The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-04-19
face with them on one occasion | said

FALLING HAIR f1sg s a. :, TssT s's @.s
face with them on one occasion | said
to them:
You stick TO me nobly. brothers.
| feel deeply moved at your kind at
tention.' They made no reply. but
they did not dare to arrest me in
Naples in the presence of my Garibal-
dian friends. 1t became known that |
was going to Alexandria. and by a sim
gular coincidence the very ship which
took me there also carried dispatches
to Consul Hale at that point to arrest
me and keep me in close confinement
until the arrival Of Commodore JEFF
frey. When we were a few DAYS out
from Naples it became known on the
vessel who | was, or was suspected to
be. 1t was reported that | had killed
the president of the United States.
When this became noised around the
ship there was the greatest excitement
at once. The captain of the vessel
came to me and said:
Your presence is kicking up a
great fuss on this ship. Who are you,
anyway?'
Il told him frankly the truth. and
while he was most kind. he refused to
land me anywhere else than Alex
andria.
Il was by this time completely tired
of being a man without a country,
and determined that on reaching Alex
andria | would place no more obstacles
in the way of my capture and return
to the United States. Accordingly
when / reached that city / went to a
hotel, signed my correct name, and sat
quietly on the porch smoking a cigar,
waiting for some one to come to arrest
me. On the afternoon of the day after
my arrival, glancing down the street,
| saw coming toward the hotel an open
carriage, containing one man and fol-
lowed by a squad Of cavalry. l knew
at once who they were. The cavalcade
stopped in front of the hotel and the
gentleman got out-he was Colonel
Hale-and coming up to me asked me
if | was John H. Surratt. He said he
had orders for my arrest. When the
carriage drove off there were two in it,
and | was thS second occupant. | was
placed in the city prison, awaiting the
L vi IhC al uIh Il
visited daily by Mr.. Hale. He treated
M as a son. While he gave me plenty
of reading matter, he would never tell
me when and how | was to be taken
back to the United States.
! lone day I heard a great fuss in the
yard of the prison, where the common
prisoners were kept. Some one was
swearing like a trooper in English. |
went into the yard and found a United
States man-of-warsman. On my ask
ing him what the trouble was. between
| his oaths he stated that he belonged to
a United States war vessel, which had
: arrived the night before, and getting
drunk he had been jagged Said he:
Here we have been chasing all over
Europe for a fellow named Surratt,
and blankety BANKED if he hasn't given
us a slip three times. We have come
her to get him now, and blankety blank
if | believe we will ever see him |
smiled grimly. He said the vessel was
in command of Commodore Jeffrey.
When Consul Hale called hat day I
asked him when | was to be delivered
to Commodore Jeffrey. To say he was
surprised was putting it mildly. He
never learned how | found out l was
placed on board the vessel, heavily
chained and hand-cuffed, and taken to
Marsailles, where a United States feet
was lying, in command Of Admiral
| Goldsborough. When we entered the
/ harbor and I saw that feet of splendid
| vessels, with the stars and stripes fly
| ing from every ship, l could have
| cheered. l was proud Of my country.
| rTIo lo I'D. r-aro p1ayinn 11Ctar u1QI
| Banner" Hail Columbia" and
Dixie" | was taken aboard the Ad-
miral's flagship, and when he saw me
he said:
so you are the desperate fellow
we have been chasing around the
world. Why, are only a beardless
boy Turning to Commodore Jeffrey
he said, Surely, Commodore, there is
no occasion to iron Surratt. 1t is GER
tainly unnecessarily. The Commodore
stated that they were his orders and
there was nothing left but to obey. ]
was placed in a stateroom and a ma
rine with drawn cutiass and a loaded
revolver placed on gu-Td. The ma
rine was given orders that if | attempt
ed to escape to cut me down or shoo'
me down if necessary. The whole
thing struck me as being a perfect
farce and | laughed in the face of the
officer who gave the command. II {
scowled at me. AS / had a whole state
room to myself, and as the marine had
to march three PAGES forward n three
PAGES back. / think / had the best OF
the bargain. The voyage was unevent-
full and We landed in New York, n
was taken direct TO Washington.
TRIAL OF JOHN H. SURRATT.
During my trial which lasted sixty.
two days, over 200 witnesses were ex'
amined. Al o may know the Jur!
disagreed, standing eight for acquitta