Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-12-21
JOHN II. SURRATT ALIVE.

John Fl. surratt. the sole survivor OK
the score or 80 Of former confcderates
who were charged with being ldenthed
with the conspiracy TO assasslnate Pres
ident Lincoln is now a well-to-do citi-
zen Of Baltimore. Mr., surratt If the son
OF Mrs. Surratt, who was hanged Tor
the murder OF the martyred President
az one OF the accomnlces Of j. wilkes
! Booth
Mr.. surratt lives at 1919 West Lanvale
street and is auditor Of the Baltimore
steam Packet line, better known as
the Old Bay line, He has been In the
employ Of that company since nearly
its organization and Is numbered among
It's most valued employees. Mr.. suratt
is now Of middle age and Is a man of a
quiet and retiring disposition. HIS
friends and his business associates ap-
preciate the mental aud physical suf-
ferngs that have beset him in the years
gone by, through his indirect connection
with the great crime OF 1865 and for
that reason the matter IL never
preached to him.
John II. Surratt has an interesting
history, one that has not fallen TO the
lot Of many men and one that many
men would not desire. While Mr.. Sur
raft has naturally been reticent about
the part he played In the great tragedy
al % I.t 3 "A Iptf
following the great civil strife, he has,
at times manifested a disposition TO
talk OF his memorable flight from this
country after the assassination Of Lin
coin. his capture abroad and his trial
upon his return.
An acquaintance who met him IN FL
mira n. Y, Just few hours before
Lincoln was assassInated, ana who paid
visit 10 Baltimore recently for the
express purpose of talking to Surratt
about his memorable adventures, thus
speaks Of the interview;
81 met John H. Surratt casually In
Elmira, N. Y, on April Ia, 1865, but
few hours before Lincoln was assassin
ated, Surratt was commercial tray
eler or passed for such; he certainly
had business with some Elmlra mer-
chants and II was In store that was
introduced to him. He was slender,
well dressed young man, and If he had
any leanlngs to the South, or felt any
chagrin over the recent collapse Of the
Confederacy he kept IL to himself The
following day, Saturday, the 18th, the
whole country was shocked by the cruel
murder Of the President, and II was
known throughout the land that Mrs.
Surratt was arrested as one OF the con-
sprators. and that warrant was out
for her son, John III,
THAT young man in Elmlra had no
direct connection with the murder Of
Mr.. Lincoln and the attempted murder
of his cabinet was evident, yet that he
associated with the consplrators became
certainty when he suddenly vanished,
without leaving trace behind him, 80
that for two years, while glimpses were
had Of him here and there, he remained
undiscovered Had he been captured
at that time he would have been hung
with his mother or neither would have
hanged, but so incenstd were the people
at that time that II does not seem pos
sible that he would have been cleared
In 1865 when he came so near to con-
victon In 1867 after time had appeased
the wrath Of the people and an impair
tial trial was possible,
1T will be remembered by those who
recall Surratt's trial before Judge Fish
err In Washington, that he confessed
that as soon as he learned of what had
been done by the consplrators he fled TO
Canada. without cent In his pocket
so that much of the journey had TO be
made on foot. From Canada he made
his way to Europe, and being Catho-
l. III H.. II.