Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1867-01-02
Surratt-st. MarIe-and their Loves,

A dispatch by the cable has informed
us that the name of the informer by
whose means John Surratt was discov-
cred serving in the Pope's ZouaVes, so
scrupulously omitted in the cores
pondence as made public by the State
Department, is St. Marie. This fact,
however, must have already been
guessed by all familiar with the evil
dence taken in the conspiracy trial.
where this person was more than once
mentioned, and the circumstances of
his acquaintance with the Surratts were
related very nearly as he himself states
them in his deposition at Rome
Welchman, chief witness for the prose-
cution, was cross examined by Mrs.
Surratt's counsel in regard to his rela-
tions with this st. Marie, in order to
show him to be himself rebel sympa-
thizer and unworthy of belief. Mr..
Bingham's sturdy defense of his wit.
ness however interposed so many OBJ
jections that only a few of the cues
tions asked were answered; but from
the testimony which was admitted il
appeared that Surratt and Welchman
made the acquaintance of st. Marie in
Ellangowan, as the latter now saws, but
In 1868, instead of ''six months before
the close of the war;" as he dates it in
his statement at Rome. St. Marie soon
after went to Mrs. Surratt's house in
Washington, and after a short resi-
dence there-during which it would
seem very probable that he was initia-
ted into some of the strange plots,
either for blockade running, revolution
or assassination there concocted-went
to the South, with the ayowed inten-
ton of making his way through the
lines by enlisting in a Union regiment
and deserting. This probably explains
his cautious statement to General King,
that mot being used to hardship, he
struggled IN the first marches, and was
picked up by Gen. Surratt's Cavalry"
Melchman also alluded in his testimo-
ny 70 81 Aarle eS piOIS DeLraylng
the plan of escape of some prisoners in
Castle Thunder, and appeared to have
kept track of the man for some time
after they separated. This remarkable
witness was very much embarrassed
during the examination in regard to st.
Marie, and appeared to welcome with
relief Mr.. Bingham's in
terruption to the course of inquiry by
which Mr.. Aiken was endeavoring 10
prove that st. Marie and Welchman
was engaged together in some scheme
for carrying information between Wash
ington and Richmond.
Nothing was said in the testimony
about the attachment of Surratt and
st. Marie to one woman in Washing
ton, and consequent jealousy of which
we hear in the Roman dispatch by the |
cable, and which certainly seems very
story. John Surratt was
betrothed to Miss Ward in Washing
ton, a Roman Catholic like himself, |
who was intimate with the whole fami-
ly and acquainted also with John
Wilkes Booth, and who appeared on
the witness stand during the trial of
the conspirators, but testified to no |
facts of any importance. st. Marie
says in Rome that he left Washington |
because he was mot able to agree with
;" but that parsonage said |
of any such difference at the
trial, but appeared to have a very warm
for st. Marie. describing
him as an educated man, familiar with
French, Italian and English, anu "of
most fascinating manners" From the
'acts, covered with a vague cloak of
mystery as they all are, which have
come TO light in the matter, there
would appear good ground for suspicion
hat ST. Marie was to some extent inn
1lieated in the plots either for the
murder or the abduction of the Presi-
lent, which had their headquarters at
he Surratt House; and if SO his pres
,nce with Surratt-where two such
educated men would be most unlikely
o meet-in the ranks of the Papal
lrmy, might be something more than
On the other hand it would
'e hard to account, on such a hypoth-
isis, for his willingness to return to
his country; and we must imagine his
eud with Surratt to be very deep one
indeed, to induce him to put his own
leck in danger for the sake of injuring
lis comrade.