Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1885-07-24
80. surratt.a 80.

Philadelphia Times.
Twenty years ago last week, on the
day that Louis j. Weiehman was ap-
pointed to a position as civil service
examiner in the custom-house Ia this
city, in addition to his other duties,
Mrs. Mary Surratt was hung on a
scaifold at Washington as one Of the
conspirators against the life Of Presi-
dent Lincoln. The testimony of
Weichman against the unfortunate
woman was strong and positive, al
though there was collateral testimony
that aided in placing her on the scat
fold with Payne, Atzerodt and Harold
! see that an additional sensation is
created relative to Mrs. Surratt at this
late day by the announcement that a
monument will be erected over her
remains, and that Brick Pomeroy, who
believes that she was murdered, is en-
Rineering the movement. "Pomeroy
points to the fact that all the members
Of the military commission that con-
demned Mrs. Surratt to death are dead
except Holt, and that he, residing in
the suburbs Of Washington, is almost
crazed, and that the majority
Of those who are dead committed
suicide, a proof, he claims, that they
saw the injustice Of the sentence
The amiable Pomeroy Is entirely mis-
taken, and his statements are not only
wild but untrue. Maj.-Gen. David
NJ. Hunter was the president of that
commission; Gen. Lew Wallace, our
late Minister to Turkey, was another
So was Gen. Augustus ". Kautz, the
noted cavalry leader. Gems. James a.
Ekin, of the quartermasters' depart
ment Of the army; Albion p. Howe,
Robert S. Foster and Thomas M. Har-
ris, and Coils. Charles H. Thompkins
and d. r. Clendenin were members
These men composed the commission
that tried and condemned Mrs. Sur
raft to death along with the other
conspilators. A majority of them
are still in the land Of tne living
and are noted men. Those who
have passed over to the other
shore did not die by their own hands.
Ex-President johnson passed away
like one who wraps the drapery of
his couch around him and lies down to
pleasant dreams" Judge Advocate
General Holt, who conducted the pros
ecution, lives in Washington City, a
few doors from the capitol building.
He is hale and hearty, vigorous in in
tellect and good for many years to
come, though l should judge that he
had passed his three score years and
ten. The Hon. John A. Bingham, as
sistant judge advocate general, whom
Ben Butler used to twit so unmerci.
fully IN the floor of the house of rep
resentativs for changing an innocent
woman" is on his return from Japan,
where he has been the American min
lister for upwards Of ten years. l do
not know of the whereabouts of the
other assistant, Col. II. L. Burnett, Of
Indiana.
Let us see about some of the Other
noted characters in that famous State
trial of twenty years ago. Reverdy
Johnson, of Maryland, ex-Attorney.
General and Senator afterward minis
ter to England, lent his eloquent voice
in behalf of Mrs. Surratt. assisted by
Col. Fred A. Aiken and John L. Clam
pitt. The latter is the only one living
of that trio. Johnson died full Of
honors. Aiken became a noted
journalist in Washington. He died
suddenly a few years ago and was laid
away in beautiful Oak Hill Cemetery
by his brethren of the press
on a New Years Day. Gen,
Tom Ewing, of Kansas and Ohio, the
cousin of James G.. Blaine, was
counsel for Arnold and Mclaughlin
who was sent to the Dry Tortugas
Walter s. Cox assisted him. He is now
a judge or the bench in the supreme
court of the District of Columbia, and
the grinning assassin Of another presi.
dent was tried and condemned to death
in his court. Fred Stone, of Maryland
a bitter secessionist lawyer, defended
Harold and Mudd. He saved the
neck Of the latter. Mudd re.
turned from the Dry Tortugas tC
his home in Southern Maryland and
became, strange to say, a Republican
in politics. He died a few years ago
Dostor, a Philadelphia lawyer, tried tc
keep the rope away from the necks OF
Payne and Atzerodt. Gen. HancocB
was master of ceremonies on that
tragic occasion, assisted by Gen. Har
tranft. They are still living, are moi
crazed, and, l presume, lose no SLEEP
in thinking of the affair. Like good
soldiers they Obeyed orders.
Dangerous Bowel Complaints.
Now that bowel disorders, choler;