The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1900-08-11
AFTER LONG YEARS.
Scene Of Crime Fascinatss HsF-stog Of
lincoln ASSIMILATION.

#@8e
One Of those who played an impor-
tant role in that great tragedy which
eliminated in the murder Of Abra-
ham Lincoln, it is now learned, has
made periodical visits to the scenes
of the crime that blighted her life,
casting upon it a never fading shadow.
How guilty was the knowledge Of the
woman cannot be known, but it is
certain that she had reasons for be-
lieving that the presidents life was
in danger.
The woman whose connection with
the greatest Of modern tragedies has
only recently been learned was a
sweetheart of John Surratt. She was
persuaded to rent a room in an F
street hotel, in Washington, where
one Of the conspirators hid prior to
and after the murder.
Attention has been called to this
mysterious woman by a paper read
recently before the Columbian His
torical society by Mrs Harriet Rid
die Davis, a well-known society lady
Of Washington. She referred to the
alleged conspirator. as Miss Annie
x, saying it would be cruel to give
her name at this late day, when to do
so would be to make her visits to
Washington a reproach and a sensa-
ton.
AT the close of the war Mrs. Davis
was a little girl attending a Roman
Catholic academy in Washington,
where Miss X was a teacher.
"'The conduct Of Miss x" said Mrs.
Davis, "'was full Of pulling surprises
to the children. One morning just
prior to the assassination of President
Lincoln she appeared in the school
room in a state Of great excitement.
Her clothes were covered with dust,
as if she had just returned from a
long, hard ride across country.
KneeP! she cried Historically to the
roomful of affrighted children, and
as they fell on their knees the woman
broke out into an agonized appeal
for help and pardon for some I'M
known persons who were planning
a terrible crime. The effect of it was
heightened upon the childish imagi-
nations by her haggard appearance
and herevidence Of great distress. AT
the conclusion Of the prayer she sum
marily dismissed the pupils for the
day"
Later, at the trial Of John Surratt
for completely in the murder Of the
president, Mrs. Davis father, Judge
Riddle, was employed by the govern
ment as one Of the prosecutors. The
jury failed to agree, and after the trial
Judge Riddle happened to mention in
the presence of his daughtert that con-
viction would have been assured had
it been possible to get Surratt's sweet
heart, Miss X, as a witness.
When the little girl told her father
that Miss X had been her teacher,
and related the incident described,
Judge Riddle made a determined eff
fort to trace the young woman, but
he did not succeed.
MOI until three years ago did Mrs.
Davis again see Miss X. Then she
met her, a haggard woman, worn by
emotions and showing deep traces of
mental suffering. They came face to
face on one of the principal streets
Of Washington, but if the older wom-
an recognized her former pupil she
made no sign of it. Mrs. Davis made
inquiries, and learned that Miss X at
regular intervals goes to the old acad-
envy where she was teaching when
Booth robbed the nation of its ruler.
From there she goes to the white
house, where the attendants have
come to know her and to expect her
visits. From the white house she goes
to the F street hotel, and then to the
now transformed Ford's theater.
Finally she goes to the house into
which Abraham Lincoln was taken to
die. Then she disappears from Wash
ington for a period of about two
months. Mrs. Davis does not know
where she makes her home in the
meantime.-N. Y. Herald.