The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1869-07-01

not reach that, as my hands were wedgde
down by the iron. At last, two kind heart.
ed soldiers took compassion on me, and
while one watched the other feed me. On
| Saturday night n man came TO me, mud alter
drawing the ling so tight MS to nearly suiio'
cate me, said 10 the guard, don let HIM
go TO sleep, rs we will carry him out to hang
him directly" | heard Them go up on the
deck. when there was great rafting OF
chains aud other noises; and while / was
| irving TO imagine what was going on, aud
what they intended to do, was dragged
| out by two men, who both pulled me at
times in oppusite directions. We, however,
reached u boat, IN which WAS placed, and
were rowed short distance. | could not
say then where we stopped, for my face was
sull covered. After leaving the boat, I was
! forced to walk some distance, with the heavy
| irons still on my legs. | was then suddenly
| stopped, and mnde TO ascend three or four
| flights OF stairs and as | stood at the ton
waiting, some one struck me severe blow
On the top OF the head, which stunned aud
| half threw me over, when ! was pushed into
| "a ul.ll TuUm, where remained in an un.
couSeiUns condition for several hours. The
next morning some one came with bread
| aud coffee. | remained here several DAYS.
suffering torture from the bag or padded
hood Owe, my face, 1t was on Sunday when
It was removed and | was shayen. 1t was
then replaced. Some hours after General
lIartraut came and read to me several
charges that was engaged in plot to
assassinate the President, and the day fol.
lowing was carried into u military court
and sull hooded before all of its members.
/ remained but short time, when was
returned to my cell for another night and
day, and then again presented in this court.
Mr.. Bingham, Assistant Judge Advocate,
read the charges against me, and asked il
had any objection to the court, and ] re.
piled, No, and made my plea of Not
guilty" They then wished 10 know il |
desired counsel and, when answered Of
tirmatyey, General Hunter, the President
of the court, insisted that | should not be
allowed counsel. lie was, however, over.
ruled, but it was several days before | was
permitted legal aid, the court in the mean.
time taking evidence with closed doors. On
every adjournment Of the court, if only for
an hour | was returned to my cell and the
closely lifting hood placed over my head
This continued ill june 10, 1855, when !
was relieved from the torture Of the bag,
but my hands and limbs remained heavily
manncled.
On one Sunday, while was confined at
this place (the Washington Arsenal, was
visited by gentleman of middle stature,
rather stout, with full beard and gold framed
spectacles. He noticed my nanacles and
padded head. afterwards learned that he
was Mr. Stanton, the Secretary of War. 1t
is proper to state that when the hood was
placed on me, Captain Munroe said it was
by order of the Secretary of War. Ny first
thought was that | was to be hung without
trial, aud the hood was preparatory to that
act.
The first time ever saw Mrs. Suratt was
in the Carroll Prison yard, on Capitol Hill
| did not see her again until we were taken
into Court the first day at the arsenal. My
cell was on the same corridor with hers,
aud had to pass it every tine was taken
into Court. | frequently looked into her
cell, small room about four feet vide by
seven feet long. The only things in her
cell were an old mattress laid on the bricks,
and an army blanket. could see the irons
on her feet. as she was generally lying on
the mattress, and was the last one brought
into Court. She occupied u seat in Court
near the prison door. The seat was twelve
inches high, aud the chains between the
irons on her feet were so short that she al.
ways had to be assisted to her seat. She
was so sick at one time that the Court was
compelled to adjourn.
On the 18th OF July. about midnight, |
was conveyed to a steamboat, and arrived
the next day ut Fortress Monroe, and was
thence taken to the gunboat Florida. The
irons ON my arms were temporarily re.
moved, but Captain Duttun, in charge o,
the guard, ordered heavy Lille irous to be
placed ON me, when General Dodd chief
officer in charge, more hunaney counter
manded his order and had the irons again
removed from my arms. | was placed for
security in the lower hold of the vessel, and
compelled to descend TO 1t by a ladder
The rounds were TAR apart, and, as the irons
on my feet were chained but a few inches
apart, my legs were bruised and la. Grated
fcariully. The hold where was confined
was close and dirty, but after two or three
days was allowed on deck in the DAYTIME.
but was closely guarded was allowed TO |
speak to no one of the crew. We arrived
ut Fort Jefferson on the Dry rortugas, and
were handed over to Col. Hamilton, com.
manding who placed me until the next day
in caseinate. The next day was brought
before Colonel H., who informed me that
he had no more stringent orders concern
ing the than other prisoners confined there.
managed to gel along comfortably for n
while, though to some OF the prisoners the
officers were very cruel. One man by the
name OF Damn, while helping in unloading
Government transport, got hold of some
nqaor aud imOibed too freely, for which he
was hsAeh 10 the guard house aud tied up
TO The window frame by his thumbs for two
hours. General Hill then ordered him to
be taken down and made to carry n thirty
two pound ball, but DIS the hanging had de
priNed him OF the use OF his thumbs, he was
unable to obey. The officers, however, put
two twenty four pound balls in knapsaek,
aud compelled him to carry them until the
sack gave way from the weight of the iron.
lie was then tied up by the wrists and gag
ged IN The mouth BY the baycnet from z.
NJ. till the next morning, lie was then
taken down and thrown into the guard.
house, but was SO exhausted that he had to
be removed to the hospital. 1t was decided
to anputaus three of his fingers, but this
was reconsidered. He lost, however, the
use Of his thumb and two fingers. This
punishment was inflicted by Major McCon.
nell, officer Of the day, and was carried out
by Sergeant Edward Donnelly.
Another poor prisoner, named Brown,
was once excused by the doctor from work
on the plea OF illness, but the Provost Mar.
shal insisted, and finding him too III and
lacking strength, made him carry thirty.
two pound ball. He staggered under the
weight and was compelled from weakness
to put it down. He was then taken to the
wharf. and with his legs tied together and
his bands tied behind him, rope was tied
around him md he was thrown into the
water aud then dragged out. This was done
three or four times, hs begging for mercy
most plteousy. lie was finally jerked out
OF the water and ordered to return to his
ordinary work. The poor wretch crept of