The times., 1898-02-06

Mrs Mary L. Surratt was hanged il
Washington, July /, 1865. for complicit,
in the conspiracy TO murder Presiden
Abraham Lincoln, who was shot by
John Wilkes Booth on the night oi
April IA, 1865, and died next morning
AT the time it was generally believed
that Mrs. Surratt was guilty. This be.
lief was the result of suspicious CIR
cumstances, which We're, however, com,
patible with her entire innocence. Many
prominent lawyers declared that her
guilt was not sufficiently established
TO sustain the judgment OF the military
commission before which she was tried
and in accordance with whose findings
she was hanged. Now fl is the general
belief that she was the innocent vic
tim of circumstances, ana if opinion
does not go so far as to affirm that
her execution was a murder, it COM
mlserates her fate and recognizes that
she was wrongfully condemned, HAVING
been made victim of the Indignation
OF the people and their demand for
vengeance upon the conspiralors. whose
object was to cripple the government
by taking the lives of its principal
officials.
II is now difficult for one to anpre-
ciate the effect the assassination of
Lincoln had upon the country TIE
majority OF the Northern people were
Very angry at the Southern Confedera-
cy and believed that all who support
ed II were deserving of punishment.
rms anger extended to all who SYM
patnlzed with ii, and even to those
VINO supported the war though they
disagreed with the policy upon which
1t was conducted. The belief was that
the assassination was the last effort
OF the dying Confederacy, and the pent-
UP wrath of the people burst forth
ike flame that had been confined.
ana demanded the lives of all who were
thought to be concerned in the taking
on OF their beloved President.
IN washington this feeling of the low
al people was more intense. if possible.
than in other cities of the country
mere We're many sympathizers with
the southern people in the city. and
III was not possible for all of them to
conceat their sympathies Many of
tEem had been in prison and the loyal
people were of the opinion that all of
them should have been; therefore there
was great antagoniSm between ITnior,
People and Southerners. The assassi
nation caused the loyal people to give
IuiI scope TO their feelings, and the
h'AEi4b hGAll dbDul The civ
oFeathing threatenings and slaughter.
On Saturday, the day Lincoln died
persons went about the streets with
cooked reVolvers Gone had two. one in
each hand) looking for ..secash" /" and
ready 20 shoot any one who had the
temerity TO express sympathy for the
South, or who refused to express the
most violent opinions as to what should
re done to the conspirators who mur.
Lin In Il
not arrested or cautioned.
The people in the central part of the
CITY. during the night after the assassi
nation. We're stricken with horror al
the deed and terror at the conseauen-
ces. The unusual noises. the shoutines
OF the news of the killing of Lincoln
ana seward Git was stated at first that
seward had been killed.. the rushing
in hot haste of single horsemen and
bodies Of cavalry. the blaring Of hu-
giles the excited and determined faces
OF men, the blanched and terTor-strick-
en- faces of women. who We're full of
apprehension of further evils made an
impression which Will never be forgot
ten upon those who were awakened
that fearful night Gen. Lew Wallace !
might have gotten that night and the |
y next Gay some of the pictures he |
drew in Ben Hur of the effect nro- |
duced upon the people of Jerusalem bv |
the condemnation and crucifixion of |
Christ Vi
Ana wei might there have been hor-
for and terror. Richmond had fallen
Lee had surrendered, Charleston 80
taken, and the end of the rebellion was |
near. The Northern people were re- |
JolcihS over the victories that would
restore the Dnlon, and permit the early |
return OF their loved ones in the ar
mics of their country to the bosoms of
their families: the Southern peonIa
were glad as those are who see the fer
OF the suffering of dear ones
oy ueath There was a torclllight pro- |
'esslon that night in Washington Civ
ng expression to the joy that prevail
7u Inc war was practically over and |
peace and a restored Union at hand.
and in the midst of this universal jo,,
The blood of the great Union leader
was splashed in the very faces of tba |
people. NO wonder that men went mad
ma thlrsted for blood, or that women
-u1 of terror, aPprehended other and
greater evils
Since upon night so sweet such aw-
tul morn could rise
President Lincoln was shot sbor+lx
liter 10 clock. in Fcrd's Theater on |
he east side of Tenth street, between
: ana r streets. the night of April IA.
4
Sooth fired the shot, and that he es-
'aped across the stage into an allev
behind the theater where he mounted
J horse and fled through an alley north |
o f street where he turned east |
Within an hour the police detectives
new he had crossed the Navy Yard |
SridSe over the Anacostia on his |
light TO Maryland, accompanied bv
notaef party, which proved to be
agold a Il
ne war Department for horses and |
adde's for number of policemen to
ursue him. and had it been honored at | I
nee IL is believed that Booth would 1 {
ave been captured that night or early | :
ext morning. As ii was neither mo- | s
celnen nor soldiers followed n Booths s
tack until next morning about al
CLOCK The detectives visited Mrs | &
urratts house that night. as il was \
trongly suspected that John II. Sur | $
att was the man who had attacked | {
Seward. A number of per
ons We're arrested. charged with being | y
oncerned in the assassination. and a | |
Military commission was appointed to {
~ them {
The commission was composed of {
lajor Generals David Hunter. Lew | I
Wallace, August V. Kautz, Brigadier /
ienerals Albion p. Howe. Robert s. | e
oster, James A. Ekin, r. NJ Harris. | G
nd Colonels G.. ii. Tompkins and Da- f
i'd r. Clendenin. General Joseph A | i
[olt was appointed judge advocate and | +
Hon. John A. Bingham and \
olonel III. /. Burnett We're appointed | t
ssistants to General Holt 6
Charges and specifications We're filed | n
gainst David e. Herold. George A. [
tzerodt. Lewis Payne. Michael o
'Laughlin, Samuel Arnold Mary E. =.
urratt and DR.. Samuel A Mudd for q
lgaging in q cnnsniIacN In ,nn1lrdar !.