Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-04-03
Mrs. Mary E. Surratt's Innocence.
Her Completely in the Assassination OF
President Abraham Lincoln.

Her Completely in the Assassination of
President Abraham Lincoln.
CHICAGO, March ga morning
paper prints the following: A fire has
just destroyed the last shreo of docu-
mentary evidence that it is alleged
would have removed the stain of the
charge of conspiracy to assassinate
Abraham Lincoln from the name of
Mary E Surratt. This woman. who
suffered death on the charge preferred
against her, had for her counsel Col
onel John W. Clampitt, of Highland
Park, in whose possession was 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 Colonel 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, thirty years ago, when he
strove to save the woman from the
gallows. 1t was not until yesterday
that Colonel Clampitt spoke of this
particular loss which he had suffered
in the burning of his home.
1.-THE world was beginning to believe
that Mrs. Surratt was a martyr" She
said, land | had that which would
have incontestibly proved it, but it is
gone in the flames. Did you know
that only the other day. Father Wal
ter, the priest who administered ex
IRENE JUNCTION to Mrs. Surratt at the
very foot of the scaffold, died in Wash
ington? | saw him before his death
In order that you may know the value
of the evidence that his declaration
put in my hands. l must detail the
scene at the execution.
MRS. Surratt was devout Roman
Catholic. | am a Protestant, but in
common with other Protestants, |
know truth falls from the lips of per
son prepared for Heaven, and who is
about to die. This woman, on the
scaffold, shrived for eternity, turned
to her spiritual adviser and said: Holy
Father, can / not tell these people be
fore I die that 1 am innocent of the
crime for which | have been condemn
ed 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 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 l sought him
out in Washington to urge him to give
me that which needed to help clear
her 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 the evidence
given me by Father Walter | learned
that he had been sent for by the de
partment the day before the execution
and had been told that he would not
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 had received the sacrament
he would prevent her from making
any protestation of her innocence. In
other words, as the price of being al
lowed to administer to the dying wo
man, Father Walter was forced by the
War Department to consent 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 state of grace fol
lowing absolution has been used as an
argument in favor of her guilt The
truth is now known. Father Walters
story has gone in the fire, but | have
1T in my memory, and now let 1t go to
the world