The Washington herald., 1915-05-03
BY WINFIELD NJ. THOMPSON.

In no chapter of the great tragedy OF
| 1865 is a more tangled skein OF evidence
presented than in that relating to John
II. Surratt He was tho active agent OF
John Wilkes Booth in the plan to kidnap
Lincoln. and in that wild and abortive
enterprise was as guilty as any man
who aided Booth. but lie had no hand in
Lincolns assassination.
On the morning of April 10 Surratt was
named as the assailant of Secretary or
State William II. Seward and his son
Frederick. both of whom We're then
thought to be dying from their wounds.
inflicted at their home al the time Booth
was committing his heinous crime at
Fords Thsater.
4 little later a reward Of $50" was
Offered for Surratt. as one of Lincoln
assassins. for. it having been found that
the Stewards were attacked by Lewis
Payne. the part of aid to Booth at the
theater was attributed 10 Surratt.
During the fortnight covering the pur-
suit OF Booth and the arrest. one after
another of his associates and persons
who aided him in his flight. John IL.
Surratt was sought in vain. Hanging was
surely the portion awaiting him were he
caught.
JOhn ri. Surfatt SuCCtcucu III bdiiilS
his pursuers because he was not in
Washington at tn" time OF the crime; but
his good fortune in cvadinS capture aug
mented the public's opinion OF his i'm
portance as n criminal. II was argued
that he must have powerful friends TO
shield him: and his disappearance. when
all the other persons wanted were IN
custody, added to the popular belief
that the crime of Booth must be charge
able to widespread conspiracy.
But even though Surratt had been
Booths friend and agent in the plan to
kidnap Lincoln. he had no knowledge OF
the assassination until he read in a news
paper that h" was sought as one of the
assassins.
Surratt.s Visit to Rich mond.
Surratt has not been nearer Wash
ington on the night of the crime than
300 miles: for though witnesses after
ward swore to seeing him there on the
evening of April H. he was then in Ell
mira. y. Y.
been that of a Confederate spy and dis
patch bearer. Late in March. after the
plan to kidnap Lincoln had been aban-
doned. Surratt received orders to pro-
coed TO Richmond. He arrived In the
Confederate capital March 81. threas days
before its fall. met Judah p. Benjamin.
secretary of state in Jefferson Davis
cabinet received from him certain pa
pers to be delivered to Confederate
agent in Canada. was paid 500 In gold.
and left Richmond the following morn
ing for the North.
At p. M Monday, April 3. Surratt ar
rived at his mothers house in Washing
ton. While making change OF under
clothing he showed a friend. Louis j.
Wiechmann who boarded In the house.
some of. the gold he had received. rms
money was represented at the trial OF
Booths associates as part OF the price
paid by the Confederate government for
the murder of Lincoln
Having refreshed himself at home, sur
raft continued his journey. The next
dav he called at Booths home in New
York. and was told Booth was not there.
On April Surratt arrived at Montreal,
registered at the ST. Lawrence Hall Ho-
tel as John Harrison and delivered his
dispatches to Gen. Edward G. Lee. a
Confederate officer. They related to the
NANCY affairs of Confederate agents in
Canada.
Sent to EImira as a Spy.
Surratt remained in Montreal until April
1. when he was sent by Gen. Lee to
Elmira. n. Y. TO make sketches OF the
Federal prison there. with view TO a
delivery of the Confederate prisoners it
contained. for the Confederates In Can
ada did not realize that the war was
virtually at an end.
Surratt arrived In Elmira next day. reg
istering at the Brainard House as John
Harrison. He sketched the prison and
retired about 10 o'clock. The next morn
ing at breakfast he heard that the Presi-
dent had been assassinated. but did not
hear the name Of the assassin. 1t never
occurred to me for an instant that 1t
could have been Booth" he after de-
clared.
His mind was on Booth. nevertheless.
for he went to the telegraph office and
sent a message addressed-"J. w. B." to
Booths New York home. saying. IF You
are in New York telegraph me-"
As he passed the message through the
wicket he heard a man say, There are
three brothers OF them-Junius. Edwin
and John wilkes" 1t then flashed upon
his mind that Booth was the assassin.
He took the message away from the
operator. but 1t was too late. The man
had seen it. Tossing II back with an air
of GOODNESS. Surratt walked out OF the
office.
The bells were tolling. minute guns
were booming. hags were at half-mast.
Everybody was discussing the assassi-