The national Republican., 1867-07-03
THE TRIAL OF JOHN II. sURRATr


THE TRIAL OF JOHN II. sURRATT
PaoosrDiSes or YESTERDAY.
The trial Of John II. surratt was resumed in
the Criminal Court yesterday morning before
Judss Fisher; Msssr. csripgton. Pisrrepont,
and Wilson for the prosecution. The Msssrs. J.
n. Bradley and R. 7. Msrrick for defense.
As usual the courtroom was crowded long bs.
fore the opening Of the Court, a large number oi
the vititors being lsdies. Al 10 O'Clock ths
prisoner and the Jurors were broughtiu. Judge
Fisher did not arrive until loi o'clock, he still
being very weak and feeble, and looking badly,
but there will be no session on the 4th; and It 10
to be hoped days recreation win improve his
health. s.H t.s.
The jury having been called, :
Mr.. Bradley sail hs desired to call the attsu.
tion Of the Court to an incident which occurred
one Of the counsel, and he respectfully requested
that the reporter read the same, A. the Court was
much engaged at the time, and no doubt did not
hear what vss said. He thought there was no
provocstion to bring forth such an attack, and
he thought the Court, upon looking into the same
and hearing the notes read, would see there was
no provocstion which led to the attack and there
should be some observation taken Of II by the
Court. II was due to members Of the bar thst
the Court should notice such things and counsel
should be protected.
The proceedings were then read by Mr.. Clsph.
sne, the oficial reporter.
Judge Fisher said he did not hear the language
Of the witness with regard 10 gunbcats He was
At the time reading q nsts, but supposed whom
the witness made the remark to Mr.. Merrick that
he had been worried By counsel on tho cross-ex.
L.
said by Mr.. Merrick to provoke the reply made
by the witness, although on one occasion Mr..
Merrick did say something about the peniten-
tiary. II was not the place Of the witness TO
take exception to any remarks made by the coun-
sci In the court. room. He cautioned this witres
and all other witnesses that they must mskS 10
remarks insulting to counsel. Judge Fisher said
though II was proper for him to say that he had
never seen q case where there was 90 much
trouble about the examination Of witnesses, and
so much bitterness Of feeling. he had never aeon
witnesses cross-examined so, and he would say
that Il was no wonder that witnesses become
worried, and such remarks as witnesses being in
the pepitsntiary should not be made, especially
whom there were some Of the most respectable
people witnesses In the case, among whom were
Gen. Grant, Assistant Secretary Seward; and he
could not see how II could be helped that wit.
nesses should come here prepared TO Avenge them.
selves. He dsplored 1t, and would stop II. II
WAS altogether wrong In the witness TO attack
the counsel, and II must not be repeated. 1.-THE
witness felt sggrievsd, II was his place to call
upon the counsel out Of court or II he was treated
| with any disrespect be could call upon the Court
Mr.. Merriek said he deemed Il to be due TO
himself to say that the Court had msappre.
| hended him. The remark made by him as to
witnesses being IN the penitsntiary was not In.
tended to apply to Ger. Grant ard Assistant Sec.
| retary Seward. He did not intend to embrace
| all the witnesses. He had the highest respect
| for Gen. Grant and Mr.. Seward, and he thought
| II was perfectly well understood among the wit.
| nesses a. to whom that referred and to whom II
did not refer. No sane person would for q mo
ment suppose that he intended to include Gen.
Grant, Assistant Secretary Seward, or any other
| respectable witness
| Judge Fisher said he entered into the trial Of
this case without knowing anything Of the testl.
mony; but this he did know, that there were Ger.
| tain rules laid down In the textbooks to dis.
| credit witnss'ss, which must be followed by the
counsel
Mr.. Msrrick said that the attention Of tbs
Court had been called to 1t by Mr.. Bradley, who
did it at his own instance. So far as he Mr.. N
was concerned he did not care. as the witnes,
could not insult him; but he did think the dig
nifty Of the Court had been insulted.
Judge Fisher directed the counsel TO proceed
with the examination; and
DR.. L. J. A. Mcmillan was then recalled, and
| the examination resumed by Mr.. Pierrepont
Witness remembers that Surratt said at the be
| ginning Of the week 10 which the assassination
took place he was in Montreal, and had arrived
there within afew days with dispatches from Rich
mond. lie said they were important dispatches
he said he was there at the beginning Of the
| week; he said he received q letter from Johr
Wilkes Booth, dated New York, ordering hip
immediately to Washington, that 1t had beer
found necessary to change their plans, and tC
act promptly. Ho said he started Immediately
and at Blmirs he tslegraphed to Booth 10 New
York. An answer came back that Booth had
already started for Washington. He said that
be arrived, on his way back TO Canada, at st
Albans one morning, q few days after tho assas
sination. The train was delayed there som,
time, and he took advantage Of 1t to 90 into the
village to to take his breakfast. While sitting
at the table with several others, he saw ther,
He asked bis neighbor what was all the excite
ment about. His neighbor said, don't you know
Mr.. Lincoln has been assassinated' The pris
oner said he replied, "Why the story Is too gooC
to be true" The man then handed him 4 news
/ paper containing an account, and upon looking
in,the paper he saw his own name among the assas
sins; that 90 unnerved him, he ate no more break
fast. When going out, he heard q crowd OF per
sons say, Surratt must be in St. Albans, as hi
handkerchief had been found on the street bear
ing his name, lie put his hand on his pocket
and found his handkerchief gone, and he thei
made his way to Canada as fast a. possible Il
Montreal, he said, he stopped at the house Of Mr.
Porterfeld, the c afederate agent, but II wa
soon suspected by detectives that be was there
and 10 had to leave. lie said that one evening
two carriages drove to Mr.. PorterGeld's door
and he (surratt) aud another dressed like hin
got In, one In each carriage. and the two CARR
ages dro, in opposite directions. Surratt sai(
he was taken to the foot Of the island Of Mon
treal. A man had been engaged to take hin
across, and did so in small canoe Afte
reaehing the other side, he said young
boy guided him across the country to
village on the Grand Trunk railway, called
St. lie Boirs. He said he stayed in tn,
house Of q priest named Charles Busher
He said one day, the priest being absent, b.
was lying on sofa in the priests bed ROOM II
the partition there was a stove holei some Of tn
women servants wanted to see who was In tn
priests house, and looked In he jumped at he
to frighten her. the story was Immediately cir
culated that the priest had a woman hiding Il
his bed room the priest told him he could kee
him no longer, aud he must find other quarters
he said for four and alf months he was sscrete
In q dark room, and never came out except lat
at night to take walk when witness first me
the prisoner he was very pale and thin, neryou
and care.worni his general conduct was gentle
manly, but he would show signs OF. nervousness
II any one came suddenly behind him; he lande