The Van Buren press., 1895-06-08
THE coNsPlRAToRs OF 1875.
Pen-Plctures of Lincoln's Asaasslnators ~
They Appeared 1t the Trial

TIE OONSFlnA Ouo OF bOoos
Pen-Plctures of Lincoln's As6asslnators ~
They Appeared 1t the Trial.
On the left, in the line Of prisoners,
sat Mrs. Surratt, deeply yelled, with
her face turned to the wall, slowly
and constantly tanning herself, and
never raising her head except when
ordered to show her countenance for
the purpose of Identification by wit
nesses. She was dark-looking, fleshy,
placid and matronly woman, apparent
ly about forty-five years Of age. She
was accused Of being privy to the plot,
assisting both before and after the as
sassination, and seereting in her house
the arms and other implements to be
used In carrying out the conspiracy.
Next the guard who sat by Mrs Sur
rats side was Herold, q small, dark
fellow, about twenty-five years old,
with low, receding forehead, scanty
black hair and whiskers, q STOPPING
figure, 'protruding teeth and vulgar
face. This man was Booths intimate
companion, and left him only when he
was burned out in the Maryland barn.
Next was Payne, the assassin de
tailed for the murder Of Seward He
sat bolt upright against the wall,
looming up like a young giant above
all the others. Payne's face would de-
fly the ordinary physiognofnist. 1t
certainly appeared to be good face.
His coarse, black hair was brushed
well off his low, broad forehead; his
eyes were dark gray, unusually large
and liquid. His brawny muscular
chest, which was covered only by
dark, close-titting sweater" was that
of an athlete. He was apparently not
much over twenty-four years old, and
his face, figure and bearing bespoke
him the powerful, resolute creature
that he proved to be. 1t was curious
to see the quick fash Of intelligence
that involuntarily shot from his eyes
when the knife with which he had done
the bloody work at Stewards house was
identified by the man who found 1t In
the street near the house in the gray
dawn OF the morning after that dread
full night. The knife was heavy,
horn-handled implement, with double
edge at the point, and blade about
ten inches long, thick at the back, but
evidently ground carefully to a fine
point. This knife was subsequently
given to Robinson, the faithful nurse
who saved the life Of Seward, and who
was afterward made paymaster in the
army of the United States
Next in order sat Atzerot, who had
been assigned, 1t was believed, to the
/ murder of Vice President johnson, but
whose heart failed him when the time
came to strike the blow. This fellow
might safely challenge the rest Of the
party as the completest personification
Of low and cunning scoundrel. He
was small and sinewy, with long, dark
brown hair. dark-blue and unsteady
eyes. a receding, narrow chin and fore
head, and generally villainous coun-
/ tenance. 1t was observed that when
any ludicrous incident disturbed the
| gravity Of the court, as sometimes hap
! pened. Atzerot was the only man who
never smiled, although the others,
/ Payne especially, would often grin in
sympathy with the auditors.
O'Laugblin, who was supposed to
have been set apart for the murder OF
Stanton or Grant, had the appearance
Of the traditional stage villain. He had
q high, broad forehead, Q mass Of
tangled black hair, heavy black mus
tache and chin whiskers, and his face
was blackened by rough, unshaven
beard. His large eyes, black and wild,
were never still, but appeared to take
in everything within the room, scan
ming each new arrival at the door,
watching the witnesses, but OCCASION
ally resting on the green trees and
sunny sky seen through the grated
window on his left. He often moved
his feet, and the clanking Of his mana
cles would attract his attention, and
he would look down, then back and
forth at the scene within the court
room. A California vigilance commit
tee in 1s4o probably would have
hanged him ION general principles
He was accused Of being In league
with both Surratt and Herold, and
was seen at Stantons house on the
night OF the murder, asking for Gen.
Grant
Spangler, the stage carpenter Of
Ford's theater, was about forty, heav.
lily built, sandy in complexion. sloven-
" In appearance. He held Booths
horse at odd times, kept clear the way
to the rear of the theater. and was
suspected of being his lackey. The
poor creature, more than any other,
appeared to be under the influence OF
imminent bodily fear. His hands were
incessantly moving along his legs from
knee to thigh, his bony fingers travel.
ing back and forth like spiders, ~ he
sat with his eyes fixed on each wit
ness.
nr. Mudd, the companion and asso
sociate of Booth, who received the dy
ing assassin into his house on the night
of the murder, and set his fractured
limb, in appearance was about thirty.
five years Of age, and had mild blue
eyes, a good, broad forehead, ruddy
face, hair scanty and thin, a high head
and sanguine temperament. He sal
in his shirt sleeves, with q white hand
kerchief knotted loosely about his
neck, and attentively regarded the
proceedings with the air of q man who
felt sure of himself.
Last in the row. and looking out o.
, the window upon the pleasant sky and
and tree-tops beyond, was Arnold, the
Sam" of Booths correspondence, who
, writing from Hookstown, Nd, in
formed the assassin that he had con
cluded to ''give up the job," and wa.
tried of keeping up appearances. Thi'
man was as uneasy as Gagged whelp
| LIZ Lam hia hoad IN tho s.ai II hoforr