Daily camera., 1899-04-19
Mort made to save Mrs. surr.u.


reedy Tor the execution OF Mrs. Surratt
ne said that l could get ready to exc
cute four of them, but | might not
have to execute more than three OF
course | knew that meant that an eff
tort was being made to save Mrs. Sur
ratt. And 80 sure was | that this
would be done that the very morning
OF the execution, when Mrs. Surratt's
little daughter came to the door of the
room whore l was lying down and
looked frightened at the sight OF the
nooses lying on the floor / longed to
say to her: Annie. your mother viii
be saved; don't be afraid But OF
course | couldn't do so, for | might be
doing wrong. Payne had said TO me,
after having sent for me. that he had
had something on his mind for a long
time. If / mad two lives he said. 1
would give one of them to save Mrs.
Surratt. He then told me that she
was not guilty and that 1t was only
because he had been captured in her
house that she was arrested | told
Assistant Secretary OF War Mai Eek
ert of Psyne's conversation and | was
requested 10 Immediately write it out
and send 1t up to the department This
| did. But all efforts were in vain
Mrs. Surratt's counsel. not knowing Of
the inclination 10 have his client. made
a foolish move on the day of the exc
cution. He swore out warrant for
the arrest Of Gen. Hancock on the
charge OF having possession OF Mrs.
Surratt's body, and the secretary OF
war was detained by the justice before
whom the warrant was brought OF
course, as martial law prevailed. all
that had TO be done was 70 send down
TO the war department and a detsch-
rnent Of soldiers was sent up The sec
rotary was released, but this was the
cause Of his delay in coming to the ex-
scution.
Payne was the pluckiest OF all the
prisoners. He was great big fellow.
and / liked him first rate He was
man Of wonderful fortitude. Right
after his arrest he made an attempt
to dash his brains out against the side
Of his cell. After that we put hoods
on them all. great thick. quilt-like ar
rangements which covered their heads
md came down over their faces below
he shoulders. 1t was hot weather and
the prisoners suffered a good deal but
Payne never uttered complaint He
had been confederate soldier, and
t was found that his name was not
Payne at all, This was ascertained
when he was confronted with his old
'egro nurse who had brought him up.
She threw her arms around him and
allied him by his name, but he never
linched and pretended not to know
Ter. He probably did not want to
ring his family name into disrepute.
When all was ready for the execution
nd the nooses were around the pris-
'ners necls stepped up to Payne and
ishtened the knot on his little. tell
NJ him that 1t would be over the more
pecdily
You know best captain said he.
hese were the last words of man
rho was worthy Of better cause.
1T was two years later that Mrs.
'urratts son, who had made good his
cape was heard from in Italy. He
'ad gone to Quebec and from there to
,aly, where he enlisted in the pope's
rmy. Thinking that all had blown
lver, he one day told his chum what
'7rt he had taken in the plot to kill
lincoln. The pope at once had him
Imprisoned and he was brought to this
ouniry. But he was tried by civil
uthority and was acquitted"
\ few days ago. when the Grand Ar
n, OF the Republic had its meeting in
ashington. some of the old soldiers
rom Capt Rath's city noticed that all
he buildings were decorated with fags
kept the one across from their hotel.
IN inquiry they found that this was a
isar store KEEP: by Mrs. Surratt's sis
or, who had said time and again that
ne OF these Michigan fellows had
rcnged her sister