The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-08-26
MRS. sURRATT's GUILT.
Ex-NIinister Bingham's Contribution to the
Story of LiEcOIn's Murder.
[san Franciseo ChronicIe. ]


ISau Francisco ChrOnicle.l
Besides having a record as United States
Minister 10 Japan for nearly thirteen years,
John A. Bingham, who is now in this city en-
route for Washington, having been relieved
by Minister Hubbard, has occupied prom
inent position in American political history.
He is that typically shrewd man, "Phila-
delphia lawyer" but mis- early practice was
chiefly in Ohio, in which State he was made
Attorney for Tuscarawas County, in 1915.
Next he was a member OF Congress from Ohio
from 1855 to 1871, and then earned his title
OF Judge by accepting the position, at Abra-
ham Lincoln's request. of Judge Advocate of
the army in 1864. having been especially APP
pointed to try Surgeon General Hammond.
Not long after this he was made Judge
Advocate in the trial of the con-
spirators for the murder of Lincoln
and wound up that period of his
by being made one of the man.
ayers of the impeachment trial of Andrew
Johnson in 1868. Such being the varied
experiences of the ex-minister, Chronicle
reporter sought yesterday for q relation of
some of the most striking experiences. and
as an Introductory question, asked him his
idea on the proposed monument to Mrs.
Surratt.
THE SURRATT OBELISK.
"A monument to Mrs Surratt.r echoed
the judge with marked spirit, land 1 sup
pose the next there will be an obelisk TO the
memory of John Wilkes Booth. There is"
he Went on, "a good deal OF the circus about
the Americans. They always want to be
doing something that will look well OH a
poster. 4 monument to Mrs. Surratt, in
deed. And what for, should like to know?
Because OF the growing opinion with GER
tain classes that she was innocent | pre-
sume' said the reporter.
We'll, i ought TO know something about
that, | imagine retOrted Mr.. Bingham,
land il the schemer, the abettor, or the con-
niver TO an assassination is guilty as the
assassin. and believe there is no doubt upon
that subject, then Mrs. Surratt was as guilty
as Booth, Harold, Payne or any of the rest
of the gang. speak this authenticity, for
you will remember, sir, that | was Judge
Advocate for the nation at the trial of the
conspiratOrs. and if the gentlemen who pro-
pose to put up the Surratt monument had
gone through the mass of testimony that |
have, they would not waste their time on
any such scheme for another instant. The
proof of Mrs. SurrattS guilt was direct, clear
and positive. | forget the hour now, but it
was sometime in the morning of April IA
that Mrs. Surratt went out to Washington.
crossed the Potomac by the East bridge, pass
ed the lines-how / cannot say-and halted
sworn TO by the servants on the stand, Mrs.
Surratt left instructions that the shooting
irons would be wanted that night. The
shooting irons consisted OF pistols and car
bines concealed between the wooden par
titions, one of the carbines being found, if |
recollect Alright, in the possession of one OF
the cOnspiratOrs when arrested. She then
set cut various articles that might be requir-
ed by the murdererS, including a bottle OF
and drove hnuSp N
Washington. That night the shooting
irons were wanted Lincoln was
shot through the head, and Booth, at 10
o'clock, rode through the lines, shouting
aloud his own name. That incident in itself
is sufficient proof of completely, | should
think, to say nothing OF the proofs that were
adduced during the trial of the meetings of
OF the eonspirators at Mrs. Surratt's house"
is il not true that Mrs. Surratt protested
her innocence
NO, sir it is not true. 1t is true that she
pleaded not guilty on her trial. but when
once under the shadow of the gallows Mrs.
Surratt never once claimed to be innocent
She was guilty, aud it was right that she
should have been hanged
GRANT, ESCAPE FROM DEATH.
at has been related in the crowd of Incl
dents brought up by Grants death" said the
reporter, that the rerals modesty saved
him from like fate I that of President Lin
c0ln.'
''Well. that is measurably the TRUTH" said
the eX-Minister. stanton was aware of the
danger which Lincoln was running by visit
ing the tneater; in fact, he knew for months
before that assassination was i'm the air, and
he begged of the President and the General
of the army not TO visit Fords Opera House.
Lincoln, however, refused to be influenced.
but Grant was wiser. and so, not TO offend
Lincoln, announced that he and Mrs Grant
were going on trip TO Galena TO see his
mother. Grant did not know il at the time
but he was locked in the special car set apart
Tor his use, detectives went out on the same
train to keep guard over him. and the Of
ficials all along the line were telegraphed
to keep watch over him. Nor were these
precautions needles, for it was afterward
stated in a newspaper confession that one
of the conspirators, whose name, by the by
we never could and did discover, followed
Grant on the same train for the purpose of
assassinating him. but did not succeed be-
cause he could get no chance to use his
pistol"
"You said just now remarked the re-
porter, that Stanton and Lincoln both
knew of the danger that was abroad. Why
is it that Lincoln did not guard against
this dauger?'
Because, SIR" answered Mr.. Bingham,
Abraham Lincoln was fatalist, and his
firm belief was that he had certain work
to perform ana when that was done he
would go, but not before. He knew that
there was danger abroad for months before
the assassination. 1t was in October or No
yember, 1868, | am not positive as to the
| month, that the lady in the Fifth avenue
| stage picked up the letter dropped by Booth.
| 1t was addressed TO some one styled the
| Charlotte Corday of the nineteenth cen
| tury, said that poison had once failed and
that now there remained the pistol and the
dagger. about whose use there must be no
| blunder. The lady took the letter 10 a law
| yer, he took it to the Secretary of State, by
whom it was handed to Lincoln, who in
| dorsed il Assassination, A. L. But still he
| went about unattended, nor could he be in
duced to take what were ordinary precau-