The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1895-04-04
JUDICIAL MURDER.
THE QUESTION OF MRS. SUR.
RATS GUILT
Again Revived-She Was Not Allowed
to Speak on the ScaffOld-Fier Priest
Would Not Have Been Allowed to
Attend Her at the Last if She Had
Been Permitted by Him to Publicly
Declare Her Innocence.

CHICAGO, March 23.-Fire has just
destroyed the last shred of document
ary evidence that, it is alleged, would
have removed the stain of charge Of
conspiracy to assasinate Abraham Lin
coin from the name Of Mary E. Sur
ratt This woman, who suffered death
on the charge preferred against her,
had for her counsel Col. John w.
Clampitt of Highland Park, in whose
possession was the evidence that he
thinks would have restored her good
name and shown that in the passion
of the time, an innocent person had
| been sacrificed.
For thirty years Col. Clampitt has
been collecting data and evidence,
and had it SO complete, he believed
that none could doubt it. 1t was
ready for publication; and then came
the fire which destroyed his residence
and all the evidence accumulated
since that day, 80 years ago, when he
strove to save the woman from the
gallows. 1t was not until yesterday
that Col. Clampitt spoke of this par
ticnlar loss which he had suffered in
the burning of his home.
"The world was beginning to be-
| lieve that Mrs. Surratt was a martyr, -
| he said; s.and | had that which would
have incontestably proved it, but it is
gone in the flames. Did you know
that only the other day Father Walter,
the priest who administered extreme
JUNCTION to Mrs. Surratt at the foot OF
the scafiold, died in Washington? !
saw him before his death. In order
that you may know the value of the
evidence that his declaration put into
my hands, | must detail the scene at
| the execution"
"Mrs Surratt was devout Roman
| Catholic, am a Protestant, but in
common with other Protestants,
know that truth falls from the lips OF
a person prepared for Heaven and who
is about to die. This woman on the
scaffold shrived for eternity, turned to
her spiritual adviser and said: sHoly
father, can | not tell these people be-
| fore die that | am innocent Of the
crime for which | am condemned to
death?' Father Walter replied: No,
my child, the world and all that is in
it has now receded forever it would
do no good and it might disturb the
serenity of your last moments.
"Father Walter, before his death re-
vealed to me the secret of his refusal
to let her speak. When | sought him out
in Washington to urge him to give me
that which | needed to help meth at
which | needed to help clear hel
name-he told me, first of ALL that the
woman was absolutely innocent of the
charge against her, and then he told
me this astounding story:
"He said it had been evident to
him that the war department, while
| bent on convicting had doubts of the
guilt of Mrs. Surratt. From evidence
given me by Father Walter l learned
that he had been sent for by the de.
partment the day before the execution,
and had been told that he would no,
| be allowed TO see Mrs. Surratt on the
day of her death unless he would
pledge his faith and honor as a priest
of God that, after he had absolved her
and she received the sacrament, he
would prevent her making any protes-
tation of her innocence. In other
words, as the price Of being allowed
to mlniste: to dying woman, Father
Walter was forced by the war depart
ment to allow her to die without one
word from her. lips to the world as te
her innocence. The fact that she die
not declare her innocence when ir
the state of grace following absolution
has been used as an argument in favor
of her guilt. The truth is now known
Father Walters story is gone in the
fire, but have it in my memory, anc
now | let it go to the world