Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1888-05-11
MRS. SURRATTS CASE.
SOME INTERESTING BITS OF GOSSIP
FROM HER ExECuTlONER.

Paine-Accident to an Assassin's Re-
voiver-Mrs- Surratt's wonderdful Self
ControI-Mistake of Her Counsel.
Capt Christian Rath, of Detroit, is a re-
markable man. He served his country from
1862 to 1865, and closed his military career by
hanging the four conspirators condemned to
death for the murder of Abraham Lincoln.
For this he was breveted major and lieuten-
ant-colonel of United States volunteers.
Capt Rath is rather small in stature, but
not at all Insignificant, many small men
are. He is, moreover, well built soldier,
with clear cut, resolute features, and a
round, neatly trimmed, Grant-like beard.
Il could sit and talk about those people |
for u whole day." said Capt. Rath. Il know |
enough about them to fill volumes | had |
charge of those prisoners through their en- |
tire confinement, and at the last superin- |
tended their execution, SO l had good OPP |
portunity to study them. l always regarded
Harold as an unthinking boy--a spoiled
child. He was great sportsman, though,
fond of shooting, and the owner of u spen-
did pointer dog. We kept the dog for him
III the prison, and at his death he left it to
Gen. Hartranft.
There was Paine. liked that man. You
know he was wounded at Gettysburg taken
prisoner, brought into Washington and pa
rolled there Ho was a magnificent man
big, strong, kind and generous, with an iron
| resolution, and a voice and manner as soft as
a womans. liked Paine. When tho pris-
oners were hooded and shackled to prevent
| them from dashing their brains out against
tho Stone walls, Paine was the only one who
never begged to have the hood and shackles
taken off. The heat and discomfort must
have been intense, but he never uurmured
| | tell you that man hero. He would
have murdered a dozen men-would have
waded through blood-and yet believe he
was thoroughly unselfish. The Contederacy
was all and everything to him.
''You will probably remember that to Paine
was assigned the assassination of Seward.
Itc broke through Stewards door, knocked
young Seward down with the stock of his big
revolver, and cut the old man severely with
a bowio knife To this day the world has
never heard why he did not use his revolver
to shoot Seward can tell why In striking
young Seward the pin of the revolver was
bent very slightly, but enough to prevent the
chambers from turning and consequently, to
shackle the lock. / tried the revolver myself
afterward. Every chamber was loaded, but
tho hammer could rot be raised. The blow
which knocked the young ovor was,
without doubt the means of saving his faith
er's life. Paine thought that he had killed
tLc Oiu Hltu. I1o WIS HeNtI uiiQecclNeu untll
brought into court at the first trial. There
he saw Seward, and realized that he had
failed. He did not exhibit either pleasure OF
regret
"Paine lay for two days concealed In the
trenches outside Washington. At last nature
gave out He returned to the CITY took
refuge In Mrs, Surratt's boarding house, and
was concealed in the cellar when a searching
party entered the house and found him. 81,
was carried before Mrs. Surratt, who de
clared that she had never seen him before
1t was shown that be had been one of he,
| ! boarders, and these two facts formed tn
( strongest barrier to her pardon Paine wa
. . dreadfully cut up about it, He held himsel
responsible for her position, and when tn
chances of reprieve grew slight, cursed hi
t weakness in returning to her house over anc
over again.
"'If had two lives,' he said, Il would le
, them both go to save her. l mentioned tina
to Maj. Eckert, who told Secretary Stanton
Paine was sent for at meeting of the council
and interrogated, with view | think O
= bringing out facts which might justify Mrs
Surratt's pardon, at least a Communication
v of her sentence.
Y Mrs Surratt was, I think, always act,
a ated by the purest motives. She was show,
6 some favor as being woman. The rest O
l tho conspirators were fed army rations
t but she was allowed to choose what sh
Q wished from the general table, Mrs. Surrat
s was small, plump, pretty brunette, witt
D flashing dark eyes and will like steel. Ire
: member one incident of her imprisonmen
= which will give you some idea of her strength
= of mind You will remember that par
8 of tho old district pefiirsRtiary had bee,
: rugged up as a court house, while the othe
T part was used as a military prison. Well
! after Mrs: Surratt and her daughter ,
I charming girl of 16 years, had been separated
Z for three months, they wero allowed an in
terview, which was to last two hours Mis-
SGrratt came to the prison in the afternoon
and conducted her to a room adjoining thu
court room, where Mrs. Surratt was writing
Tho girl just went over and sat down on he
mothers lap and began to cry. l wen
away then; l didn't want to stay, and dit
{ not go near them again until some time afte,
the two hours was up. When took the gi1
away she was still crying, and noticed tha
Mrs. Surratt had not shed a tear won
dcrea at that. The girl cried all tho way
homo to the Catholic institution where sh,
, lived, and you can believe it made me fee
, bad.
When returned spoke to Gen. Hartranf
and mentioned what seemed to mo the almost
heartlessness of Mrs. Surratt. Then the gen
eral told me that the little girl had scarcel,
left the prison when Mrs. Surratt threw her
self down in commissions of such grief as ht
had never dreamed of before. 1t seems hare
to imagine the struggle that woman mus
have undergone to control herself through
that long interview.
There are few people who know how
nearly Mrs. Surratt came to a reprieve, fol
lowed by communication of sentence There
was strong sentiment in her favor, and, |
think, some doubt as to the degree of her
guilt l will never believe that she was priyy
to Lincoln's murder. She approved, think
of his proposed abduction, but never of his
assassination.
Tho night before tho execution was when
they had Paine up before the council Next
| Mrs..