Middletown transcript., 1870-12-17
NEW CASTLE MORNING. DECEMBER IT, 1870

not be in two places at once, though they
tried to make me so. Listen to his reason
for so ruling: 1.-The prisoner might have
stepped down from Canada to Canandaigua
during his concealment and signed his
name there for the purpose of protecting
himself in the future" 1t was a likely
idea that the proprietor of hotel would
leave blank line in the register for my
especial benefit. Need 1 say that the
ruling was most infamous one, and ought
to damn the judge who SO ruled as vii
lain in the minds of every honest and up
right man. Loud and prolonged ap-
plause. Had Judge Fisher been one of
the lawyers for the prosecution, he could
not have worked harder against me than
he did But, thanks to him. he did me
more good than harm. His unprincipled
and vindictive character was too apparent
to every one in the courtroom. l could
not help smiling at the time to think of
the great shrcwdness and foresight he ac-
corded me by that decision. At times,
really, during my trial, could scarce
recognize any vestige Of my former self.
Sometimes would ask myself, ''am
the same individual?' Am really the
same John II. Surratt?" When that reg
lister was produced in court, the Hon.
Judge Pierrepont, the leading counsel for
the United States, became exceedingly
nervous, especially when Mr.. Bradley re-
fused to show it to him, and he tore up
several pieces of paper in his trembling
fingers.
He evidently saw what pitiful case he
had, and how he had been made the dupe
of his precious, worthy friend, Edwin NJ
Stanton. At the time of my trial the
proprietor of the Webster House, in Cam
audaigua, could not find the cash book of
the hotel, in which there SHOULD have been
an entry in favor of John Harrison"
for SO much cash When he returned to
Canaudaigua, my trial being then ended
he wrote to Mr.. Bradley that he had found
the cash book, and sent it to him. 1t was
then too late My trial was over. If we
had had that cash book at the time of my
trial it would have been proved beyond a
doubt that was in Canandaigua, and not
in Washington City.
On Monday, when I was leaving Can
andaigua, / bought some New York pa
pers In looking over them, my eye lit
on the following paragraph, which 1 have
never forgotten, and don't think ever
will 1t runs thus: The assassin of
Secretary Seward is said to be John IL.
Surratt, a notorious secessionist of South
ern Maryland. His name, with that of
j. Wilkes Boooth, will forever lead the
Infamous roll of assassins" I could
scarcely believe my senses. Igazed upon
my name, the letters of which seemed
sometimes to grow as large as mountains
and then to dwindle away to nothing. So
much for my former connection with him,
1 thought After fully realizing the state
of the case. / concluded to change my
course and go direct to Canada.
left Csnandaigua on Monday II NJ.
going to Albany. arriving there on Tues
day morning in time for breakfast. When
l stepped on the platform at the depot at
St. Albans l noticed that one of the de-
tectives scanned every one, head and foot,
myselfas well as the rest. Before leaving
Montreal for Elmira, l provided myself
with an Oxford-cut jacket and round-top
hat, peculiar to Canada at that time. |
knew my trip to Elmira would be dam
gerous one, and wished to pass myself
off as Canadian, and | succeeded, in so
doing, as was proved by my witnesses in
Elmira. believe that costume guarded
me safely through St. Albans. l went
in with others, and moved around, with
the detectives standing there most of the
time looking at us. OF course l was
obliged to talk as loud as anybody about
the tradgedy. After hearty meal light
ed cigar and walked up town. One Of
the detectives approached me, stared me
directly in the face, and l looked him
quietly back In few moments l was
speeding on my way to Montreal, where l
arrived at two o'clock in the afternoon, 60
ing again to the St. Lawrence Hotel.
Soon after l called on a friend, to whom l
explained my former connection with
Booth, and told him l was afraid the Unit
ed States Government would suspect me
of completely in the plot of assassination,
He advised me to make myself scarce. |
Immediately went to the hotel, got my
things, and repaired to the room of a
friend When my friends tea time came
would not 60 to the table with him, but
remained in the room. The ladies wanted
to know Why he didn't bring his friend to
tea with him ? He replied that l didn't
want any. One of the ladies remarked i:
II expect you have got Booth in there" :"
Laughter. perhaps So" he answered
iaughingly That was close guessing.
Laughter. AT night-fall 1 went to the
house of one who afterwards proved to be
a most devoted friend. There remained
until the evening of the next day. when
I was driven out in n carriage with two
gentlemen, strangers to me. One day
walked out and saw Weichman on the
lookout for me. He had little idea 1 wa:
so near. One night about II o'clock, my
friend, in wohse house was, came to me
and said. In a smiling way 1.-The detcc,
tives have offered me $4,000 if will
tell them where you are" Every we'll,
said I, "give me one half, and let then