Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1899-05-20

00Ort mA0O 10 save Mse. 0ussoss"
When Gen. Hancock told mo TO get
ready for the execution OF Mrs. Surrat
he said that could get ready to exc
cute four OF them. but l might not
have to execute more than three. or
course | knew that meant that an ef-
fort was being made to save MIRA Bur
raft. And SO sure was | that this
would be done that the very morning.
of the execution, when Mrs sarratts
little daughter came to the door OF the
room where was lying down ana
looked frightened at the sight OF the
nooses lying on the floor lonsed 10
say to her; Annie. your mother VIII
be saved; don't be afraid. But OF
course | couldn't do so, for | might De
doing wrong. Payne had said 10 me,
after having sent for ME. that he had
had something on his mind for a long
time. III | had two lives. he said, 1
would give one of them to save Mrs.
Surratt.' He then told me that she
because he had been captured In her
house that she was arrested. | told
Assistant Secretary OF War Mai. Eek
ert of Payne's conversation, and was
requested to Immediately write II out
and send II up to the department. This
did. But all efforts were In vain.
Mrs. Surratts counsel. not knowing OF
the inclination to 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 TO send down
to the war department and detaeh-
ment Of soldiers was sent up. The Sec
rotary was released. but this was the
cause OF his delay in coming to the ex-
ecution.
Payne was the plueklest OF all the
prisoners. He was a great big fellow,
and | liked him first rate. He was a
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-llke ar
rangements which covered their heads
and came down over their faces below
the shoulders. IL was hot weather and
the prisoners suffered good deal. but
Payne never uttered complaint. lie
had been a confederate soldier. and
1t was found that his name was not
Payne at all. This was ascertainet
when he was confronted with his old
negro nurse who had brought him up
She threw her arms around him and
called him by his name but be never
finched and pretended not to know
her. He probably did not want &c
bring his family name into dIsrepute
When all was ready for the execution
and the nooses were around the pris
oners' necks stepped up to Payne ane
frightened the knot on his a little. tell
ing him that 1t would be over the NOR.
speedily.
You know best, captain said he
These were the last words of a mar
who was worthy OF better cause.
1T was two years later that Mrs
Surratt's son, who had made good bit
escape. was heard from in Italy. II.
had gone to Quebec and from there u
| Italy. where he enlisted In the pope
army. Thinking that all had blowr
over. he one day told his chum wha
| part he had taken in the plot 10 Kill
Lincoln. The pope at once had hin
| imprisoned and he was brought to thi
| country. But he was tried by eiyf
| authority and was acquitted"
A few days ago. when the Grand Ar
my OF the Republic had It's meeting II
Washington. some Of the old soldier
from Capt Rath's city noticed that al
the buildings we're decorated with fiax
| except the one across from their hotel
| On Inquiry they found that this was
cigar store kept by Mrs. Surratt's sis
ter, who had said time and again tina
one OF these Michigan fellows ha.
hanged her sister
4