The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-06-24
GENERAL HANCOCK,
THE BRAVE PRIEST WHO sHRIVED
MRS. SURRATT BEARS WITNESS
TO HIS JUST AND GENTLE
BEARING.
A Wicket Invention Blown to the Winds by a
Dozen Honest Words.
rspeelaI DIspatch 70 the world.l

Washington, November l3.-The men.
ton of General Hancock's name in con.
nection with the Presidential nomina-
ton has led, as his friends supposed it
would lead, to spiteful outcroppinSs over
the hanging of Mrs. Surratt, an affair
which his official position just after the
war compelled him to direct. A few days
ago in the indianapolis Journal an inter.
view was printed about General Han.
cock, Of which the following is part
"The Democrats can't nominate Gen.
eral Hancock" f" said a Catholic priest to
me the other day, in response to my ex.
preston of opinion.
"Why not ?" asked.
Because" he sad with much feeling,
he hanged Mrs. Surratt without cause
and persecuted her for her religion"
81 don't see how he hanged her, " said
l, "more than General Holt, who was
Judge Advocate, or Stanton, who was
Secretary of War, or Andy Johnson, who
was President"
Hancock" exclaimed the priest, "had
her 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-T but no doubt
her earnest re quest for clergy was passed
to her credit in the books beyond the
sky"
II never heard of that" l said.
"Well, Catholics have, i" said the priest,
"and if Hancock should arise and have
the impudence to ask for Catholic votes,
they would bury him under the indigna-
tion."
The above extract appeared in the
Post of this city this morning. The re-
porter of the World called upon Rev
Father Walter, of st. Patrick's Church,
with this interview, He was Mrs Sur
rats adviser, and he it was whom Cen
eral Hancock was credited with having
insulted. Father Walter is tall, square
shouldered man, with enough fire in his
face and vigor in his movements to make
one almost wish that he and General
Hancock could put on the gloves together,
they are so nearly matched,
I am glad you came" he said, " for
this isn't the first of these fings at Gen.
eral Hancock. l 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,
being priest, have felt bound to hold
my peace. Besides 30 far no tangible
harm has resulted from silence. For
some weeks back though ] have seen
that circumstances might arise which
should change my determination this
attack seems to me to call for the kind
of response that will make such ohjeC
tions to General Hancock impossible in
the future. That is what l said to-day
to Bishop Keane, of Richmond, when I
informed him that l had about decided
to brand all such stories as false over my
own signature"
"Would you object to doing it now?"
the reporter asked.
"Not at all, Father Walter replied, and
seating himself at table he wrote this
denial:
Truth and justice compel me to deny
the statement with rete erenCe to General
Hancock's participation in the execution
of Mrs. Surratt, which appeared in the
Washington Post of this morning. l at
tended Mrs. Surratt on that occasion and
met with no interference on the part oi
General Hancock. General Hancock had
great sympathy for this unfortunate lady
and waited until the last moment, hoping
for reprieve. / consider it an act Of
justice to General Hancock that this
statement should be made"
(Signed), ]. A. WALTER,
Pastor of st, PatriCk's Church, Wash
ington.
"Theve. That is the first statement
have made for the public in all these
years." Father Walter said, a triale sad.
ly. II hope it may be the means ot
enough good to compensate for all the
harm that these stories have DONE"
An assertion made to-day by an ex'
army officer was abundantly corrobora'
ted in the War Department that so strong
was General HanCock's hope for a re-
prieve for Mrs. Surratt that on the day
of the execution he stationed relays ol
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. Sur
rats side.