Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1876-05-16

1t was beneath bright summer sun
that Mary E Surratt was murdered. -
The press of the United States was
amply represented. A majority of it
applauded the cowardly crime. When
the improvised trap fell, and swung
back, ana left her body dangling life
less on the fatal rope, there were pres
ent generals and officers of the nation
bearing its uniform, whose buttons
and shoulder-strGps glittered in the
bright rays. Save good Father Wal
ter, no voice uttered God bless her !"
as she fell. The soldiers that paced
The top of the surrounding walls made
no sign. Several turned away their
heads, sickened by the sight, and
awed to see deed done in the nine
teenth century that In the fourteenth
would have been delegated to the Sc
crecies of dungeon or the knife of a
solitary bravo.
Women have been murdered before
jealousy, drunkenness, despair, u
maddened cupidity have all in turn
murdered women. Never before was
hero called in the bright and open
day to see such a deed done. Han
cock was. He obeyed the call, and
saw that the hangmen were protected,
and that the assassination was not in
terrupted. How his spirit rebelled at
the task, was written on his bread
face. The writer saw 1t there as in a
book.
THE SCENE OF THE MURDER.
1t was in the old Arsenal peniten-
tiary yard, in Washington, in the in
ner yard, that they strangled this wo-
man. The arsenal and penitentiary
face and terminate at FouT-and- half
street, which stretches to it from the
City Hall. They have erected there
since then q statue of Lincoln. Were
it the man himself he might see the
site of the murder committed in his
name from the paltry pedestal on
which it is raised. The outer gate of
the arsenal faces that statue Mt the
other end of the long. wide street eX-
actly. From the gate to the old peni-
Tertiary, where the mockery of the trial
was played, runs broad and graveled
path. This path turned around the
penitentiary walls, and led to the gate
of the yard where stood the scaflold.
The walls of the penitentiary formed
two sides Of the yard, and the other
two were walls built to enclose the
yard, and these stood some fifteen feet
high. Upon these walls sentTies were
placed.
Fronting the wall that ran at right
angles with the end of the penitentia-
ry, stood strange, weird-looking
structure. The one end of it had n
ladder that reached to the ground be-
yOnd that end. some twenty yards,
was small iron door that opened in
to the penitenIiary-in one of whose
lower tier Of cells, beneath q raised
and replaced flag, were rotting the re-
mains Of John Wilkes Booth. This
wooden structure was the scaffold. 1t
consisted of platform, resting on
square wooden posts. The front part
of the platform was attached to the
back part by hinges, and this front
rested on posts. which its weight held
in place. Along the back and solid
part of the platform were four chairs,
Around this yard lounged some
correspondents, where ranged some
soldiers, and right in the middle of the
yard, when the writer entered it, stood
the tall aud ample form of Hancock In
full uniform.
General, may / 60 in once more
and see the prisoners pp
mo, sir. One moment - Orderly %
eyes, sir"
Mount your horse, go to the outer
gate of the arsenal. Don't dismount,
hut keep your eye along Four and-a-
half street. Should you see mount
ed soldier riding this way, then ride
here and tell me. Stay there until
you are relieved by tho sight of that
soldier, or by order"
Yes, SIR"
The orderly sped away.
mo, sir. l cannot permit II. They
are with ministers and priests l; have
but few minutes to live. | have re-
fused every other correspondent.
DO yoI expect reprieve, Geueral?'
II expect nothing. That woman,
however, shall not lose chance Of
life, II can help IL. That's why /
sent that orderly to the gate"
He did expect a reprieve, and his
face showed he did.
THE PROCESSION.
Tho avas of most WAra now fasten.