Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1867-07-06
THE TRIAL Of JOHN II. SURRATT.
The Prosecution close Their Cas-,


The Prosecution Close Their Case.
The trial Of john II. Snrratt was resumed
IN the Criminal Court this morning, before
Judge Fisher; Messrs. Carrington, Pierre
point, Riddle and Wilson for the prosecutor
The Messrs. Bradley and r. T. Merrick for
defense. The room " as crowded, usuai, a
large mum ber of those present beng ladies
The jurors and prisoner were brought in at 10
o'clock. and the jury having been called
mr.: Darlington said every exertion had been
made to secure the attendance of Mr.. Duel, by
Whom they expected to prove the letter offered
Yesterday, but he could not be found. They
were ready to close the case now, providing
Ge counsel for defence would allow the pros
ecution 10 put the witness on the stand when
he came IN. .-s.as
mr.. Bradley said they certainly would not
Mr.. Pierrepoint thought it was q matter to
rest with the discretion of the Court
Judge Fisher said he did not think such was
the practice 1t should be an agreement be-
tween counsel. Ef# .
Mr.. Carringtcn said the prosecution closed
the case with the understanding that they
would make application to have Duei placed
on the stand when he should come in
Judge Fisher.--You close yeur case thenl
Mr. Darlington. es, sir, with that under
standing.
Mr.. bradley said the Government now hav.
ing closed their case, the defense again desired
to have Susan jackson, Cieaver, and Lee re-
called.
Mr lPlerrepoint said 1t had been ruled nv
the Court that the prosecution was not com
PEELED 10 recall Lee. AS to Susan Jackson, 1t
had been agreed that she should be recalled.
After some discu ssion, in which the oefense
coBtended tha: the prosecution had agreed
that the witnesses should be recalled and the
prosecution denied that they had made such
agreement, @.
Judge Pierrepoint said they would recall
Susan Jackson, and Mr.. Darlington said he
had agreed 10 recall Rhodes, and woula do 80
Mr. Bradley said the prosecution had failed
n ndnn f1nr
Thompson with the conspiracy. He, there.
tore, asked that all evidence relating to him be
stricken out.
Mr.. Pierrepeint said they had proved that
Jacob Thompson had the money, and that
Surratt left Richmond, before the assassina.
tIOn. with S100. 600. That certainly connented
Thompson with it.
Judge Fisher said the counsel for the de-
tense would go on with their case, and the
whole matter would be left open for the
consideration Of the Court after the whole evi.
Mr.. Bradley said he understood the Cour. to
rule that all that passed between DIR. McMiI.
Ian and Surratt relating to the conspiracy was
evidence. He did not see what the shooting OF
Union soldiers and escaped prisoners had Lo
do with the conspiracy.
Mr.. Perrepoint said he would connect all
these things before the case was ended
Judge Fisher thought there would he no
dameufy about going on with the case. The
judgment of the Conrt as to what matter
should be stricken out OF the testimony was
Mr.. Jos. H. Bradley, jr., then opened the case
on the part Of the defense. He said they had
at last arrived at that stage of the case where
the defense would not onlv be able to show the
prisoners Innocence, but they would vindicate
the pure fame OF his departed mother You,
gentlemen OF the Jury, are not only accep.able
gentlemen who represent he Government The
learned gentlemen on the other side have
succeeded in satisfying the mind OF his honor
lnat the Jurors drawn. who were as honest as
! ftNyr h,.r
compelled to call upon you 10 try this case l see
before me men who represent the material
wealth and honesty of this District q Jury who
cannot receive the faint ofrelgious or other bias:
because there are me n among you who re present
all opinions. We, as counsel for the accused,
nave become con ylnced of the entire innocence
court of justice, it is with all the presumption
OF innocence around him. The prisoner has a
right TO fair. full and free trial bv a iurv of
MS countrymen; and he appeals to you not as
a CRIMINAL. not as felon. but as a Citizen TO
90 Rim Jusnce, as you would have Justice done
TO you. Tie learned gentleman for the Gov
eInment, before one Of the eighty witnesses
was placed on the stand arraigned the
prisoner before you, and held him up 10
pnbilc adherence as spectacle to be gaZed at
as perfect demon sprung from hell itself He
represented him to you as coward who mt
other peoples hands to 10 the work while he
secured his own ignominous escape He told
you he would trace him from station to station,
rom ITO place 70 place, as the man who bought
the disguise he wonld follow him to Canada
thence across the ocean to England, France
and Italy, and into the Papal service Has
the learned gentleman kept his pledge! Ger
taInly not. Heinous as this offanse is In the
sight OF God, lis NO mere than when the life
OF the hunblest man is taken, for the life of
the humblest man is as dear to HIM as tha.
the morning after the assassination mems
hearts stood still people spraag to their feet 10
seek out the offenders and have them brought
to condIgn punishment.
There was no 0Onht that Iohp Wifrou Rooth
was one Of the conspirators. There was no
oouot that Payne was one of them. AS to
herold and Atzerodt, there might be some
doubt. As to Mrs. Surratt, it would be shown
that grave error had been made in her case
As to the prisoner at the bar, they took issue
with the gentlemen on the other side in tnis
court and would plainly show his innocence.
The prisoner at the bar, now 90 years of age,
lett his college in 1863. early in 1864 leaving
behind MIN such a reputation rs any young
man might envy; his father died and he yy1s
thrown in the position OF protector Ter his
mother and sister, for his brother Isaac was
IN Mexico. VINO was John Wilkes Booth! He
was man whose name would 20 down to
posterity as the perpetrator Of the most afro.
cious crime ever committed. He had attained
a reputation upon the stage second to none in
,ha ,h.s country They rely principally upon
John ID. Lloyd, and as we propose to contra
dict them. l will direct your attention to
some points on which we will contradict
John NJ. Lloyd is brought upon the stand an
avowed drunkard he tells yon he met Mrs.
Surratt on the road previous to the murder
ali had a con vqrsation with her. On the fol.
lowing Friday he returns from Marlboro
where be had been drinking, and finds Mrs
Surratt at the house. He has no recollection
OF Mrs. Ofutt being at the house-a witness
summoned for the Government, but not put
on the stand. Mrs. Ofutt we have sum.
m oned. She Will tell you all about the
letter to which Weichman has testified Sne
will tell you what Lloyd's condition was, and
you will see that her testimony Is entirely con.
sistent with the innocen ce OF Mrs. Surratt It
is proper for me to state that Mrs. Surratt's
object in going to tins place was to obtain
money, as her circums tances were very bad
We will show to you that Mr.. John M Lloyd,
on the morning following denies all knowledge
OF Heloid and Booth being at the houseand calls
upon God to witness the truth OF his assertion
Lewis J. Weichman is the next man, the prin-
cipal witness Tor the he6overnment on that other
trial A man whose bastard heart in the posi-.
ton he found himself. led him to sacrifice the
innocent. man who held almost the relation
of son to this murdered woman. He tells
y on on the 18th of April he took her to
Surr8ttsville. He did not see the pack.
age delivered. He tells you At the
tea table he heard the steps of a man
going to the front door. We will proveto you
that 1t is distinct and positive faleehood We
will put upon the stand the person who
answered that bell We will show You that
the person who visited the house was not one
Of these conepirators, but q respectable per.
son. We will show that the conversation he
trstifies 10 as taking place in the parlor exists
IN TN tnf n ns yIyo