Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-08-03
He PLEADED FOR the
LIFE OF MRS. SURRATT
New York Man Relates a Dramatic
Episode Connected With
lincoIn's Murder.
PRESIDENT JOHNSON IMMOvABLE
Governor Hartranft Sent Him an Earnest
Appeal, and Mrs. stephen A. Douglas
Twice Pleaded with Him on
Morning OF Execution.

Sreih VI Tart IL. OF the cours or general
sessions, had a dramatic experience in
connection with the assassination of
President Lincoln. At the time he was
an instructor in st. Aloysius's college
in Washington.
After the conviction OF Mary Z. Sur
raft for completely in the murder,
Welchnan, who boarded i'm her house
and was the chief witness against her.
came to him and said that in spite Of
all he had sworn to, he thoroughly be-
lieved Mrs. Surratt was innocent of all
knowledge of the plot against the pres
ldent until after it's actual consumma-
zion. Mr.. Brophy deemed Weichman's
statement so important that he reduced
~ TO writing sent ii to President
Johnson as at least worthy of investi-
CATION.
TO his communication he got no reply,
out on the night before the execution
ne received from the war department a
permit TO visit Mrs. Surratt in the ar
senal, where with the three other con-
denned prisoners, she was confined. Mr..
orophy mad not asked for any such per-
mt, and he has always supposed that
MIS- Surratt heard of his action In her
Dehalt n herself made the request
that he be allowed to see her.
Mr. Brophy went to the arsenal. Mrs.
Surratt asked n.m to undertake at
some future time, when the passions OF
war were cooled, the task of clearing
her name of the crime for which she
then stood condemned and of which
she earnestly protested her innocence.
rms Mr.. Brophy promised to do. At
ter leaving her he went TO see Lewis
Payne Powell, known throughout the
conspiracy as Lewis Payne. Powell.
VINO was the son Of n Florida clergy
man, vas after Booth, the fercest and
most DloodthirSty of all the consnir-
ators. he retained 10 the last the stoi-
cal cynicism which he had shown from
the nrst. In this mood Mr.. Brophy
found him a few hours before he was
hanged. @
TO his own impending fate he told
Mr' Brophy he was utterly Indifferent.
lie mad played his part i'm the tragedy
ana was ready to take the consequences
or an act which he in no way regretted
out When he spoke of Mrs. Surratt al
trace or affectation disappeared. That
woman, ne protested by all that he held
most sacred, was as innocent of the
plot against Mr.. Lincoln as the child
unoorn. Powell's manner was so earn
est ana SO convincing that 1t made q
pFoiound impression upon Mr.. Brophy.
appeal to johnson.
IL was now about 9 o'clock in the
morning. The execution was TO take
Place W. IL a. m. and i D. m. Mr..
piophy from Powen's cell, hurried
slralght TO General Hartranft, after
Ward governor OF Pennsylvania, and
then the provost marshal general
having full charge of the execution He
earnestly besought General Hartranft
10 go TO Powell and hear what he mad
TO say. This General Hartranft did,
anu came pack impressed quite as Mr..
Brophy had been.
i will furnish you an army convey
ance and swift horses" he said. Take
II and drive like mad to the white
mouse n give the president this note.
VIII delay the execution until the
last moment or until ! hear from you
denniteiy and positively what the pres
dents answer is"
Ihe note was n strong plea for a re-
pfleVe for Mrs. Surratt. With it in his
pocket Mr.. Brophy drove on a gallon to
the white house. Here, about the first
person he saw was Miss Anna Surratt.
daughter of the condemned woman,
VINO FOR hours had been at the execu-
tive mansion trying to get access TO
the president to plead for her mothers
life.
TWO men barred the way to all who
wished to get at President Johnson.
These were Preston King and. General
James Lane President Johnson was
suspected OF having a vacillating ma
ture and those who believed that JUS
tice had been lone in the conviction of
the conspirators did not want an APP
peal 10 the weak side of the presidents
character to succeed.
Mr.. Brophy tried to get past the
guards, but tried in ain. He tried to
get General Hartranft's note sent in
to the president.
In thai also he failed. After nearly
M hnIpiS. Aa1a " h.
ing his errand of life and death than
when he first arrived. His own half
distracted frame of mind was intensi-
ned by the frantic entreaties Of Miss
Surratt, who, sobbing and choking
with grief, was clinging to him and
begging him to do something.
g. Mrs. Douglas Ignored the Bayonets.
+" But what could he do? In every av-
enue, that led toward the president
there was a cleaning bayonet n be-
hind the bayonet the stern bronzed
face of a soldier. Mr.. Brophy was at
the verge of despair when suddenly a
fine. carriage came dashing up to the
White house entrance and out of II hur-
ried a richly dressed and strikingly
handsome woman, the beautiful Mrs.
stephen A. Douglas, wife Of Lincoln's
'old-time rival out in Illinois, the Little
Giant.
Mrs. Douglas, too, had come to plead
AIRS. Surratt's case. Mr.. Brophy was
by her side in an instant telling her his
errand and entreating her to get him
access to the president. Mrs. Douglas
was a. woman of resolution and fur
thermore a d~azZlingly beautiful wom-
an. She dashed straight at the bayon-
cts and they lowered almost in homage
before her.
The civilian guards beyond the BAY
onets tried to stop her, but she swept
them ~scornfully aside with an imperi-
ous gesture. What no one else in all
cisely the thing which Mrs. Douglas
did. She got to the president.
But there her triumph ceased. She
entered the room with her face flushed
with energy and hope. She came out Of
1t with bitter, hopeless disappointment
In her every feature and every move |
ment. She looked at the convulsed,
tear-stained face of the young girl
whose mothers life was trembling in
the balance Inc could only shake her
head.
"Oh, don't give up D." sobbed Miss
Surratt. Don't! Don't oh, do go TO
him again. He won't refuse you He
can't. Do gogto him again!"
"Shot him General Hartranft's note
again." cried Mr.. Brophy. ASK him If
he got the statement / sent him of
Weichman's confession to me. Make
another appeal to him, Mrs. Douglas"
II WILL" said the spirited woman. II
will; it is of little use, though. / feel
that 1t is of little use"
johnson Was Immovnble.
Past the ~bayonets. past the guards. |
she once more forced her way to the
presidents presence. But she had pre-
dicted truly when she said that 1t was
of little use. There was no vacillation
In johnson now. He firmly and posi-
lively refused to intervene. The state
ment Of Weichman. he said, had come
to him. 1t was wholly without weight.
With this reply Mrs. Douglas came
back.