The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1880-07-08
SURRATT CHANGES AGAINST
GEN. HANCOCK.


prints an interview with Judge Clam
pitt, of Chicago, touching the charges
made against Gen. Hancock in the
case of Mrs. Surratt, iauocently hung
on the charge of being an accomplice
in the murder OF President Lincoln.
Judge Clampitt says:
Gen. Hancock really was powerless
to do much, one way or the other. He
was not a member OF the court; he was
merely an official, and an official whose
first duty was to command and order
the execution of the sentence. Mrs.
Surratt was treated most carelessly as
respects convenience, and in q most
brutal manner by those in whose charge
she was. Ig may not have been done
purposely, but certainly they were
coarsely Indifferent toward her while
she was still an unconvicted woman.
l found her, when first admitted to
speak to her as her counsel, in wretch.
ed room with, an apology for bed, in
the shape of some straw strewn on the
floor, and not sign of furniture with
in the four walls. She was lying sick
on the miserable pallet. and / had to
kneel down to speak to her. She was
In charge, as were other prisoners, of
Col. Hartrsnft. On motion / made
before the court, it expressed its ignol-
ance OF the brutal treatment she lived
under, and at once ordered decent ac-
commodations for her," Hancock"
continued Judge ClsmpItt, ''had no
more to do with these details or mat
tiers than you had. When Judge Wy
lie, with Roman majesty OF character,
issued, almost at the peril of his life,
writ OF habess corpus in the case of
Mrs. Surratt, President johnson and
Secretary Stanton decided to suspend
the writ and the execution followed.
We had hopes to the last of reprieve
and pardon for Mrs. Surratt, and I
waited at the arsenal, hoping against
hope. Gen. Hancock rode down,
and approaching him 1 asked, "Are
there any hopes9" He shook his
head slowly and mOurnfully, and,
with a sort of gaping catch in his
speech, said: Il am afraid not.
No, there Is not He then walked
off bit. He had dismounted. He
gave some orders to his orderlles and
walked about for moment or two.
Returning, he said to me: II have
been in many battle and have seen
death, and mixed with it in disaster and
in victory. I've been In living hell
of fire and shell and grspeshot, and,
by God, I'd sooner be there ten
thousand times oyer than to give the
order this day for the execution of
that poor woman. But sm a soldier,
sworn to obey, and obey l must
I his is the true and genuine history of
all that Hancock had in common with
the affair. He was commanding, and
as q commander and conservator of
the national capital was obedient to
the orders OF the court which SEN
fenced the conspirstors and the So
called conspirator to death. He had
no voice in the matter, and could
have no action save as agent to see that
the letter of the law was carried out
In an order of alphabetic certainty"
RICHMOND, June 30.-The Right
Rev. Bishop Keane, OF the Catholic
church, was found at his residence,
|
street. In reply to an inquiry asking
his opinlon about the nomination of
Gen. Hancock. said he must decline
an answer TO that question, ss he had
nothing whatever 70 do with politics.
The bishop was then asked if the
| charges as TO Gen. Hancock's connec-
ton with the Surratt case would affect
him with the Catholics. He answered
that most undoubtedly they would,
and with Protestants as we'll as Catho.
lies and ali others, II the truth were
not told. Since these charges, how
eyer, had been denied and had been
disproYed IS preposterous and false, he
could not see how Gen. Hancock could
be affected by them.
1t was then remarked that Father
Walter, Of St. Patrick's Church, in
Washington, who has attended Mrs.
Surratt through all hef trials to the
last, was said TO have written a letter
entirely exculpGtlng General Hancock
from sll responsibility in the matter,
and asked, il the bishop knew any
thing about that letter. He replied:
81 happened to be in Washington
about the time, a few months ago,
when these charges were reiterated by
the press against Gen. Hancock. /
was there for the purpose Of deliver
ing lecture. Father Walter then
had consultation with me regarding
these charges, and asked my advice as
to what he should do in the premises.
He stated in the most emphatic lam
gusge that there was no truth what
ever in the charges. Father Walter
was the spiritual adviser and confessor
of Mrs. Surrstk told him that it was
his duty -tn..truth and to history, as
we'll as 10 Genersl Hancock, that he
should write the letter which he did
in reference to thematter."
s.Of course" the bishop again re-
marked, '.the charges were preposter-
ously false and devoid of even q shadow
of truth" BishopKeane said that he
was the assistant, Of Father Walter at
Washington for twelve years, up to the
third time he came to, Richmond
to take charge =of the duties
of the diocese. Father Walter has
been In charge of St. Pstrick's Church,
Washington, d. c., for twenty-one
years, and is now about ifty-f0ur
years of age.