Evening star., 1915-07-11
FIFTY YEARS AGO
IN THE STAR

The findings Of the military court in
July S, 1866. and were
Conspirators immediately apr owed
c.-&.s by President Johnson.
four-Lewis Payne. George A. Atzerodt,
David E. Herold and Mrs. Mary E. Sur
ratt-were found guilty and--aentsnced
to be hanged. Michael OLaughlin. Ed
ward spangler. Samuel Arnold and
Samuel A. Mudd were found guilty, in
part, in aiding the escape: Of the ac-
tual assassins, and sentenced to impris-
onment-Mudd. Arnold and O'Laughiin
for life and Spangler for six years.
The President ordered the execution Of
the four who were condemned Friday.
July Z, 1865, within forty-eight hours
of the findings Of the court. In The
Star OF July these findings are print
ed. together with a news item telling
of the announcement of the sentences
to the prisoners that day in the peni-
tentiary. In the issue of the next day
is a description of the execution. COM
prising nearly two pages OF The Star,
perhaps the longest article on single
subject that had up to that time ever
appeared in this paper. Details Of the
oners were given more fully than on
the day before, as follows:
The sentences Of those to be exc
cuted were made known to them about
12 O'Clock, yesterday, Mai.
Prisoners Gen. Hartranft perform
r.A.e, ing the duty imposed upon
SvtA4ou' him in as delicate and
humane a manner as possible. Maj.
Gen. Hancock accompanied Gen. Hart
ranft, and they first Of all visited the
cell of Lewis Powell Payne. Payne show
ed no perturbation and took the announce
ment as if he fully expected it. He
spoke to Gems. Hancock and Hartranft,
stating that he had been much better
treated than he had expected-better,
he thought, than he would II he had
been in the custody of the civil au-
thorities. He also stated that he had
thought much over the conspiracy plot;
and that, although he at first believed
that he was doing nothing but his duty,
he was now satisfied that he had done
wrong and expressed his sorrow. He
was actuated In the part he took by
motives Of revenge for the wrongs ne
thought had been committed upon Con-
federates falling into our hands.
1.-THE cell Of George A. Atzerodt was
next visited, and on the sentence being
announced he showed great nervous,
ness, his face turning an ashy hue and
his lips and hands quivering. He i'm
mediately expressed a desire to see
some of his friends. Only one visitor
besides Marshal McPhail had seen him
since he was in prison, and that one his
brother. He asked for minister.
David E. Herold was next informed OF
his doom, when he trembled like a leaf.
He acknowledged that he was In the
plot to abduct the, President, having
got into it through John Surratt. He
attended a meeting of the party. at
which Booth said he was going to as
sassinate the President, with which he
(Herold) said he would have nothing
to do, but would help him to get away.
and Booth hired a horse for him to ac-
company him. He begged that all the
members of his family be sent for. He
also stated that his sympathtes had
been with the south, head and heart.
Mrs. Surratt was next visited. and on
the terrible news being broken to her
she burst into a violent paroxysm Of
grief AS soon as she recovered she
asked that Rev. Father Walter Of st.
Patrick's, Rev. Father Wiget, president
of Gonzaga College, and Mr.. John P.
Brophy of the st. Aloysius schools. with
her daughter, Miss Anna surratt, be
sent for