Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-06-29
HANCOCK AND MRS. sURRATr.
The Testimony of Priest as to Hancocls's
Conduct in the Case.
M VI u--iI

the brave priest who ghrlved Mrs. Surratt
bears witness to his just and gentle bearing
"a wicked invention blown TO the winds by
q dozen honst words" a special dispatch ap
peared in the World of Nov. IA, 1879, as
follows:
WASHINGTON, Nov. 13.-The mention of
Gen. Hancock's name in connection with
the Presidential nomination has led, as bis
friends supposed it would lead, to spiteful
outcroppings over the hanging of Mira. Sur
raft, an affair which bis official position just
after the war compelled him to direct. A
few days ago, In the Indianapolis Journal,
an interview was printed about Gen. Hancock,
of which the following is part:
'iThe Democrats can't nominate Gen.
Hancock" said Catholic priest to me the
ether day, in response to my expression OF
opinion.
"Why not?v asked.
Because" he said with much feeling,
che hanged Mrs. Surratt without cause aud
prosecuted her for her religion"
81 don't see how he hanged her." said /,
"more than Gen. Holt, who was judge ad-
vocate, or Stanton, who was secretary of
war, or Andy johnson, who was President"
"Hsncock," exclaimed the priest, chad
her in immediate custody, and he absolute
ly refused to let her see her clergyman or
any clergyman of her church after she was
sentenced. He did all he could to send the
woman to -; but no doubt her earnest re-
quest for clergy was passed to her credit in
the books beyond the sky"
81 never heard of that said.
"'Well, Catholic have said the priest.
'and il Hancock should arise and have the
impudencs to esk for Catholic votes they
would bury him under their indignation
"The above extract app cared in THE Post,
of this city, this morning. The reporter of
The World called upon Rev. Father Walter,
of st. Patrick church, With this interview.
He was Mrs. Suratt's adviser, and he it was
whom Gen. Hance ok was credited with hav
ing insult2d. Father Walter is tall, square
shouldered man, with enough fire in his fe'
and vigor in his movements to make one al
most wish that he and Gen. Hancock could
put on the gloves together, they are 30 ne arly
matched.
"I am glad you came he said, for this
isn't the first of these fings at Gen. Hancock.
have blamed myself often for not declaring
the truth in the matter, for / am the only
one that should tell it, SO far as it concerns
myself. Yet, bsing a priest. l have felt
bound to hold my peace. Besides, no tang
ible harm hes resulted from silence. For
some weeks back, though, have seen that
circumstances might arise which should
change my determination; this attc ok seems
to me ID call for the kind of response that
" Ill make such obje ctiOn to Gen. Hancock
impossible in the future. That is what l said
to day ID Bishop Keene, of Richmond, when
informed him bad about decided to brand
all such stories as false over my own sigma
ture.'
"Would you object to doing it now % the
req orter asked:
"'Not at ALL Father Walter replied, and
coating himself at table he wrote this de-
NAL:
"Truth and justice compel me to deny the
statement With reference to Gen. Hancock's
participation in the execution of Ma. Surratt
which appeared in the Washing ION Post of this
morning. / attended Mrs. Surratt on that
OCCASION, and met with no interference on the
part of Gen. Hancock. Gen. Hancock had
great sympathy for this unfortunate lady, and
| waited until the list moment, hoping for re-
pileve. l consider it an act of justice to Gen.
Hancock that this statement should be made.
81. A. WALTER,
''Pt stor of st. Patrick's church, Washington"
"'There. That is the first statement l
have made for the public in all these years.
Father Walter mid, a tlife sadly. Il hope
it may be the mems Of enough good to COM
pensate for all the harm these stories have
| done.
san assertion made to-day by an ex-army
officer was abpndantlY colroborated in the
| war depal .ment, that SO strong was Gen.
Hanco skis hopes for repfieye for Mrs.
Surratt that on the day of the execution be
stationed relays of cavalry along the streets
from the white house to the arsenal, that no
delay might ensue IN communicating the
fact. In the arsenal are photographs of the
scaffold at the time of the execution.
They show Father Walter at Mrs Surratt's
side'
This was followed BY another dispatch
published Nov. %, as follows:
'sWAsHINGroN, Nov. 24.-When Gen.
Hancock was here last week he met the Rev.
Father Walter at the house of mutual
friend Gen. Hanco skis carriage was at the
door, and after the visit Father Walter
entered the caniage at Gen. Hano 3ok's re-
quest and they drove off together. Their
Conversation lasted for nearly an
hour. From an army officer who knew
what was said, it &c emed that Gen. Hancock
began the conversation by thanking Father
Walter for the statement and card pubiishod
in the World about the defamat)ly stories
in connection with the hanging of Mrs. Sur.
raft. THAT denial alone was necessary
Gen. Hant ock said, sto destroy a vicious
falsehood, and it was sufficient to do it
Father Walter replied that he felt he had
done merely his duty, and that while he was
by no means inclined to arouse bad feeling
in the matter, he thought that while the
press were disp osing of it they might as we'll
at the same time place the blame for the exc
oution where it belonged, upon Andrew
johnson. when the time for the execution
had been fixed he said, Il went to President
johnson to urge postponement for
few days. Mr.. johnson per
emptorily refused to postI one the exc
cution and acted as though he suspected 1
would be led to hor that one favor might
be followed by others, and that eventually
reprisve might justly be demanded. tried
to 6isabuse him of such an impression by
declaring that if he would grant US but ten
days, no other favor would be asked of him.
Shortly before the execution l called at the
white house a second time. My card YVES re-
tut ned with a message that Mr.. johnson
would not see me. 1 asked him then for
bearing of ten minutes, but he refused, then
for two minutes and he still refused. There
was no reason in his refusal, and hope that
he felt at the time of his impeachment trial
that the refusal of the senats to grant him
ten days in which to prepare defense was
III