The Irish standard., 1891-09-05
INNOCENT MARY SURRATT.
Father Walter Says She Was Not
Guilty OF Completely in Lincoln's
Murder.
! DELAY OF TWENTY-FIVE YEARS,
IEe Reason Why the Good Father Delayed
This Remarkable Letter
So Long.

Among the open letters Of last April
in the Century, writes Father Walter
in the Catholic Mirror, 7 find one refer
ring to the priest who attended Mrs.
Mary E. Surratt. As / am the priest
alluded to in this article, must posi-.
lively deny that prohibited Mrs. Sur
ratt from asserting her innocence. /
thought of answering this letter at once
but as had an article prepared years
ago on the Surratt case IN which l had
determined to make public my state
ment Of this notable case, deemed 1t
best to defer the answer till the present
time. The object of this article is to
make manifest the truth in this case
and thus vindicate the innocence OF
Mary E. Surratt. 1t may be asked why
this delay Of twenty~d years? The
answer is a simple one. 1t takes time
for people TO lay aside prejudices, so
that they may form just Judgment On
a question of ttls character. The whole
country was conyulsed with horror at
slae assassination Of its chief ruler, and
the people had run mad with excite
ment, Time alone could quiet the deep
feeling emoittered against everyone
who might have been suspected Of nav
ING ANYTHING to do With the crime.
Amid all this excitement. l lad deter
mined in my own mind to wait twenty
five wears before would give to the
public cIaar and full statement. The
public mind has had time to quiet down
and men can now calmly listen to rea-
son. Very few persons at this date BE-
lieye that Mary G. Surratt knew any
thing about the plot to assasslnate the
President.
Now, as to the facts of the case, Pres
ident Lincoln was assasslnated at
Foro's Theatre, Tenth, near + street,
northwest, On the l4th OF April GOOD
FRIDAY, J about 10 o'clock p. In. John
Wilkes Booth was his murderer. 1t
was, in INV opinion. the act of an insane
man. and no friend to the South. This
l said ON the next day to several friends
stating that it was my firm belief that
it was the VI work of a madman, and was
concocted within the past. twenty four
hours. l felt convinced that if the par
ties had reflected on what they pro-
posed dong The act never would nave
baon cOnsummated.
Mary E.. Surratt, whose name has
been associated with this awful tragedy
was q quiet, amlable lady. She had re-
moved from the country a few months
previous to the murder Of the Pres1-
dent, resided on H, near Sixth street
northwest, and was in st. Patrick 8
parish. was not acquainted with her,
and never spoke to her until the eve OF
her execution. received letter from
her dated Sunday, April q. 1865, asking
me- TO come and see her. She was then
in Carroll prison. [ went on Tuesday
morning, April rs, but she had been re-
moved to the penetentia1y, and was
told bg those in authority at Carroll
prison that no one would ba allowed to
see her. On Wednesday, July S, 1865, l
learned that the trial WAS over. On
Thursday at 10 O'Clock a. m, l went to
the war department and asked Colonel
Hardie for pass to visit Mrs. Sarratt,
who had requested me to visit her when
in Carroll prison some three months
previous. Colonel Hardie told me that
Secretary Stanton was not in, and asked
mo if was in hurry about it; l told
him was not. tie then replied that
he would let me haye pass in q few
hours. When I returned home, and
whilst at dinner, an orderly came with
a pass signed by Colonel Hardie. |
gave the usual receipt for the same, and
going to the door with the orderly I re.
marked to him that had read all the
evidence of this trial. and. as regards
Mrs. Surratt, there was not evidence
enough TO hang cat; besides you can
not make me believe that Catholic
woman would 60 to communion on
Holy Thursday and be guilty Of murder
on Good Friday. After the orderly
had left, Mr.. John F. Callan and Mr..
Hollohap, a boarder at Mrs. Surratt's
house, called and informed me that the
execution of Mrs. Surratt was to take
place next day. To act SO hastily in a
matter Of this kind was certainly
strange On the part Of the government.
Whilst talking to these two gentlemen,
Colonel Hardie came in and seemed
much excited; requested bim to walk
into the parlor, leaving the two gentle
men standing in the hall. He then said
to me: Father Walter, the remarks
YOU made to that young mar, meaning