Huntington advertiser. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1874-1921, 1875-10-14
JOHN SURRATS DoUBI E
The My,terious Prisoner Who Was
Mistaken for One Of the Conspira-
tors Against President Lincoln's
Life,

tors Against President Lincoln
Life.
Colonel John G.. Ryan, q brother
of General Ryan of Virginius fame
wa, arrested at the close of the war
as John II. Surratt, and after being
kept in Jail for five months was re-
leased on the ground OF mistaken
Identity. The following story of his
arrest and imprisonment is told by
him:
It was in July, 1865, just after the
late unpleasantness, was standing
in The rotunda of the Gayoso House
at Memphis one evening, chatting
with an old friend, Colonel Cockerill,
when gentleman approached me
and politely asked if my name was
Ryan. replied that it was. Col
mel Ryan of Arkansas" he asked.
The same" | responded. Thinking
it must be some friend whose name
had escaped me, | extended my hand
to shake his, when, TO my astonish-
ment rs you can well imagine, he
turned back his coat exposing an otii
cial star, and remarked that my pres
ence was desired at the provost mar
shars office. | could conceivs of no
ofense that l had committed, and
supposed that he had made some mis-
take, so carelessly tossed a parcel
in my hands to the clerk of the hotel
to put in my key box, and, remarked
that | would be back in hilf an hour,
set out upon a journey that was des-
tined to be a most remarkable one, to
me at least.
When We arrived at the provost
office, | sought information concern
ing my strange arrest, but could get
no satisfaction. was searched care
fully, and everything, save the rags
which covered me, was seized. A
careful descriptive list WAS then Ia
ken, showing my height, apparent
age, the color of my eyes and hair,
etc. | concluded from this that it
was no Joke, nor any trifling matter,
and when to every question | asked
was returned. but a silent shake of the
head, it is not strange that | became
badly frightened, and prepared for
the worst. After a little delay, | was
conducted to the top of the Irving
block which was used as a Jail. |
was taken into room and gruhly ask
ed to pick ou:a place for myself, and
then heavy manacles were placed on
my wrists, heavy bands wer. welded o.
my ankles, huge staples were driven
into the floor, | was chained fast. |
could not move more than three feet
from the staple, and, in the feeble
condition in which four years of pri-
walton and sickness in the field had
left me. it was as much as | could do
to lift my heavily weighted hands to
my mouth in eating. The physical
torture was terrible. but the mental
agony was indescribable.
] have since learned that some
friends heard of my arrest, and called
upon the general commanding for an
explanation, hut were reassurcd bv
the statements, no doubt honestly
made, that it was not Col. Ryan who
was in jail, buta very important State
prisoner VINO had assumed Col. Ryan's
name.
After had been there for some
days | was suddenly unshackled
and condLc:el to another floor. Ny
heart lcapei at tn thought of free
dom, but all hope was soon dispelled
by the appearance Of 4 blacksmith
with fresh manaclcs Instead of
chains and staple, it was now chain
and ball. Attached u each ankle
was chain carrying 4 sixty-four
pound ball, and from my handcufed
hands ran light chain to the single
manacled arm of il guard.
| was placed in close carriage
with armed guards all about me (iwo
OF them holding revolvers in their
laps a. We rode, and driven to the
cars. In special car, under Capt.
Smith, with an Illinois guard, we
rode to Cairo, and thence 10 Baltl.
more, Nd
At Baltimore 4 .arge crowd had
gathered at the depot to await my
arrival. 1t seems that tae paper had
been publishing sensational re
port Of "the mysterious prisoner,
the "man with the Iron mask etc,
then en- route tor Washington, and
the popuiacc was 50 excited that they
proposed lynching me. We bad To
change cars, and the people jammed
up against me with all manner Of
threats. Many of them displayed
arms. and for time it looked a if
general engagement between them
and my guards was certain. One
bully succeeded in getting close to me,
and encouraged me with threat to
cut my heart out. 1t was re than
I could bear, and | struck him full
in the iaco. Wild comnotion fol-
lowed, and | vas pretty roughly
handled, and when We glineIa new
car, was very thankful for having es
capped alive.
When we reached Washington ]
was taken at once 10 the old capitol
prison and locked IN cell, with
silent guard before the door. One
day / heard a noise below me. and
thought that there might be fellow
prisoner there who could serve NE.
So ! happened to have a piece of
twime in my pocket, and | found a
scrap of writing paper in a chink in
the cell wall. ] rubbed ny finger.
in the iron dust on the CRATE bars