Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1880-01-16
MRS. SURRATT'S DAUGHTER.
Interview With the Daughter az the
Woman Hanged for Completely in
Iincnln'S Assassination.

In view of the renewed comments
upon the part which Gen. Hancock is
alleged to have taken in the execution
of Mrs. Surratt, representative of the
World recently visited Baltimore to OBJ.
tain from the daughter of the un-
fortunate martyr full statement of all
she knew about the matter. Mrs.
Surratt'S daughter is now Mrs. w. p.
Tonry. With her husband and two
children she resides at No. lis Eager
street, Baltimore, 10 a two story unpre-
misunderstanding brick house. On be-
ing asked for, Mrs. Tonry Immediately
appeared in her parlor. She is yet a
young woman, little above the
medium height, with rather pale com.
plexion, light hair, blue eyes and
regular features. Ia all, her appear
ance is decidedly prepossessing, though
her careworn face and sad expression
plainly indicate the mental suffering
she has endured. Even at this late day,
nearly fourteen years after the sacrifice
of her mother upon the scaffold, she
seems at times to talk and act rs
though she were living oyer the scenes
of that horrible time.
"Mrs. Tonry," begun the reporter,
81 have called to solicit from you Il
statement regarding the part which
General Hancock took in connection
with your mothers execution"
Before this sentence was completed
the lady seemed visibly affected as ii
stunned by some unexpected blow. Her
expression Immediately changed and
her lips fairly quivered while she tried
to suppress her emotion. As soon rs
she was able to recover her composure
she said, My health is not good, you
must excuse ME, but the mention OF
my mothers name brings all the facts
of that horrible day SO wildly to my
mind that | am not always strong
enough to control myself. Why il it
that nearly every four years newspaper
men come to me, always about General
Hancock? don't like him. He is not
brave man. But what J might say
would have no weight"
She was assured that her statement
would be regarded as important, and
might tend to remove the vague doubts
SO generally entertained regarding The
matter. As she had not seen the card
of Father Walter vindicatipg General
Hancock, it was read TO her, together
with the statement published in an
Indiana paper on the same subject.
When General Hancock's name was
mentioned, she said quickly, Gle had
nothing whatever to do with it. sup
pose you have come for me to say
something in his favor; what could !
say, or what would it avail?"
The Worlds editorial comment upon
Father Walters card was then read to
her. She still persisted, however, that
she could say nothing which the public
would accept, and seemed decidedly
opposed to saying anything in favor of
General Hancock, while at the same
time she seemed to concede that he
was innocent of the charges so falsely
made against him.
"Why is it that you feel such pref
udice against General Hancock" she
was finally asked.
Because" said she, "of his treat
ment of me on the morning of the ex-
ecution. went TO him that morning
can | ever forget it?-and begged, i'm
president and secretary of war to post
pone the execution. What did he do?
Nothing. Do you think he is man?'
"What could he have done, Mrs.
Tonry?"
81 don't know, but he might have
tried"
"Was he not kind to your Did he
say anything offensive to your"
He said. the president and secreta-
ry of war have made up their minds. :"
"Was that ALP
eyes, but his manner was 50 cold
He has no heart"
"Was the statement have read from
the Indiana paper, charging him with
indifference to you, correct IN any one
PARTICULAR
"No; General Hancock had nothing
to do with granting the permits. Secre-
tary Stanton signed them and General
Hancock merely conntersigned them.
/ suppose he only did his duty as a SOL
der by obeying orders. Stanton and
General Holt were the only men who
controlled the president, and they are
the guilty ones. When mother was SO
sick in prison that she was not expected
to live, they would not allow priest to
visit her. Who ever refused such re-
quest before? Common humanity
ought to have made them grant her re-
quest. could tell you great deal
about the silent hours / spent with my
mother in the Jail. | was her only COM
panion; she my only friend, and my
grief is Just as strong now as il was on
that terrible morning. There IL
one thing ! shall remember and
shall never forget about General
Hancock. On the morning of the ex-
ecuton was in an ambulance on my
way to the president, when General
Hancock rode up to the side Of the am
bulance and said. Miss Surratt do not
buoy yourself up with hope Now tell
me, why did he say that? ! thought it
cruel"
"Are you certain that those are the
words he used?'
Il am certain; have never forgotten
them; Mss Surratt, advise you not TO
buoy yourself up with hope
do you not think they were meant