Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1880-07-16
Interview with Mrs TOrney, formerly
Anna SurrAtt.

General hancock was received in
Washington, reporter of Chicago
newspaper, considering that this nom
ination would revive the recollection of
the Surratt execution, proceeded to in
terview Mrs Torney, formerly Miss
Anna Surratt, daughter of the executed
Mrs. Surratt, and now the wife of Prof
William P. Torney of Washington. To
the inquiries of the reporter, Mrs.
Torney responded that she had heard
of the nomination of General Hancock
and the following conversation ensued:
Reporter Mrs Tomey, the Democratic
papers are asserting that the part played by
General Hancock in the execution was al
together honorable and fair, and that he did
whatever he could to save your mother. Now
is that true2"
Mrs. Torney hesitated for a minute
to answer, and the recollection of past
events seemed very painful to her.
Finally she said that such reports were
not true, and added that neither she,
nor any of her family had any good
feeling for General Hancock.
R-"Do you believe that Hancock on that
occasion acted as friend toward you and
your mother"
Mrs, TOrney-"I do not You could not call
his conduct exactly brutal, but do believe that
he wished for the execution of my mother,
and would not so much as have lifted his
finger to prevent it. Myself and my. mother
were arrested at the same time and i'm
prisOned in the old Capitol. Subsequent
ly L was released, and she was taken
to the Arsenal. had to get my passes to see
her from Secretary Stanton, and then take
them to be countersigned 10y General
Hancock. saw him a dozen times or more,
and he never expressed to me the slightest
sympathy with my mother. II he was anxious
to prevent the eXecution'he did not do or say
anything at that time, that i know of, aud 1
think that was the proper person to be in
R.-"As understood it. you went to General
Hancock on the morning of the execution at
his headquarters at the Metropolitan HOTEL in
Washington, and had a long interview with
him there. Can't you tell me what then oc-
curred?"
Mrs. TT cannot. can't answer that
question without giving more thought to those
matters than L can possibly do ut this mo
ment."
R.-"You can at least tell me whether the
impression formed upon your mind then was
that General Hancock was the friend of your
self and your mother.
Mrs. T., in an excited and emphatic manner
mo, sir; he was not. If were to tell you
all that happened. and ali that was said at the
interview, It would be very much to General
R.-"Y know. then that all the stories as
to General Hancocks endeavoring to save
Mrs. Surratt are lies?"
Mrs. T.-"That is about the fact"
At this iuncture Prof. Torney came
in, and the conversation above reported
was substantially repeated. The ques-
ton was again put to Mrs. Torney as to
what occurred between her and General
Hancock during the interview on the
morning of the execution, but she still
refused to go into details, and the Pro-
fessor remarked that "the truth will
come out sooner or later. My wife has
already told you that it will be no credit
to General Hancock, and know that is
the fact. For my part, l wish that he
had been in the Sandwich Islands SOON
er than that my party, the Democratic
party, had nominated him for the
Presidency. l repeat to you that his
connection with the murder of Mrs
Surratt was no credit to him, and that
he deserves the title of her execution
err ....
The interview ended at this point,
and the reporter again visited Mr.. and
Mrs. Torney. The lady was only seen
for few moments, as she was laboring
under nervous excitement that pros
trated her. The attention of herself
and her husband was, however, called
to the various attempts made in the
Democratic papers to- straighten out
Hancock record on the hanging busi-
ness, and they were requested to say
what they thought about it. Mrs. Tor
ney retired to seek relief from her feel
ings, but her husband spoke for her.
He said he had seen in one of the Balti-
more papers what purported to be the
correct narrative of Hancock's S action
on that day. 1t was nothing more nor
less than an attempt to gloss over a
crime. There was no essential truth
in il.
Reporter" But, Professor, what you have
seen in that one paper is only u tithe of what
other Democratic organs are trying TO do
| They go into the matter much more extern
| sively, and follow out the same strain of argu-
ment and pretended facts"
Prof. TOrney-" Then they are celebrating
| falsehood. You may write down that what
ever is said in Hancock's favor in that matter
| is untrue"
! R.-"Then why not tell me precisely the
story of the meeting of your wife and Han
| cock on that dayY'
Prof. TT can't do it just now. She is the
| one to tell 1t; but if she were to try to re-
hearse that story, it would throw her into bed
| for five or six days. II would be recital of
Hancock's iniquity that would take a page
aud half of your paper, Cant You be con
! tent with my telling you that the story will do
| him vast amount of harm, If 1t is ever pub
/ lishedY'
| fishing statements from John |. Campbell, one
/ of the counsel for Mrs. Surratt, from Bishop
/ hcun, ana from fdtner W after. VINO attended
her in her last moments, all OF which are TO the
| effect that General Hancock had great sympa-
| thy for the unfortunate woman, and waited
until the last moment, hoping for a reprieve.
! What have you to say to thatY
Prof. Tit is all nonsense, or worse than
nonsense. In all charity, L hope that Mr..
Campbell and the rest OF them were merely
| mistaken"
| r." There is also a statement that General
Hancock had relays of cavalry stationed be-
! tween the White House and the prison on the
day of the execution In order that, If the Pres
ident relented at the last moment he could
/ stop the hanging
Prof. T-"Who ever said that?"
R.-"It may have been stated upon General
| Hancocks authority
Prof, t." can tell you-and am speaking
upon my wife $ authority-that IL lis a lie. IL is
| not the first lie that Hancock has told about
this affair, and II won't be the last one he will
! tell before the campaign is over"
! r." That's tolerably emphatic"
! Prof. t." mean it to be so. | want you
TO understand that of all the statements CON
corning Mrs. Surratt and the execution that
| have been made up to this time, not single
one came from or was authorized by any of
the family. They were all gotten, up by re-
] porters whom we refused to see and who went
! away and concocted their fabrications. This
] is true not only as regards myself and my
Isaac Surratt. You are the first newspaper man
with whom we have talked thus unreservcdlY
on the question, and rely upon you TO report
us correctly, II is very painful subject with
us, as you may readily understand, and |
would not now say word about it except that
Hancock deservest TO be exposed. He is play
ing game of false pretenses."
r." Then 1 shall say that you utterly deny
! all assertions that General Hancock was In
any way friendly or helpful 20 Mrs. SurrattS"
Prof. t." Precisely So"
! II. -"Suppose that he makes a denial of
what you have told me, and which intend "a
PUBLISH"
Prof. t." Then we are ready 20 meet him
and prove our side of the case"
Ray~ Within the time which has
elapsed since Hancock's S nomination the
| Democrats have carried Indiana Penn