Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-04-27
A shocking Story RetOld.

L
Mary (. Surratt was murdered. The press of
the United States was uuply represented. A
majority of it applauded the cowardly crime.
When the improvised trap fell, and swung
back, aud left her body dangling life!ess on the
fatal rope. there were present generals and Of
ticers of the nation bearing its uniform, whose
buttons aud shoulder straps glittered in the
bright rays. Save good Father Walter, 90
voice uttered God bless her" rs she fell
The soldiers that paced the top of the sur
rounding walls made 90 sign. Several turned
away their heads, sickened by the sight, aud
awed to see deed doue IN the nineteenth cen
tury that 10 the fourteenth would have been
del, gated to the secrccles OF duugeoo or the
kDiie Of solitary bravo.
Womeu have been murdered before cal
ousy, drunkenness, despair, a maddened Gu
piulty have ali 10 turn murdered women.
Never before was a hero called In the bright
and oren day to see such deed done. Han
cock was He obeyed the call, and saw that
the hangneD were protected, that the assassl-
patton WIS not Interrupted. How bis spirit
rebelled at the task was written on his
broad face The writer saw it there as 10 a
book.
1t was in the old Arsenal peD,tentary yard,
in Washington, in the inner yard, that they
>,rangIed this woman. The arsenal aud penl-
tentiary face aud terminate at Four and half
street, which stretches to it from the City Hall.
They have erected there since then statue of
Lincoln. Were it the mau himself be might
see The site of the murder comnlltted 10 his
name from the paltry pedestal on which 1t is
raised. The outer gate OF the arsenal faces
that statue at the other end OF the long, wide
street exactly. FROM the gate to the Old penl-
tenllary, where the mcckery of the trial was
played, runs broad and gravelled path. This
path turued around the peultentIaty walls, aud
led to The gate of the yard where stood the
scatfod. The walls Of the Denitentlary tormed
two sides OF the yard, aud the other Two were
walls built to euclose the yard, and these stood
some 6feeu feet high. Upon these walls seu-
tries were placed.
Frouting the wall that ran at right giles with
the end of the pebitentiary, stood strange,
weird locking structure. The one cod oft had
a ladder that reached to the grouod; beyond
that end, some twenty yards, was small iron
door that opened toto the pepltentlary--ln one
OF those lower tier of cells beneath raised and
replaced fIg, were rottlDg the remalns OF john
Wilkes Booth. This wooden structure was the
scatfold. 1t consisted of platform, resting on
square wooden posts. The front Lart OF the
platform was attached to the back part by
hinges, and this front rested Cd posts, which
its weight held 10 place. Along the back and
solid part of the platform were four chairs.
Around this yard louoged the correspondents,
were ragged some soldiers, and right 10 tue
middle OF the yard, when the wl;ter entered
it, stood the tall and ample folm OF Haucock
10 full uniform.
General, may 60 in once more and see the
prisoners p
mo, sir. One moment-Ordery p
''Yes, Sir.
Mount your horse, 60 to the outer gate OF
the arsenal Don't dismouot, but keep your
eve along Four-and halt street. Should you
see mouuted soldier riding this way, then
ride here and tell me. Stay there till you are
relieved by the sight Of that soldier, or by
order
"Yes, sir.
The orderly sped away.
mo, sir, [ cannot permit it. They are with
ministers aud priests; have tut few mlnutcs
to live | have refused every other correspou
dent"
"Do you expect repreve, General p
II expect nothing Tat woman, however,
shall not lose chance of life, it eau help it.
That's why sent that orderly to the gate.
He did expect reprleve, and his face show
ed he did.
The eyes of most we're now fastened on the
iron door that led into the penltcntlary. 1t
looked like poStern iu Q fortress heavy, sui
leu aud pitilcs,. My eyes wandered back to
the scatfd | then noticed, for the first time,
that above the platform, resting on two firm
posts, ran beau. Frou this beam hung four
ropes 1t >ickeDed me TO see them. The sun
u, ,b i ~. b,,lo
ghas,ly scene Us fierce in its III clouded splen.
dor as ever it shone on the hot Sauds Of SyrIa
sudden movement, murmur, a low eX
c!amaliou:
"Here they are u
There they were, issuing, one by one, from
the little door, preceded by soldiers, aauked
by soldiers, followed BY soldiers, accompanied
by men 10 civilian dresses. the priest, the min
lister and the hangueD. There was baug
man to eve'y prisoner.
A'zerot came first Payne came second.
Harrld came third. She came last Father
Walter was talking to her all the way TO the
scatold, all the way up It's steps, and on it,
when she took her seat. They sat in the order
10 which they had come.
The poor wom. IN could scarcely walk, aud
they assisted her to her death very eDderiy.
AS sue sat down, | could not refrain from look.
lux ~ '"c yard gate, thinking Of the orderly
as tne outer gate beyond There was no sgu.
iooEed'at Hancock; his eyes were turued the
same way; MS Usually Il ,rld face was the color
OF ashes. could see his hapGs omen and close
uervously.. he looked a, his watch, aud the
chain oscilla,ed at the touch of his nervous
fingers, usually as calm as is the hand of
heavy lymphatio man, for Hancock was both.
Mary Z. Surratt was praying to the cruci6x
held before her by Father Walter Each of
the others was listening TO the minister. At
length Father Walter prayed aloud, aud re
porting the prayer. for the time forgot the or.
derly. The prayer over, | looked gatewards
again. No sign Hancock eyes were riveted
on the gate. The arms OF each were being
p'uloued. They were told to rise and they all
four rose. Each haugmau placed the moose
around each of their uecks. Hook again at the
gate No sigu Hancock was ookiog at his
watch. Turning agaiu to- the scafJ!d, | saw
the straw hat of PaUns bloun bu /, .n3dan nm