
was kept advised, from time 10 time, Of the
steps taken to secure his arrest. Had the
actual arrest been delayed one day longer,
a., ~urratt had reason 10 expect ii would
be- he would have been beyond the reach
ut his pursuerS, his arrangements for de
srr,iou aud flight being nearly perfected
al the time of his arrest. He is careful to
abstain from SAYING what those arrange
mcuts were, who were his accomphces and
iutormers, or where he was 10 find place
ol refuge.
He has read with great apparent interest
49, 4 .,t'h nj Ir.a "a nd
escapes. aud the official correspondence
bearing on those points, and takes great
pleasure in cTitici>ing them. The wonder
iul leap Of the precipice III Italy, OF which
80 much has been said aud written, is a
source of great amusement 10 him. The
height from which he Jumped ne describes
as about equal 10 an ordinary secOnd-story
window, or say twelve feet. But he tells
Il story of descending more dangerous
deChvities than this III his flight. n one
instance his only available mode of descent
was to lie upon his back aud to slide down
Il steep and rocky dccliyity full u hundred
feet in height. OF scarcity of food, ig-
norance of the country, and consequent
danger of recapture Ill exposing himself by
asking information by the way, Of the con-
slant alarm, and similar subjects, he is free
and seemingly anxious TO talk, and always
in something of boastiul vein, but his lips
are sealed in respect to all matters bearing
in the remotcst degree upon the great
crime with which his name is associated
and Of which he stands charged.
Surratt's prison hours are passed very
comfortably. An entire corridor, full
thirty feet i'll length and eight in breadth,
with three large cells, are placed entirely
at bis disposal. In this corridor he is ex-