Idaho semi-weekly world. (Idaho City, Boise County, Idaho Territory) 1867-1868, 1868-10-07
SEMI Mjeeklv Mnrld.
Mrs. sURRATT AND THE HON. JOHN
A. BINGHAM.
STORY OF OUTRAGE AND INFANY. ID

"A
= Wiz tesasf ----S 'NteifIE. $50
Forney's paper publishes the follow
ing:
That was rather an cffcctual reply
made by Hon. John A. Bingham to a
Copperhead who called out to him while
addressing Republican meeting at
Bangor, How about Mrs SurrattT
Mr.. Bingham's instant response was:
"How about herr Go and consult the
records of the court that convicted her;
Go and ask Gen. Hancock, who ISSUED
the order for her execution in spite OF
q writ of habeas corpus which had been
served upon him, and, If you are sun
unsatisfed, go ask that apostate Presi,
dent Andrew Johnson, why he refused
a pardon after petition had been sent
him signed by every member but one
of the court who tried her, and drawn
up in the hand writing of the man you
seek to insult"
To this statement of the case made
by the man whom even Beast Butter
rebuked as ''the murderer of an inno-
cent woman" the Washington Union
annexes the following efiectual reply:
We happen to know something about
that affair. Gen. Hancock was the
military commandment of the department
of Washington at the time OF Mary l..
Surratts execution, and he simply car
ried into effect the military orders OF
bis superior officers. He did not issue
an order for her execution and John
A. Bingham knows it. The writ OF ma
beas corpus was served upon Gen Ham
cock to produce the body of Mrs. Sur
raft in court, aud il he could have had
his way at that time, he would have
obeyed it, but John \. Bingham, thirst
ing for innocent blood, assisted III franz
ing excuses why the order of the writ
should not be obeyed.
After the case was closed, aud the
argument of council submitted. the
Court met 10 deliberate and make up
It's findings. 4 majority Of the court
were in doubt as 10 Mrs. Surratts guilt,
aud SO expressed themselves. Al this
iuncture John A. Bingham, in the ab-
sence of her counsel reUyssed the case
in the most violent manner, and did the
most fragrant injustice by bold mis-
statements of the evidence, and II was
only after long brow-beating process
that the final decision in her case was
reached Ii was at this point that the
petition for q Communication of her sen.
tence, not her PARDON was drawn up
aud signed by many members ii tht
court, Gen. Hunter III the head. Ii Their,
was no doubt about her guilt, why thl'
hasty action on the part of the court IL
secure reversal of her sentence!
Mary Z. Surratt would never hav,
been hung but for the nnwarrantabI'
and illegal interference Of John \. BIng
ham, after the case had been closed
III the absence of her counsel.
1t is no answer to this charge to say
that Mr. Bingham, as assistant Judg,
Advocate. was member of the cuurI
and had right to be present at tic
findings The law permitted Gen. llol
to be present and only he; but ever
Gen. Holt would have had no right Il
'reargue the case. 1t Is due to President
Johnson to say that he neve rsaw mol
heard Of this petition until long after Mrs
Surratt was III the rcposc OF her unchrist
ian and wicked burial, and the matter
was kept as a secret from her counse
until after her execution. But this il
not al, and perhaps this is not the tim,
either to TIL the sad and bloody stor,
of her personal sufferings during hel
incarceration, but John 4. Bingham
in attempting to bolster up the falling
fortunes of the Radical Houses, ha.
over-stepped the mark.
Mary +. Surratt was arrested il
April when the weather was cool, ant
while she was yet dressed in wintc
clothing. She az confined in an inne
cell of the Arsenal, the dimensions o
which were about seven feet long ant
three wide 1t had stone floor, ston,
walls, aud an iron grated door. Ia
only furniture consisted Of very thin
straw mattress, an army blanket, ant
an old pail. She had neither washing
utensils nor a chair to sit in, nor {
single comfort for her toilet and dress
A year or so previous to her incarcera
tim sho had hpen cured of a serious