The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1880-08-06
General Hancock and Mrs. Surratt.

\ reporter for the New York Hsuus9 on
"Wednesday of last week calleI on Mr.. John
i. BrOphy, President of the st. Louis Col
lege, and the Rev H. +. Wigct, of Maryland,
to ascertain what they knew concerning Gen.
UancOck'S course as commander of the de-
partment of Washington at the time of the
executions Of Mrs. Mary Surratt Mr.. Brophy
is the man who iaboTed 50 earnestly to save
the life of Mrs Surratt, and the venerable
Father Wiset was one of the priests who
miniStered to Mrs SuTratt in matters spirit
uaI during her Imprisonment
In his statement to the reporter for the
Herald, after recU1nting his efforts to obtain
a suspension of the sentence of Mrs. SuTratt
from President Johnson, Mr.. Brophy said
Finding that no hope remained. urged Anna
to 20 to her mother while she was vet alive. We
drove rapidly toward the penitentiary. On our
way from the white house noticed mounted sol
dIers at Intervals aleHg the route, but did net
50 stationed When We arrived 1t the arsenal
gate, an hour or 50 hciprc the execution, We were
refused admission hy the soldiers on guard. In
the excitement ] had HnisIaid the pass. and n
trnc il seemed n itIu,ather and ,lptcr yyer. 10
he deprived the LnOuTnful privilege OF - last
farewell Just then a carriage drove up and Gen.
Hancock descended from IT, came 10 he ambulance
in which were Anna Ssurratt and myself surround
cd by the guard. Ordering the guard away the
general spoke To Auna- and in q voice of Su6ducd
sadness told her that lie feared there was no hope
the higher authorities were inexoTable. and
urged her brace hcrsc for the terrible ordeal
Comm. around the ambulance 10 the seat l occu-
pied. General H1ncUck said to me ia low tone =
mir. Brophy fear there l. no hope, and it would
be cruel To hold ont any hope 70 that poor child
whca there is none StiH nave stationed mount
ell men all along the line to tine " hitc House
with Instructions To- snake all possible haste in
case the president should relent and grant re
prievc Tor Mrs Surratt- II % repricye bc granted
IL viii probably Toe directed 50 me the coUJmand-
e. OF the department, aud shall Toe on the spot
till the last moment Tor the purpose OF opening Il
rcVricvC should any bc sent. He then in the kind
IIcst manner gave me Instructions let Anna re
main with her mother as long as prudence should
permit, but upon condition to allow her to Wit
ness her mothers execution as the memory OF the
terrible scene in after years tie too horrible tor her
to contemplate. lie then orders TO the guards
to l,t pass, and he grove near until reach
TO describe the heartrcndiug events Of that
memorable day. the frantic parting OF mother and
daughter, the solemn protcstatonS OF innocence Of
that mother In the face OF death upon the scailold
her outPouring OF gratitude To myself Tor the pool
services l had tlicd I" render. her only regret
at parting with poor Anna; who would soon toe
alone in the cold cold world - and above all. her
most humhie submission TO the Will OF Almighty
God in that direfnl hOur-tC describe all these
scenes = beyond t1c power oi my ieepe pen al''!
. beyond thc object nave now IN view My object
now is to add my testimony TO that Of Others in
Yiudication Of one who has been most uHiustly as
sailed for alleged conduct IN connection with this
ease which brave man could pOs>iblyiue guilty.
AS one. therefore, who is convcrsant with tue
iacts, ~ one VINO spared hcitheT money tliic nor
labor until the last hope Tor Mrs. Surratts lite
had fed, one who tried to act a brothers part
/ toward Anna Surrdtt IN her more than orphan
Loneliness, l rcitcratc cmphatically every word of
the dispatch which, unknown aud unsolicited,
forwarded To- my friend the Hon John j. Tarbox-
OF Massachusetts. ut the Cincinnati convention"
Father WiGet recalling as it would seem
almost forgotten memories, said to the re-
porter:
'.Ah, these stories all falsc-all false. They
that Cen Hancock refused Il allow The priests
TO call upon AIrs. Surratt. That is all false. \,
soon : Mrs. SurTatt was condemned General Han
cock orderly with ~ pass hcr
nj any time had not asked iorSit The hrst in
furIaation l had that Mrs. Surrttt had been con
dt m ned WAS the bringing Of that bass. We (Fath.
Walter ana himSCll) could anywhere. We
given full permission TO visit at any time.
: never saw General Hancock to talk Wi Ih him, but
could any one. General Hancock and
General lIart!anft were very kind"
Father Wiget then referred to ar incident
OF the last hours of Payne. He said that he
and Father Walter had gone to visit the pris
OneIs at the prison. They were at Payne's
cell. Father Walter was talking to Genera
Hartranft at the door and Father Wight was
conYerSing with the condemned man at the
further end of the cell. He embraced tn,
favorable moment to ask him question un-
heard by the others. Laying my hand on
his shoulder, SO, said the old gentleman
81 said in quick, low tone Tell me, my
friend is Mrs. Surratt guilty" Just as quick
me answered, mo, she is not % Then sud
denly leaning forward and putting his lips t
my ear he whispered, "She might have
known that something was going ON, but she
did not know what
Father Wiget had not time to talk mucI
further, and merely TeiteTating his statement
that General Hartranft and Hancock hat
been NEST kind, ana that stories to the con
trary were false, he bade the reporter good
by to start on his journey to Boston.