Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-03-10
MR.. suRRArr AND STANTON.
Two Strange stories Told By William Z
W.od, Ex.Chief Of Detectives
~. a.. tY,sktaoh,a Carrie,

Two Strange Stories Told By William r
wso kx-Chief Of Detectives.
Flow ne Rashiaghoa CARTE.
Some time after the execution OF Mca
Surait President johnson sent for me aud
rtouested me to give nv version OF Mrs.
SurIati's~ connection With the ASSASSINATION
OF President Lincoln. | did 30, aud De
iisNe bes~ss thoroughly convinced OF tue
innocence Of Mrs. Surratt. DE assured me
he sincerely regretted that he had not gwen
Mrs. Surratt the benefit of Executive
clemency and strongly expressed his detes'
tstion Of what be termed the Infamous
conduct of Stanton IN keeping these facts
from him. l asserted my Interchangeable
friendship for Mr., Stanton uuder all circam'
stance, and while | regretted the course
adopted BY the Secretary OF War towards
Mrs. Surratt, | would never hesitate 70 per
form any act Of kindness for him Presl'
dent johnson commended me tor nv ds-
yotion 70 friends, aud the subject oil th4
assassination was never afterwards discussed
between him and myself. The great War
Secretary Of the Union vas No longer u"
power. He was q plain citizen oil our Re
public. broken in health and tOttering be-
H.~f
tween life and death.
The Republican leaders had, after much
rleading, induced President Graut to name
Mr.. Stanton for a Judge OF, the Supreme
Court. The Senate promptly confirmed
the nomination. but Grant, for some reason
best known TO himself, did not put his sigma
ture TO the commission, or if he did sign the
commission he did not forward it to Mr..
Stanton. II was at this time the latter sent
for me, and | called at his residence on X
street. When ushered into his presence |
was startled at his woe-begone and wretched
appearance. He inquired if l knew the
reason why that man (meaning President
Grant) withheld his commission. l told
him. Then we drifted in our talk to the
executions herein referred to, and he re-
buked me for not making greater effort to
a Y the woman that was hanged. He said
he would have trusted his life in my keep
ing; that | would have saved him the
torments of hell had l been more per,
sistent in my efforts. | reminded
him OF my call on President johnson to
plead for mercy for Mrs. Surratt, aud that |
was met by l.. C. Baker at the entrance OF
the IrSSlQ6nI 3 MUSE, anu beoOA PANNNNN
an order over his (Stauton's) signature
which set forth that / should not be per,
nitted to enter the building or communicate
with the President.
Too true" he responded, "aud the Sar-
raft woman haunts me so that my nights
are sleepless and my days miserable, and
Grant aids my enemies BY refusing to sign
my commission which would afford me
temporary relief and perhaps prolong my
life. He will not do it, and, Wood, this is
at last the end" Placing his hands to his
head he continued: II cannot endure the
pressure; / am dying, dying surely, dying
now!'
A few parting words were exchanged be,
tween US, and the following day the death Of
Edwin NJ. Stanton was publicly announced
He never received his commission of Judge
of the Supreme Court, though he had been
confirmed BY the Senate Of the United
States.