Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1885-03-24
MISCELLANEOUS.
Mrs. surratt and Stanton.

Col. VIM. P. Wood, who was chief
of federal detectives during the late
war, writes as follows to the Washing
ton Gazette;
Some time after the execution of
Mrs, Surratt President johnson sent
for me and requested me to give my
version of Mrs. Surratt's connection
with the assassination of President
Lincoln. I did so, and 1 believe he
was thoroughly convinced of the in-
nocence of Mrs. Surratt. He assured
me lie sincerely regretted that he had
not given Mrs. Surratt the benefit of
executive clemency and strongly ex-
pressed his detestation of what he
termed the infamous conduct of
Stanton" in keeping these facts from
him. asserted my unchangeable
friendship for Mr.. Stanton under all
circumstances, and while I regretted
the course adopted by the Secretary
of War towards Mrs. Surratt, 1 would
never hesitate to perform any act of
Kindness for him. President j Johnson
commended me for my devotion to
friends, and the subject of the assas-
sination was never afterwards dis
cussed between him and myself.
The great war secretary of the Union
was no longer in power. He was a
plain citizen of our republic, broken
in health and tottering between life
and death.
The Republican leaders had, after
much pleading, induced President
Grant to name Mr.. Stanton for q
judge of the Supreme Court. The
Senate promptly confirmed the nomi-
nation, but Grant, for some reason
best known to himself, did not put
his signature to the commission, or
if he did sign the commission he did
not forward it to Mr.. Stanton. It
was at this time the latter sent for
me, and I called at his residence on
K street. When ushered into his
presence 1 was startled ut his woe
begone and wretched appearance.
He inquired if I knew the reason
why that man (meaning President
Grant) withheld his commission. I
told him. Then we drifted in our
talk to the executions herein referred
to, and he rebuked me for not max
ing greater effort to save the woman
that was hanged. He said he would
have trusted his life in my keeping !;
that I would have saved him the tor
ments Of hell had been more per-
sistcnt in my efforts. l reminded
him of my call on President johnson
to plead for mercy for Mrs. Surratt,
and that l was met by L. G. Baker
at the entrance of the Presidents S
House, and Baker produced an or
der over his (Stanton's) signature
which set forth that 1 should not be
permitted to enter the building or
communicate with the President.
&c Too true" he responded, " and
the Surratt woman haunts me so that
my nights are sleepless and my days
miserable, and Grant aids my enc
mics by refusing to sign my commits
sion, which would afford me tempo
rary relief and perhaps proIong my
life. He will not do it, and, Wood,
this is at last the end.' Placing his
hands to his head lie continued: e I
cannot endure the pressure: I am
dying, dying surely. dying now!"
A few parting words were cx-
changed between us, and the follow
ing day the death of Edwin NJ. Stan
ton was publicly announced He
never received his commission as
Judge of the Supreme Court, though
he had been confirmed by the Senate
of the United States.