The times., 1899-08-13
4REASON'S LAST SHAFT
Places Made Historic by Presi-
dents Assassination.
Events Concerned with the Con-
spsracy 20 Murder Abraham Lin
Recommendation for Mercy TO Mrs.
surratt-The Plea for Her Son.

cast DI I1iS city, ilere IS grave ABOVE
which rises a moss grown slab that once
was white. On this slab. in letters that
are black with the mold of years is this
inscription: Mrs. Surratt" No flowers
grow on this grave and the dripping of
rain from the old trees that shade the
spot have worn away the sod
To the pilgrim who pauses above this
lonely tomb, train OF bloody recolIec-
tions comes. 1t is one of the mementos
of the night of April Il, 1865, when Abra-
ham Lincoln fell before John Wilkes
Booths pistol, and Payne's knife made a
slaughterhouse Of the residence OF Secre-
tary Seward. There are in Washington
other reminders Of that great tragedy.
The house In which the arrest of the con-
spirstors was made, No. e04 H street
northwest, stands, and no line Of its old
time architecture seems TO have been
changed II is teranted, and groups of
happy children play in the room in which
Mrs. Surratt, Payne and Atzerodt were
taken into custody by the military author
titles at midnight on April 1e, 1861 on the
day after the death of Lincol2.
Down in what was then the Arsenal
but which is officially known today as
a
the scaf1old stood. This was against the
north wall Of the grounds and TO the east
OF the gate at the foot Of Four and "a Half
street
The old Surratt Tavern at Surrattsville,
Prince George county, Md, after having
been used FOR many years as a private
dwelling, has again become a hotel, and
travellers passing along the same old road
over which Booth and Herold fed find
shelter under the roof of the historic tsv-
ern. The place for many years has been
known to the postal authorities as Clin-
ton, but the people in that part of Mary
land have never ceased to speak of it as
Surrattsville- In addition to the hotel
there are two stores, one blacksmith shop,
q little Catholic church, and two dwell
ings. This represents the growth of the
place during thirty-four years. All around
are fields and pines. II is a crossroads.
The highway over which Booth escaped
runs from the Navy Yard Bridge, which
crosses the Eastern Branch at the foot of
Eleventh Street to T B, Maryland. An
other road leads from the little age-dim-
med settlement of Piscataway to Marlboro.
the county seat. The country down there
is full Of the relatives OF Mrs. Surratt,
as well as of DR.. Samuel Mudd, who
set Booths broken leg, and DR.. Samuel
Cox, at whose farm Booth and Heroh
found shelter till they were ferried across
the Potomac into Virginia; Sidney
Mudd, who is related TO DR.. Samuel Mudd,
and who is the Representative in Congress
from the Fifth Congressional district OF
which district comprises Prince
George and Charles counties.
Scene of the Assassination.
The Ford's Theatre building, in which
the assassination occurred remains un-
changed in its outward aspect, and is oc-
cupied by the Record and Pensions Divis-
ion OF the War Department. The house
in which Lincoln died, opposite the thea
tire, on Tenth Street, between and F
Streets northwest, is being renovated by
the Government A part OF the old Capt.
toI prison, in which the conspiratoTs and
hundreds of suspects were confined, still
stands on First Street, on the square north
Of the new Library of Congress. The old
prison has been converted into dwellings.
A part OF the prison at the arsenal in
which the conspirators were confined dur
ing their trial is standing. but this build-
ing was practically annihiiated soon after
the close of the civil war by an explosion
OF gunpowder, il then being used as a shop
il which shells were loaded
John W Clsmpitt, who was one of Mrs.
Surratt's attorneys. writing fifteen years
after the execution, says:
"A great war between the sections had
Just closed The magnetic chieftain of the
South, who had SO long held together the
incongruous elements Of the Confederate
army by the magic Of his name and pres
ence. had finally surrendered at Appomat-
tox 10 the foremost leader of the Union
forces. The heart Of the nation throbbed
with Joy Exuitant music filed the air.
Flags and banners with peaceful notices
festooned the cities OF the restored Union
and illuminacions grand in conception ana
effective IN design turned night into day.
IN the midst OF this festive period, ca
lamity fell UPON the nation that converted
all It's gladness into sorrow. Abraham Lin
coin. the idol OF his people, fell by the shot
Of an assassin. But one idea possessed the
multitude, and that was revenge, and in
the madness Of the hour. and an insane de-
sire for retribution, the innocent were made
TO suffer for the guilty. The death Of the
President and the attempted assassination
OF the Vice President and the Secretary OF
State filed the public mind with alarm
Directly after the commission of the
great crime hundreds of suspects were ar
rested and cast into the old Capitol prison
until that grin structure was overfiowing.
Among these was Mrs Mary E. Surratt-
She had been born and reared in Southern
Of the outbreak OF the war and the place
at Surrattsyille. which had been bequeath-
&c her by her husband had been devastated
by the soldiers, all that part Of Maryland
being strongly secession in sentiment and
under Federal martial law. She removed
70 Washington and opened a boarding
house at e0z II Street She had two sons
and a daughter. Her youngest son was
John. who had been a divinity student in
a Catholic college and during the war be-
tween the States became a blockade run
neF between Montreal and Richmond and
intermediate points. HIS sister. Annie Sur
raft was a graceful and pretty girl and
among the callers at the house was John
Wilkes Booth. then at the height OF his
fame as an actor.
A Famous Military Court.
The military commission for the trial Of
the conspirators sat during May and June,
1865 The members of the commission
were Gen. David Hunter. Gen. Lew Wal
lace, Gen. Augustus v. Kautz, Gen. Albion
p. Howe. Gen. Robert S. Foster, Gen.
James A Eksn, Gen. Thomas NJ Harris,
Col. c. II. Tomplins, and Col. d. r. Glen
denim. The judge advocate and recorder
was Joseph Holt, who was assisted by the
Hon. John A. Bingham and Col. H. L. Bur-
nett.
il was alleged at the trial that the
boarding house OF Mrs. Surratt was Sc
cert rendezvous for those who plotted
treason against the Government" II was
the testimony Of a young man whose name
was Weichman. and whom Mrs. Surratt
had nurtured as a son. who swore the
woiaan's life away. some persons aver, TO
save his own.
The finding of the military commission
was announced on the afternoon of July
6. 1856. The newsboys OF that day were
crying throughout the National Capital,
The conviction OF Mrs Surratt'' A writ
OF habeas corpus was applied for by her
ATTORNEYS hut President Audrau, Tobraon