Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1895-04-18
EVENING, APRIL 18, 1895.
Judicial Murder.
TIE QUESTION OF MRS. sURRATT's
GUILT.


Fire has just destroyed the last
shred of documentary evidence
that, it is alleged, would have re-
moved the stain of a charge of con-
spiracy to aSsasSinate Abraham Lin
coin from the name Of Mary +. Sur
ratt. This woman, who suffered
death on the charge preferred against
her, had for her counsel, Col. John
w. Clampitt of Highland Park,
Chicago, in whose possession was
the evidence that he thinks would
have restored her good name and
shown that in tho 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. II 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 yes
terday that Col. Clampitt spoke of
this particular loss which he had
suffered in the burning Of his home.
"The world was beginning to be-
lieve that Mrs. Surratt was q mar
tyr" he said "and / had that
which would have incontestably
proved it, but it is gone in tho
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 scaffOld, died in Washington /?
| saw him before his death. In or
der that you may know tho value of
the evidence that his declaration put
into my hands, | must detail the
scene at the execution"
Mrs. Surratt was devout Roman
Catholic, l am Protestant, but in
common with other PrOtestants, I
know that truth falls from the lips
of a person prepared for Heaven
and who is about to die. This wo-
man on the scaffold shrived for
eternity, turned to her spiritual ad-
wiser and said: Holy father, can
not tell these people before | die
that | am innocent of the crime for
which l am condemned to death p
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 dis
turb the serenity of your last mo-
mentS.'
Father Walter, before his death
revealed to me the secret Of his re-
fusal to let her speak. When !
sought him out in Washington to
urge him to give me that which 1
needed to help me-that which
needed to help clear her name-he
told me, first of all, that the woman
was absolutely innocent of the
charge argainst her. and then he
told me this astounding story:
He said it had been evident to him
that the war department, while bent
on c0nvicting had doubts Of the
guilt of Mrs. Surratt. From eyi-
dence given me by Father Walter
learned that he had been sent for by
the department the day before the
execution, and had been told that he
would not he allowed to see Mrs.
Surratt on the day Of her death un-
less he would pledge his faith and
honor as a priest of God that, after
he had absolved her and she re-
celved the sacrament, he would pre-
vent her making any pr0testation Of
her innocence. In other words, az
the price of being allowed to minis
ter to n dying woman, Father Wal
ter was forced by the war depart,
ment to allow her to die without
one word from her lips to the world
as to her innocence. The fact that
she did not declare her innocence
when in the state of grace following
absolutiOn has been used as an argu
ment in favor of her guilt
The truth is now known, Father
Walters story is gone in the fire
but l have it in my memory, anC
now l let it go to the world"