The Van Buren press., 1879-04-05
CRUEL FATE.
Gen. Slocun on the Murder of Mrs.
Surfatt.
Rochester lS. " nion.

Rochester IN. ~ mon.
General II. w Sloeum, one OF the
most distinguished brigade, division,
corps, and grand division commanders
OF the war, recently delivered lecture
IN Brooklya, on the events OF the great
struggle, during the course OF which he
eXpr sscd the opinion always held by
the Union, that Mrs. Surratt was mur-
dered woman. He sad
81 am going to speak to you one word
about the execution OF Mrs. Surratt, at
the close OF the war. for | think some
good lesson can be learned from til story
Of her trial and death. | believe any
people situated rs we, ought 10 be eau
toned against placing implicit confidence
in evidence, that is brought forward and
given at time OF high excitement !
could stand here, tonight, and relate tit,
ty incidents that would serve to caution
everybody against taking evidence
against others, when the people are all
in Il state of intense excitement. There
never was day there never was an hour
that | did not believe that Mrs. Surratt
was as innocent woman as there Is IN
this hall (AFplause.) She was the keep,
cr OF Il boarding house in Washington.
She boarded Wilkes Booth and haIt-doz-
en- other rebel sympathizers, and she bad
a son, John II. Surratt. Wilkes Booth
was guilty OF shooting LiHcoln, and tins
! poor woman wat brought to triai III con
neetion with Wilkes Booth, and through
| the excitement OF the times her neck
was brought to the halter, Her daugh-
ter, young girl OF Is or 10 years OF
age, on the morning OF the execution
went to the presidents room, and beg
| ged permission to say few words to
! him GU behalf OF her mother aud a. llnir
ted States senator who acted us door
tender, rcpulsed her, saying, No, no ;
you can not 20 in Worse than that,
meaner than that, the poor girl, three or
four years afterwards married clerk In
the treasury department. No charges
We're made against him, but because this
clerk had married the daughter Of Mrs.
Surratt he WAS discharged. Let us brag
OF our achievements, but Mt the same
time let us learn to look our faults and
errors fairly and squarely in the face
and acknowledge them when we have
cause to-"
The murder Of Mrs. Surratt was the
most cruel and. cowardly act ever com
mitted in any civilized country. 1t is a
curious and suggestive fact that all who
were chiefly responsible for the oxecu-
ton of that innocent woman have Iclt
the unseen hand OF the great ayengcr.
Stanton, secretary OF war, who was,
perhaps, the worst of the Number, com
mtted suicide in tit OF rcmorse, al.
though the fact WAS sought to be conceal
cd. Preston King, the senator from
New ork, who repulsed Annie Surratt,
ut the presidents door, i'll the like man
uer ended his own life by deliberately
jumping from Il ferry boat into the river
ut New York and drowning himself
Andrew Johnson, who signed the death
warra t, aud despotjcally suspended the
writ of habeas cor us that bad been
granted by the court, was stricken sud-
denly WITH death, upon his return to tho
senate, after he hid left the presidency,
| Judge Advocate Holt who conducted the
prosecution, long ago disappeared from
public view, and whether dead or alive
j'b'ifi'hf 4. BGGhllii, NM slssISttd TlOlt, vas
driven from congress III disgrace, as ono
of the Credit Mobile bribc-takers, and
sought refuge in Japan, where we believe
| he now il.