The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1878-07-19

Ben. Pittman, the well-known phono-
prapher who now lives in Cincinnati, and
who was the official reporter at the trial of
the conspirators for the assassination of Mr.
Lincoln, says there is no doubt of Mrs. Sur
rats innocence of any participation in the
crime. The grave blunders which grew out
of the assassination trial were due to the
theory Mr.. Stanton entertained, that Booth
was the active instrument in great conspir-
acy, the dictatory power of which was the
rebel government Mrs. Surratt was hang
ed for completely in the assassination plot,
of which she was entirely ignorant, and
poor Spangler was sent to Dry Tortugas be-
cause long rope was found in his carpet
sack, with which it was supposed Mr., Lin
coin was to be bound, when in fact no other
use was to be made of it than the catching
of crabs. Spangler had simply "borrowed"
the rope from Ford's theatre for that pur.
pose.
The testimony went to show that the ass
assination of Lincoln was sudden resoiu-
ton of Booth on finding that the President
was to visit the theatre that night, and the
hasty conspiracy Matched up with Payne,
Atzerodt and Harold was confDed exclusive
ly to their knowledge and participation.
The fact is that Mr.. Stanton, Judge Advo-
cate Holt Bingham and Burnett and other
officers of the government engaged in the
prosecution were somewhat unbalanced by
the imagined greatness of conspiracy which
did not exist Nothing but such belief
would Justify the treatment to which the
prisoners were subjected.
The trial in the first two weeks was COLI
Quoted in secret, and the prisoners-Harold,
Payne, Arzerodt and l think two others
were masked in close fitting helmet like
white cap which just left breathing mole
for the mouth and nostrils. They were be.
sides manacled at the wrists and ankles, and
| to the latter were attached heavy ball and
chain. Mrs. Surratt was not thus masked,
but she was manacled at the feet through
| out the trial. The masks were removed
when the trial became public, after the ex-
piration of two weeks, when admission was
obtained to the court only by the personal
sanction Of General Hunter by card.
Cerrespondent-do you think the govern'
ment sanctioned this severity toward the
prisoners?
Mr.. Pittman-Mr. Stanton was the gov
ernment at that time. He was man for
whom still entertain a profound admira-
ton; man of the Cromwell type, strong
but unfeeling, and who to obtain desired
end would in an emergency play despot-
strangely out of place under Republican
| form of government. For instance, what
should be more sacred than the private cor
respondence of citizen committed to the
public mails, yet by Mr.. Stanton's orders
assisted to open hundreds of letters that
passed through the general Postofiice at
Washington, just after the assassination,
| when every letter addressed to Canada was
thus stopped. Mr.. Stanton's justification
was that the agents of Jefferson Davis, who
were then in Canada, were the instigators of
the assassination plot. The letters opened
to detect these supposed Vaccinations led to
tiers not directly sought for, and many a
brilliant career of army officer and polite
ian was stultifed by those revelations, which
they little thought would ever be seen by
| the powerful war minister.
The recommendation to mercy for Mrs.
Surratt signed by members of the court in
secret session, Andrew johnson affirmed he
never saw, and the efforts of Miss Anna Sur
raft to see President johnson in behalf of
her unfortunate mother were somehow cruel
ly frustrated. An innocent matron was
hanged and history is dumb as to who is re-
sponsible for the irreparable wrong. Frant.
ic efforts were made to connect John Surratt
with the assassination plot; but, fortunate
ly for him they were unsuccessful.