Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1867-07-30
LOCAL NEWS. r.
THE TRIAL OF JOHN H. SuRRATI,

numoer OF persons were present, out many
were unable to gain admission. Within the
bar all the seats were occupied. and in the
space outside standing room could not be
had. At ten O'Clock the prisoner and Jurors
were brought in, and the court was opened
At 10.'5 Mr. Darlington resumed hts argu.
ment, and said he hoped the jury would en-
deavor to bear with him with patience until
be had finished his argument, which be would
do as briefly as possible consistent with his
sense OF duty to the public. l was yesterday
Sergeant Dye. Who is hs2 1t is in evidence
before you that he was an honest soldier In the
service of his country. The young farmer boy
ar epd aas hi. wav nn private
nissioned offcer, comes before an honest
Jury under most suspicious circumstan ces
Where is the witness who has appeared
truth and veracity! judging from the
declaration of the counsel who addressed
the court on Friday afternoon, that he had
of the prosecution. We may say. that If q
witness could have been found between
heaven and earth he would have been placed
on the stand to contradict Sergeant Dye. His
character was above suspicion, and ne stood
before the jury unimpeached. Who denied
that he was man OF nerve, OF courage, and OF
without courage is destitute OF every other
virtue. Show me courageous man and 1
will show You truthful one. Liar and
coward are almost synonymous terms might
kindly and respectfully rebuke the learned
counsel for the prisoner, what right had he,
where there was no evidence, to publish q
libel against q brave and honest soldier, who
came here in obedience to his country's call
20 testify against man who had assaulted his
country's honor. We were prepared to show
that be was brave. honest and truthful and
Sergeant Dye said he dream OF the woman
who became his wife. No man ever loved a
woman without dreaming of her. No man
ever loved his country without dreaming of
hot rtrY~ Na
man who had attested his devotion to his
country. risking his life, hopes, and interests.
should dream OF the man who murdered its
federal head. The very fact that Sergeant
in the n after; shows that 1t made an i'm
pre- sion on his mind, and he told the truth,
the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
en- Ire plight of April 14tb, 1865, passing BY
Ford's Theater, his attention is attracted by
some one looking in the carriage of the Pres
ident; be heard some one cry ten o'clock; he
heard the second cry, and the third. Just
then tie person who gave the cry was in such
position that Sergeant Dye could see his face
He said. saw him, and then, with a simple air.
saId that is the man." As honest men, ap.
preciating the value OF human character Won
won't stamp upon this young mans brow the
crime OF perjury. First they introduce a Mrs
Lam bert. OF this city. Of that lady shall not
breathe an unkind word But mark You. gem
tlemen of the jury, she speaks OF different
hour; she is wrong as to time: she is wrong as
10 place. In the language of Holy Writ, ssOut
How do you reconcile the testimony of Mrs
Lambert with that OF the smoking Dutch
man, who was at his step, smoking, and
neara no conversation He swears no CONVEX
sation occurred Mrs. Lambert swears that
conversation did occur. These two
witnesses contradictlng each other show that
Serg'. Dye told the truth. Eight witnesses
swear positively that they recognized the pris-
oner at the bar in the city of Washington on
the 14th OF April. There are five other wit
nesses who do notswear positively, but to the
hog of hojr Ennx LODI apHI >os:4 M.
is Scipio Grillo, against whom there is not
breath OF suspicion. A Roman by birth. an
American by adoption. The next Is John
Lee Poor. poor mani All the thunder of their
artillery was levelled at his poor head; and
vet he did rot swear positively. He said l
believe that is the man. Who is John Lee
say he enjoyed the confidence and estesm
of the good people in the city of brotherly love
he emigrates to the city OF Washington. He is
made chief detective. How could he occupy
that position without making enemies Per.
haps some OF you were arrested and put In
the Old Capitol. Good citizens were arrested
on suspicion. Show me public officer who
has no enemies, and will show yon an officer
who does not do his duty. know nothing abou
John Lee. He may be a bad man. CoIone
O'Beirne, an excellent man, says he heard
Lees character spoken OF harshIy. but he did
not say he would not believe him on oath Do
you think that any human being who believes
in God would come all the way from Missis-
sissippi and falsely swear away the life of an
individual " no had never done him any harm
What earthly motive conld John Lee have to
swear away this mans life! Would an honest
Jury stamp him with the crime Of perjury! DO
it. but take care l do not intend to charge a
single witness on the other side with perjury
The next witness is Mr. Ramsdaie. He does
not testify positively. No one will saw auobt
against him. Next is Mr. Heaton, a handsome
expressive face to look al. That man. Won
will see, Is incapable of telling an untrnth
His testimony is very strong. He saw him he
believes, and thinks this is the man You
gentlemen, decide not on possi biities but on
probabilities. / know jurors think a case
must be proved beyond all proba oilities, but
! will show you that is not the law
The next witness is Mr.. Coleman, an hon es
man, who says. - think that is the man "
Eight witnesses swear positively: five to the
best OF their knowledge and belief Have all
these witnesses lied /! 1t is possible but it ia
rot probable. Are all these witness mistakenl
II is possible, but not probable. Do you re.
member the old MAXIM, s. Fight the devil with
IRE" Is h ere gentleman of high position
IN society who did see him Certainly not
lie was an assassin-the companion OF mur-
derers and cut-throats. They feared the light
OF open day; they would not dare to show
mselves 10 people holding high positions
LeS, being detective, sees him. Vanderpoel
sees him in drinking saloon, drinking with
the assassin Booth. Their plan was murder
al first. 1t was murder in the interim, and
murder 10 the last. Having shown him here,
my next point Is 10 show you the part which
h" oil perform in this bloody tragedy John
II. Strait had family and a home in the
metropolis OF the nation. Constituionally
timi6. he needed assistance. Booth was q
drunkard, avagabond, a desperado, but he
had nerve and brute courage. Surratt fur.
nisnes rendezvous. Surratt, afraid to strike
The fatal blow with his own hand, furnishes
arms Booth uses them. Surra:t furnished
whiskey, Booth and Herold drank it, Sur.
TatI furnished a rope, Booth did not need ii.
One of the Surratts furnished q field glass
BJeth used it as he escaped from the CITY,
Booth died by Justice, not regular, but by a q
iuterposition OF Providence. Booth as he lay
weller. ng in his blood has weapon taken
from him which was furnished by snrratt /
said Surratt was the BeslZebub and Booth the
Satan OF this internal conspiracy. He was the
Satan and Booth the Beelzebub of this
internal plot. Booth died game like
II true fanatic. He deserved felons
death. "Eaulting ambition, which overleaps
itself and falls upon the other side," was his
fault; for l have heard his favorite sentiment
was, THE youth no fired the Ephesian dome
outlivsd In lame the pious fool who reared It,"
Surratt was a spy for the rebel government
Booth was not. Booths last words were:
Tell my mother died for my country. and
did what believed best Surratt deserted
his mother In her hour OF danger He led and
boosted, The day will come when will rs.
turn and serve Andrew johnson as Abraham
IncOln was served - come now, gen tlemen
30 :he last point in my case; after which will
review the defence, for there is q question OF
iaw there involved. Has not the prisoner at
he bar confessed his guilt! Confessions are
oftwo kinds-verbal or expressed Confessions.
and implied comics sions, arising from the con.
duet aud department OF the prisoner. Now
l undertake TO show that the prisoner
has confessed his guilt In both WAYS
In the language OF Holy Writ "Out OF his
own mouth do l condemn him." The
g Oh man who has offended the laws of a
merciful deity, upon his Bonded knee con-