The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-07-09

his ragged and half starved S0IQlerS
from the entertainments around Peters
burg and Richmond, positions they
had SO gallantly held for eleven long
and irving months against unlimited
resources. and overwhelming numbers
of the northern invaders, and for the
further purpose OF uniting the army Of
Northern Virginia with the army Of
General Johnson then at some point in
North Carolina.
President Lincoln was shot on the
night OF April 14th, 1865, and early on
the morning OF April 10Th. the news Of
the shooting reached Point Lookout.
There were FIVE thousand Federal
soldiers then at Point Lookout for the
purpose OF guarding the eighteen thous-
and Confederate soldiers that was there
as prisoners of war.
Well do we remember the commotlon
among many OF the Federal soldiers
when it was said, 'iLincoln is killed, he
was killed last night at Ford's The
atre."
The Federal soldiers were very bit
ter against the assassin and could they
have found him out they would have
made a short Job OF the matter with
him.
As we'll as we can remember there
was no one accused Of the killing and
the whole matter completely wrapped
in mystery, although it has been often
written since, that John Wilkes Booth
was plainly recognized as the one who
committed the deed.
TIE War Department soon went to
work TO try and find out, locate and
~ IL Of In,
after some little time the War depart
ment in their Investigations revealed
the fact as they saw it, that there had
been a conspiracy formed in Washing
ton to take the life OF Lincoln, and sew
eral parties were spotted as consplra-
tors and arrested, and among them
was the unfortunate Mrs. Surratt. This
much briefly covers the matter OF the
accused in Washington City as actors
in that bloody drama.
The War Department did not rest
with accusing persons in Washington,
but reached out for more and implica-
ted Jefferson Davis President of the
the Confederate States Of America,
and some of his cabinet, the names OF
whom the writer has forgotten.
A short while after arrests had been
made in Washington, there appeared
in flaming headlines in the New York
Herald Five hundred thousand dollars
reward for the capture of Jefferson Da-
Wis and so many of his cabinet" calling
them by names, duplicating them IN the
killing of Lincoln.
In the course of a short while Mr..
Davis was captured and sent TO Fortress
Monroe to await further developments
in his case, while the part Of his cabi-
net wanted, had in the meantime, made
their escape by reaching Cuba. and
then taking passage on some steamer
for Europe.
Mr.. Lincoln was, as is custom with
such worthless. disposed Of with great
pomp, and was inferred at his home
in Springfield, H.. without any jury OF
inquest being held and without any
charge being lawfully brought against
any person or persons for bis murder.
1t soon leaked out that John Wilkes
Booth was the assassin and that he
had made his escape in the confusion
that followed after the pistol had been
fired through g door in rear Of the
building and that he had mounted a
horse that was in waiting for him, and
that he had fed towards Virginia.
As soon as quiet could be restored
there was detachment of Federal
cavalry detailed and started out i'm
mediately for the capture OF Booth
alive, or his body dead, and to get the
large reward offered.
After searching some little time for
Booth his Whereabouts became known
and the readers of The ITEMS pretty
generally know what was the fate OF
John Wilkes Booth.
Booth the head of the conspiracy and
the slayer OF Lincoln being disposed Of
and parties implicated in the killing
being in prison the question arose,
whether they should be tried by civil
law or by military law. Some contend
ed for trial by civil law while others by
military Finally by the opinion, l
believe of Andrew Johnson who was
Vice-President under Lincoln, and who
on the death Of Lincoln assumed the
government. it was decided to try the
accused by military law.
A military commission was appoint
ed consisting Of Holt, Dana, Staunton
and others, their names we have for
cotton though equally rs unfeeling and
as brutal as those we have mentioned.
The military commission being ready
and desirous for the blood OF the ac-
cused. they, including Mrs Surratt
were put on trial and the case against
them commenced, and many liars as
witnesses against the accused were Or
dered to be on hand.
cannot now remember so well the
evidence that condemned the men that
was hung along with Mrs. Surratt,
save that Booth and them boarded at
the house of Mrs. Surratt.
Among the charges that Mrs. Sur
ratt was condemned on, or went a long
wavs toward convicting her, was Booth
and the three young men that were
hung. boarded at Mrs. Surratt'S house
and on the night that President Lin
coin was shot some parties were pas
sing Mrs. Surratt's house and while
doing so. Mrs. Surrato hOisted the
window sash, leaned cut and asked the
question rs the President shot::&
Among the party mentioned was 4
sergeant in the Federal army. The
sergeant reported this much against
Mrs. Surratt and we have no doubt a
great deal more and was well reward
ed with blood money that it was said
was so plentiful at that spiteful and
bitter time.
1t, rs we now remember, took about
six weeks 10 commence and conclude a
trial: that there were only about seven
or eight persons on trial, and 1t the
end Of the time mentioned that brutal
and unfeeling military commission
reached the conclusion after their man
ner of weighing justice that four of the
accused, including Mrs. SUrratt, were
guilty and deserved death, while the
other one or two was to be deported 10
rho dry TOrfnTaS