The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1879-04-11
THE MURDER OF MRS. sURRArr.

Gen. IL. w. Slocum, one of the most
distinguished brigade, division, corps, aud
grand division commanders of the war, res
Gently delivered lecture in Brooklyn on
kevents OF the great struggle, during the
course Of which he expressed the opinion,
always held by the Union, that Mrs Sur
ratt was murdered woman. He said:
am going to speak to you one word
about the execution of Mrs Surratt at the
close of the war, for think some good
lessons can be learned from the story of her
trial and death. believe any people sit.
uated as we were ought to be cautioned
against placing implicit confidence in evi-
dence given at time of high excitement. 1
could stand here tonight and relate to you
fifty incidents that would serve to caution
everybody against taking evidence against
others when the people were all in state
Of intense excitement. There never Was
a day, there never was an hour, that I did
not believe Mrs. Surratt was as innocent a
woman as there is in this hail. [Applause I
She was the keeper of boarding house in
Washington. She boarded Wilkes Booth
and half dozen other rebel sympathizers,
and she had son, John H. Surratt.-
Wilkes, Booth was guilty of shooting Mr..
Lincoln, and this poor woman was brought
to trial in connection with Wilkes Booth,
and through the excitement of the times
her neck was brought to the halter. Her
daughter, young girl eighteen or nineteen
years OF age, on the morning of the execu-
tion went to the Presidents room and begged
permission to say q few words 10 him on
behalf of her mother, and United States
Senator from our own State, who acted as
door tender, repulsed her, saying, "No no.
you cannot 60 in." Worse than that,
meaner than that, the poor girl three or
tour years .afterward married clerk in the
Treasury Department No charges were
made against him, but because this clerk
had married the daughter of Mrs. Surratt
he. was discharged. Let us brag of our
| achievements, but at the same time let us
learn to look our faults and errors 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 committed in
any civilized country. 1t is curious and
suggestive fact that all who were chiefly
responsible for the execution of tha. inno-
cent woman have felt the unseen hand of
the Great Avenger. Stanton, Secretary
of War, who was, perhaps, the worst of the
number, committed suicide in fit of
remorse, although the fact was sought to
be concealed. Preston King, the Senator
from New York, who rcpulsed Annie Sur
ratt from the Presidents door, in like man.
ncr ended his own life by deliberately jump.
Ing from ferryboat in tho North river at
New York and drowning himself. Andrew
johnson, who signed the death warrant
and despotically suspended the writ of
habeas corpus that had been granted bs1the
court, was stricken suddenly with death
upon his return to the Senate after he had
left the Presidency. Judge Advocate Holt,
who conducted the prosecution, long ago
disappeared from public view, and whether
dead or alive nobody knows and nobody
cares. And John 4. Bingham, who as
sisted Holt, was driven from Congress in
disgrace as one of the credit mobilier bribe
takers, and sought refuge in Japan, where,
we believe, he now is.-Rochester Union.