Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-09-13
MRS. SURRATT.
J. A. Bingham's Part in Her
Murder.


Referring 70 Bingham's connection
with the trial of Mrs. Surratt, ard the
charge of completely with that unfortu-
nate lsdy's murder, brought against
Gen. Hancock, the Washington Uaion
says:
We bsppen to know something about
that affair, Gen. Hancock was the Mil
I itsry Commandant OF the Department of
/ Washington at the time Of Mary e.
/ Surratts execution, ard he simply car
ried into effect the military orders OF his
superior officers. He did not issue an
I 4" order for her execution" and John A.
1 Bingham knows II. The writ of habess
1 corpus wss served upon Gen. Hancock TO
produce the body of Mrs. SurrsttiD court,
and IL he could have had bis way st that
time, he would have obeyed 1t, but John
A. Bingham, thirstiDg for innocent
blood, assisted in framing excuses why
the order Of the writ should not be
obeyed.
After the case was closed, and the ar
gument Of counsel submitted, the court
met to deliberate and make up lis find
ings. A majority Of the court were in
doubt as 70 Mrs. Surrattls guilt, and so
expressed themselves. At this j1Dcture
John A. Bingham, in the absence OF her
counsel, TeGrQtEed the case in the most
violent manner, and did the most IA
grant injustice by bold misstRtenlents of
evidence, and iC was only after long
brow beating process that the fiuRI deciE-
ion in her case WSs reached. Il was at
this point that the petition tor CON-
mutation OF her sentence, not her "par-
DON" was drawn up and signed by many
members OF the court, Gen. Hunter al
the head. II there wss 10 doubt Of her
guilt, why this hasty action on the part
OF the court to secure 8 reversal of her
sentence?
Mary E Surratt would never have
been hung but for the IN Tsrrant fable and
illegal interference Of John a. Bingham
after the case had been closed, and in the
absenee OF her counsel.
Il is no answer TO this charge to say
that Mr.. Bingham, as assistant Judge
Advocate, was q mem Der OF the court
and bad right to be present at the find
ing. The law permitted Gen. Holt to be
present, and only he; but even Gen.
Holt would have had no right TO resrgue
the cSse. It is due to President johnson .
to say that he never saw nor heard OF
this petition until long sitter Mrs. Surratt
was in the repOse Of her unchristian and /
wicked burial, and the matter was kept /
as a secret from her counsel until after
ner execution. But tbis is not all, and /
perhaps this is net the time either to tell .
the sad and bloody story Of her personal /
suffeTinEs during her incarceration, but
John A. Bingham In attempting 10
bolster up the falling fortunes of the
Radical houses has Over-stepped the
mark.
Mary Z. Surrstt was arrested Ia April
when the weather was cool, and while
she was yet dressed in winter clothing.
She was confined in an inner cell OF the
Arsenal, the Dimensions of which were
about seven feet long snd three wide. 1t
had stone fl Dor, stone walls, and 81
ron grated door. It's only furniture con
iisted of a very thin straw mattress, Rn
army blsnket, and an old pail. She had
neither washing utessils nor a chair to
vt in, nor a single comfort, for her toilet
md dress. A year or so previous to her
she had been cured Of a
erious private malsdy. She had not
,een sitting on that cold stone floor but
hTee or four days when it was brought
n again with redopbied violence. The
Yains in her back and hips were of the
most fearful description, and at night 4
ime they penetrated her chest, and with 1
ns damp, chilling atmosphere OF her
risou house, seemed almost to freezs her ,
itsls. At this tiLne she commenced her
cal martyrdom In the additional pains 7
sused by a terrible hemOrrhsge which r
up to the day Of her most foul
nd dsmniT g murder, and from which I
be was rapidly sinking ia peaceful I
cath when the dread summons was read /
D her st twelve o'clock, on the 6.h of
uly, 1865, to be ready to mount the scaf- q
I'D between the hours OF ten and two /
clock, on the 9TH of July, 1855. i