The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-17
HON. JOSEPH HOLT.
Interesting Statements Respecting the Trial
of the Lincoln Assassins.

Interview with "Gath"
Judge, have now no very clear idea Of
what Johnson's charge against you was al
though remember talking with you about
it many years ago."
Said Judge Holt: johnson claimed that
after a majority of the court-martial had rec
commended the sentence of Mrs Surratt to be
changed from death to imprisonment in a
penitentiary for life, that l had not brought
to his attention tins appeal for mercy. The
name of Mrs Surratt was very convenient
thing to arouse prejudice upon, and Johnson
thought if he could put all that off on me ne
would get the support of the Southern
States"
"Was there a recommendation of that
kind?'
Yes. The court-martial which tried the
conspirators was composed of nine officers.
They were Generals Hunter Lewis Wallace
Kautz Howe Foster, Ekn and Harris,
Colonel Tomkins and Northumberland
Cendenin. General Ekin was substituted
for General Comstock, of Grants staff and
Colonel Tomkins was substituted for Horace
Porter, of Grants staff l was the judge-ad-
vocate. as | had long been, or the govern
ment }.-osecuting counsel; and Mr.. Bing-
ham, of Ohio, and Colonel Henry L. Burnett
of Ohio, were made assistant or special
judge-advocates. Out of these twelve per-
sons am the only one who seems to have
suffered any abuse for doing my duty
though the act of all was concurrent. There
were eight persons brought before us, four
of whom were found guilty and sentenced to
DEATH"
"Who wrote the recommendation for the
Communication of Mrs. Surratt's sentence?
at was prepared by Mr.. Bingham, my as
socate, and Justice Davis, and was copied by
General Ekin, of the court-martial, and
signed by him and four others, making a
bare majority. A majority is necessary to
carry such a recommendation. | appended
it to the record and took it to the President
of the United States as was my duty"
"What do you mean by the record?
"The report, the official report of the evil
dence and the findings"
Did you particularly call Mr.. Johnson's
attention to that recommendation to mercy?"
Il did, and it was the subject Of talk be-
tween US. The recommendation was that
Mrs. Surratt, instead of being executed
should be imprisoned for the term of her
natural life, on account of her sex. Mr.
Johnson remarked that he thought the time
had about come when women who conspire
so assassnate the Presidents and rulers of
their country should take the responsibility
like men for their acts, He said that an ex-
ample was needed to impress women with
their sex.
After some silence, in his quiet, unim-
pulsive way, Judge Holt said: "What is your
view about the duty of a cabinet officer-to
speak or be silent concerning matter of his
tory such rs we have been speaking OPP
l asked him to give me an instance, ex-
plicitly. The Judge said: Sin Mr.. Johnson's
cabinet was a personal friend of mine, James
Speed, of Kentucky. He was then Attorney
general of the United States. He is a man
of decided character and conscience, too.
applied to him, when Johnson was accusing
me of having suppressed the recommended
ton attached to the record, to speak out and
tell the facts in his possession. He refused
to do so, and has ever since refused"
docs he know that you and Johnson
talked on that subject at the time you took
the record and recommendation to the
White House?"
He does. l have treason to believe that
he heard our conversation. 1t was that