The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-04-27
The Surratt Mystery.

From the Tribune.
A despatch from Washington to the Herald
says:-
at is the opinion of persons high in authority
and influence here, that the trial of John IL.
Surratt will be ultimately abandoned. The
impression is that there is a general conviction
prevailing in official quarters that the unfor-
tunate Mrs: Surratt was not guilty of the crime
for which she was executed, and that the trial
of her son would only result in more clearly
establishing that fact. Such development of
course, would not be relished by the Admins
tration and others concerned in the trial and
condemnation of the mother. There is another
cause, however, not very cTeditable, assigned
why the President would not wish the trial to
occur; but, as IL would cast deep slur upon the
reputation OF one who lately has not been Sleep
ing on a bed of roses. refrain from giving it
publicity. 1t might only be creating another
for the qualification of fscandal-mongers. How
ever this may be, it is not believed that the
evidence in possession of the Government Will
warrant the trial of John il. Surratt."
We think it time to say that the many
mysteries surrounding this Surratt case should
cease. Since the assassination of President
Lincoln we have had endless surmises, and
makeshifts, and tricks, in reference to the
crime and those accused. In the first place,
we had the Government prOclamatiOns accus-
ing Davis, and Sanders, and Thompson of the
assassination. Then we had the trials, in
which these persons were solemnly arraigned
as participants in that crime. There are few
things that our children will less care to read
than that selfsame trial, with its Wayward
and rude Justice Then came the swift execu-
tion of Mrs. Surratt, although Payne, an
assassin by his own confession, asserted her
innocence. We had the escape of Surratt-
his Wanderings under Government espionage
the fact that it was known where he was,
and no effort made to arrest him
until Mr.. Boutwell, speaking the public
opinion of the nation, compelled his arrest.
We have also had the imprisonment of
Davis as an assassin-if there is any value in
the judgment of the Com mmission that tried
PAYNE and his companions. His continued
| Imprisonment without trial, or the pretense of
trial, is in itself a mystery and shame.
| Then came General Buffers famous speech,
showing that the diary of Booth had been sup
| pressed ON the conspiracy trial, and the
| declaration of great lawyer that Mrs Surratt
| had been innocently hanged. Immediately
| came an announcement that the War Depart
ment would print the Booth diary so soon as
| something or other occurred. Well-tme
| enough has passed for twenty things to happen,
| and nothing is heard of the Booth diary
Finally, we have the most provoking delays
about the trial of Surratt, with an announce
ment that he is not to be tried because the
trial might establish the fact that Mrs Surratt
was not guilty at all
1t is time that this Juggling should cease;
and especially as the Surratt case is only
part of the Juggling that has been permitted
| since the death of Mr.. Lincoln. That tragedy
| is one of the most mysterious in the annals of
crime. There is something hidden that we
crave to know. What it is we cannot say;
but the records of the trial, the continued inn
prisonment of Mr.. Davis, and especially the
shutting of the Government, compel distrust
and suspicion. Why has not Booths diary
been published? Why is George N. San
| ders not demanded from the British Govern
ment, if the Administration really believes he
was partnerin the crime of Boothf Why is
not Davis either punished or released And
why is not John H. Surratt, against whom, at
least, all the evidence we have points uner-
ringly, brought to justicel