The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1879-11-21
GENERAL HANCOCK.
a wicked 1.ven.ion Blown to the wind.

ton has led, as his trl0DdS supposed
It would lead, to spitefdl outcroppings
over the hanging of Mrs. Surratt, an
affair which his Official position just
after the war compelled him to direct.
A few days ago in the Indianapolis
Journal an interview was printed
about Gen. Hancock, of which the fol-
lowing is part: IL. 1. g. -....
s'The Democrats can't nominate Gen.
Hancock" said q Catholic priest to me the
other day, in response to my expression OF
"Why not,'' asked. ..l....i- c.-5
. "Because." he said with much feeling.
che hanged Mrs: snrratt without cause and
II don't see how he hanged her." said I,
"more than Gen. Holt, who was Judge Ad-
yocate, or Stanton, who was Secretary o.
g %a1 Or Andy Johnson who Q, was Pre ISL
! aHanooek,'' exclaimed the priest, chad
20 se Ss1 sss ssr
was sentenced. He did all he could to send
the woman to-1; but no doubt her earnest
request for clergy was passed to her credit
in the books beyond the sky"
swell, Catholics have" said the priest,
"and If Hancock should arise and have the
impudence to ask for Catholic votes, they
would bury him under their indignation"
The above extract appeared in the
Post of this city this morning. The
VOIXSSkSOuNSAOOA VtA0 w OAAu NGSAAOA uROA4
Rev. Father Walter, of st. Patrick's
Church, with this interview. He was
Mrs. Surratt's adviser, and he it was
whom Gen. Hancock was credited
with having insulted. Father Walter
is tall, square-shouldered man, with
enough fire in his face and vigor in his
movements to make one almost wish
that he and Gen. Hancock could put
on the gloves together, they are so
nearly matched.
81 am glad you came," he said, "for
this isn't the first of these filings at
Gen. Hancock. have blamed myself
often for not declaring the truth in the
matter, for I am the only one that
should tell it, SO far as it concerns N.Y.
self. Yet, being priest, have felt
bound to hold my peace. Besides, SO
far no tangible harm has resulted from
silence. For some weeks back though
I have seen that circumstances might
arise which should change my deter
mination; this attack seems to me to
call for the kind of response that will
make such objections to Gen. Hancock
impossible in the future. That is what
said to-day to Bishop Keane, Of Rich
mond, when I informed him that I
had about decided to brand all such
stories as false over my own sigma
ture.''
"Would you object to doing it now?"
the reporter asked.
"Not at ALL" Father Walter replied,
and seating himself at a table he wrote
this denial:
Truth and justice compel mo to deny the
statement with references to Gen. Hancock g
participation in the execution of Mrs. Sur
raft, which appeared in the Washington
Pest OF this morning. I attended Mrs.
Surratt OH that occasion and met with no
interference on the part of Gen. Hancock.
Gen. Hancock had great sympathy for this
unfortunate lady, and waited until the last
moment, hoping for reprieye. consider
this statement should be made.
Pastor 81. Patrick's Church, Washington.
"There. That is the first statement
L have made for the public in all these
years." Father Walter said, trifle
sadly. 81 hope it may be the means
of enough good to compensate for all
the harm that these stories have done."
An assertion made to-day by an ex-
army officer was abundantly corrobo-
rated in the War Department, that so
strong was Gen. Hancock's hope for q
reprieve for Mrs. Surratt, that on the
of cavalry along the streets from the
White House to the Arsenal, that no
delay might ensue in communicating
the fact. In the Arsenal are photo
graphs of the scaffold at the time of the
execution. They show Father Walter
at Mrs. Surratt's side.