The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-04-19
John /. SuITuf'S Story.
His Connection With the Plot to
Abduct President Lincoln Told
For the Fist Time.
Baltimore, April, 2.

vi
For the Fist Time.
Baltimore, April, 2.
Thirty-three Easter Sundays have
come and gone since Abraham Lincoln
was shot to death by John Wilkes
Booth, in the old Ford's Theater,
Washington, and of the eleven individ-
uals who were connected, directly or
indirectly, with that tragic and unhap-
py event, but two are yet living. One
of these is Lewis J. Weichmann, now a
resident Of Philadelphia, whose teG,
mOny was the foundation stone on
which the government rested it's hopes
of convicting Mrs. Mary z. Surratt
and her son, John H. Surratt, and on
which history, and the light of subse-
Quent events, have since cast a grave
shadow. The other living actor in
that famous tragedy is John Harrison
SuTratt, a resident Of this city, a trust
ed and honored official Of the Old Bay
Line Of Chesapeake steamers, whose
ne STORY from the time ne ran away
from school as a mere lad of sixteen
and Joined the Secret Service Bureau
Of the cOnfederacy, until the last day
Of his lengthy and highly sensational
trial, reads like a fairy tale, and is but
another evidence of the oft-proven
adage that truth is stranger than fic-
ton"
For a third of a century prominent
writer's of newspapers and magazines,
in every section Of the union, have re-
allied that could John II. Surratt be
induced to tell his story, freely, unre-
served1y, and fully, it would rival in
romantic interest and dramatic detail
anything hitherto published concerning
the landmarks of the war between the
states. Countless efforts-over a thou
sand, in fact-have been made to get
him to tell his story and make a state
ment of his true relations with Wilkes
Booth, Weichmann, DR.. Mudd, and the
other actors who figured in that long
train Of stirring events which culmina-
ted in the assassination of Abraham
Lincoln and the execution of his moth
or, but prior to the three interviews
granted me for the Sunday Post, in
which he told me every detail of his
life he has returned but one answer
to all. The wound was too deep and
ranking to tear open at this late day
and expose to this critical gaze of an
unsympathetic public.
lie feels now, however, that after a
lapse of a third of a century the bit
terness of feeling, rancOr and hate en-
gendered by four long years of inter
necine strife has passed away and
given place to a more fair and liberal
feeling concerning his reputed cOnnec-
ton with an event which shocked the
world and thrust a nation into our
ing. IL feel that | owe it to myself,
to make a statement of what I know
of that. event." he said.
CAPTAIN SURRATT'S STORY.
Captain Surratt is very different
from the ignorant and bloodthirsty
sOutherncr pictured by an angry press
is refined, highly educated, and polish
ed. His manners are stately and dig
nifed. He is a brilliant talker, and
every word he utters conveys the ex-
act meaning he intends. He is above
the medium height, straight and slend-
er, and has irOn gray hair and nous
N"NiiNr dHN INo pICi tthS 5A"J NyNc DCN
deep in his head beneath heavy eye
brOws. He talks in a low tone OF
voice, never hesitates for a word, and
only twice during my talks with him
did he become excited, although dwell
ing for the first time in over thirty
years on matters which must have
stirred his feelings to their core. Once
was when he spoke of Wilkes Booth,
onA tho Othnr +iDon Ura 6nrinp hic for
ribIe a~rraignment of Weichmann. He
is only ffty-five years old, although
he looks seventy. He told me he lived
fifty years from the time he entered
The southern army until he was libe-
Iated on bail after his w months
trial. AS the substance Of this inter
view is of considerable historical i'm
p~Ortance in that it is the first purely
voluntary statement Of any one who
had aught to do with Wilkes Booth, !
will give his statement. word for word
as they left his mouth, merely preserv-
ing historical sequence:
When the war broke out l was a
small boy of sixteen, studying at st
Charles college, in Carroll county, Md.
and like all southern boys at that time
| was a red hot rebel, and dearly loved
my native state. At the college it was
strictly against the rules to discuss
even in the most casual name any
OF the political questions then agitat-
ing the country. / remember n af.
ternOOn we were all on the campus
which directly faced Charles Carroll
of C%arrOllton's beautiful estate, Doure.
hogan Manor, when there issued from
the main driveway opposite a troop OF
confederate cavalry on their way tt
join the army of northern Virginia
The troop had been recruited and was
led by young Charles Carroll. They
were a magnificent set of young men
full of fire. dash and vim. and presented
a splendid appearance. l was tireo
with martial ardor at the sight, ant
tossing my cap into the air, I cheeret
and chpered again. In fact I CheereC