Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-11-18
NEW SERIES---NO. 70.

swered; No, indeed. Time has but cor
! roborated my belief He swore that poor
woman's life away, out Of fright TO save
his own" Col. Woods well known sagacity,
his ultra Union sentiments, and his per
sonal devotion to Mr.. Lincoln, caused bis
opinion to confirm the gentleman's own
conclusions.
Mrs. Surratt and Weichman drove
home. They drove back while the sun
was Getting, and while the boarders at the
house were getting hungry for supper.
Their own sppetites were sharpened by
their exercise and the air; and like other
travellers, az they felt the wind blowing in
their faces, they became rather sleepy and
dull and thought of bed.
".
We have seen what occurred in Wash
ington during their absence, and we all
know what happened that night. Let US
glance, now, at q series Of facts associated
with the night of the assassination, which
illustrate how blindly and Indignantly
others besides Mrs. Surratt were prosecuted
and convicted" by the government under
the feVerish influence of the time, and show
upon what aimsy testimony and SUPPOSE
tions they were condemned:
l. The folly ofSergeant Dyes statement
about the dramatic calling OF time" when
Booth entered the theater-a statement
which of course tended 10 implicate the
employees aud give the thing the air Of a
huge ramifying conspiracy-has been ex-
posed. IL was within The knowledge Of the
prosecution that "a Booth entered The
theater be simply asked Buckingham, the
dOorkeeper, what time it was, and that
Buckingham referred him to the clock in
the lobby. Booth looked at the clock and
went up into the dress circle. But this
statement was not allowed to be made
neither was Buckingham, who afterwards
became government employe at the navy
yard, called az a witness in the J. H. Sur
raft trial
2. When Booth jumped from the thelter
box to the stage, after firing the pistol, his
spur evidently struck the frame of 8 por-
trait Of Washington, used as a decoration
beneath the Sbalustrade Of the box on that
evening. Lower down his spur scraped
the ledge above the stage-box beneath.
This threw him off his balance, and he fell
to the stage, striking on the side of his left
foot, and dislocating or breaking the bone
of his left ankle. The pursuit of him
across the stage by Colonel Stewart is ev:-
IDENTIFY mistaken az to time, for he moved
10 great pain. He told Herold, who met
him outside The city and acted as his
guide, that he did not get his injured foot
into the stirrup until he was going up
Capitol Hill-a half mile from the scene
of the crime. The visit to DR.. Mudd was
made solely at the suggestion Of Herold, to
have his ankle set and tied with splints.
The Doctors house was considerable dis
lance from the direct line of escape. Booth
and Hero,d arrived there late at night,
when Booth explained to the Doctor thst
he was hurt by being thrown from his
horse. He remained, after the Doctor had
attended TO his ankle, to have a crutch
made, aud lefi. When he had finished
with his patient, Doctor Mudd quilted the
room, land, believe, the heuse) on sorle
erraud. He did not see Booth near enough
- speak with him again, but observed him
at a distance leaving the place with Herold.
Herold stated in prison that Booth suf-
fered greatly with his hurt, but more from
the cold, vet weather when they remained
out all night in the woods. "A passing
aud curious "Reminiscences of the assassin's
pluck, young Garrett, at whose place Booth
was killed, responded, ia answer to the
question whether Booth complained much
of his leg? "No; | slept with him all
night, and he did not disturb me By moan
ing OF complaint of pain"
3 Arnold (uow under sentence for life)
was ut The Time of the assassination, and
L.. = & ] n. >
stOre at Fortress Monroe. There is no
trace of any correspondence, aud DO owl
dence Of an interview, between Arnold
and Booth during the month OF April.
4 OLTnghlin (now dead whom a bar
Der, at the trial of J. II. Surratt, swOre
Booth had called "Mac," was employed in
Baltimore, but was in Washington on bu5i
ness the day of the assassination. His
movements we're perfectly accounted Jr by
some officers of the navy.
). SpaUgIer was at and about the theater.
His admiration for Mr.. Lincoln, and hiss
innocence of completely or knowledge in
Booths plan, are firmly believed in by
everybody who knew him. tie was not
even arrested for several DAYS. Another
prisoner, arrested afterwards, had been
found asleep in the carpenter shop Of the
theater at night socn after the sssas5ins-
ton.
6. Mr.. Jenkins, Mrs. Surrltl'5 brother,
was arrested and thrown into Carroll
prison, and kept there, because he attempts
ed to procure evidence of her innocence.
This gentleman, Mr.. jenkins, was a we'll
known Union man, residing in Prince
George county; he planted the first Ameri-
can flag in the county after the beginning
OF the rebellion, and slept near it to pro-
tect it until it was allowed TO stand
Mrs. Surrslt had formerly met a man
named Payne When she met him he was
dressed like aud was said TO be 4 clergy
man. (His father is a clergyman
When the man named Payne-SLO had
come remarkably near making an end of
| Secretary Sewafd--came again TO Mrs.
Surratrs house the night of his arrest by
| the detectives, he was disguised as a la
borrr. He was so smeared with mud, and
carried such worn pick axe over his
| shoulder. that when MIS- Sarratt cOoffOnt-
| ed him, she did not recognise her clerical
| acauaintance This il the less surprising
| "a Mr.. Surralt was neaT-sighted. 1t IL still
| less 10 be wondered at when the fact IL re-
| membared that one of the detectives, who
| had Payne in charge, and Who may be cup
posed 10 have been rather shlrp-sightsd,
| was unable to swear to the color of the
| coat that Payne wore that night, or to dis
| tinguish between two ve.y different coats
offered for his inspection the real one. Vel
Mrs. Surratt's assertion that she did no
know Payne (Who was almost a stranger Il
her) in his disguise was held to be Gus
picious" circumstance, sad wasusei agains
her.
Payne himself declared in prison tina
he went to Mrs. Surratt's only because ht
knew but two or three houses in Wash
ington, and because he knew John Sur
raft so well. He had no opportunity o
making any communication to Mrs. Sur
raft at all. He presented himself at
most unfortunate moment for him, an
was nabbed by the officers before Mrs
Surratt came out through the parlOr dOol
He fsls himself to be hunted down froI
behind, and flew to this place fer relug,
to find himself in the lions mouth. Il
| had two lives" said Payne at one tim
to General Ha-tranft, who was in charg
Of the prison, ~ would give them both
save that woman.
VI
The sequel Of the facts thus recited
, so inevitable, go thrilling, that 1t write