The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-20
JOHN SURRATT'S CAPTURE.
The Last Surviving Ohicer Of the Swa-
tara Tells the Interesting story.

10 THE EDITOR OF HE SUN-SH' Npoue
r fortnight ago news of the death OF
John II. Surratt was published In the
daily press with n brief and imperfect
account of his capture in Alexandria.
| Egypt. In December. 1866. and subsc-
quent trials in Washington in lS67-6S.
AS the last surviving commissioned
officer OF the Swatara, the ship used IN
the pursuit and capture OF Surratt, !
send a somewhat detailed statement or
the facts. which may prove interesting
to some OF your readers. 1t should. at
least. set at rest the many fantastic
accounts of the historical event pub
lished from time to time.
Surratt, as Is well known, was an
intimate OF John Wilkes Booth, the as
ASSN OF President Lincoln. and imme-
diately after the death of the President
H. made his way to Montreal, Canada.
and subsequently to Rome. where he en-
listed In the army of Pope Pius TX.
The Pope at that time had temporal
power and maintained a little army OF
hiH own.
The United States Government offered
n reward Of $4,000 for the capture OF
Surratt. An acquaintance. one Henry
Il. ste. Marie. followed him to Rome
and he himself enlisted In the Iouavcs.
Having located Surratt. he waited on
cur Minister in Rome. tie Hon. Rufus
King, and Informed him Of the fact. Mr..
King told Ste. Marie TO return 10 his
company. keep the matter to himself
aud later on he would communicate with
him. and at once Informed Mr.. seward.
our Secretary Of state. that Surratt had
been located and asked for instructions
MI. Seward instructed Mr.. king to ask
Cardinal Antonclli. the papal Secretary
of state. If the United States made q
demand for Surratt would the Papal
cvcrument give hin up. The answer
was Yes, send for him"
Mr.. Kings next step was TO COM
municate with Admiral Goldsborough,
commanding the European squadron.
The Swatara at the tim was at
Nars,illos and Commander William y.
JciIcis, a brilliant and distinguished
officer, received orders to proceed inn
nediately with his ship to Civita
Necchia. the seaport OF Rome. and then
proceed personally to Rome. receive
Surratt as a prisoner. take him on
board and report to the Admiral.
I was an officer on the Swatara and
accompanied Commander Jchers to
Rome. where II was learned that Sur
raft. who had been stationed with his
company at a little distance from Rome,
had been put under arrest and on his
way a. a prisoner TO the city managed
to eludc his guards and escape into
Italian territory. getting to Naples and
~ a 'h.id class passenger had gone
aboard an Italian steamer bound FOR
Alexandria by way of Malta
The Swatara followed, stopping At
Malta. The Italian ship had been there
and gone The Swatara left at once.
arriving at Alexandria a few days after
the Italian had made port.
Unfortunately for Surratt, Naples had
had a visitation of cholera and was con-
) s.lcrcd a foul port by the authorities Of
A!'NaDdria. and all the third cllss pas
s"ngers were marched to the quarantine
station and placed under guard for a
weeks observation.
Commando Icncrs waited on our
Minister Resident. tho Hon. charles
Hale, and the same question III the
United states Government made a de-
mand for Surratt would the khcdive
surrender him was p~ropounded to the
khedivial Government. Back came the
proinpt reply, Yes, send for him
IN officer and n file Of marines were
sent 70 the corral. Surratt. a tall.
straight. self-contained young man. was
marched, a prisoner. on board. hand-
cuifed between two marines. The ship
WAS not "A large one and there was a
qiiandary just where to put him. He
Was a state prisoner and had to be
treated with consideration
Commander letters finally concluded
t. rclinquish his bathroom. which was
outside of his cabin with n door opening
or the spar deck. and IT was fitted up
as a stateroon and the prisoner made
as comfortable as could be his meals
We're served to him from the wardroom
table.
The ships were not kept together In
those days. hut were scattered about in
European waters. Then cam a hunt to
find admiral Goldsborourh. The Swa-
tara chased him around the Mediterra-
mean looking for the flagship, and finally
located the Colorado in Nillefranchc.
\ fcw days afterward the Swatara
started homeward under orders to pro.
coed e. Washington and report to the
Secretary of the Navy.
Tn winter OF Is66-s7 was cold and
stormy, and the Swatara, soon after
leaving Nillefranche. struck a hard gale
and tn" ship was most uncomfortable
a. she pounded through the heavy head
seas II tine Mediterranean.
Passing throush the Straits and
reaching the open sea the fires were AL
lowed TO die out and the ship proceeded
across the Atlautic under her own sail.
Tie Navy Department just at that time
vas Nery economical and coal could not
hc used when ships were in the open
sea The SWatara sailed across the
Atlantic IN that stormy January and
February, f"riy-hyo days from Vile
franohe To- the Capes of Virginia.
SurTatt personal condition when
brought aboard ship vas frishtful, but
rlcVty Of hot water and good soar with
fr,Sh new ,sailorl clothes from the
ships stores soon made him quite COM
Portable in that respect. lie was a
wrctched sailor, however. and suffered
greatly from soaSickncss on the long
voyage. 80 doubt he was glad when
the ship reached Washington and he
found himself once more on terra TRINA.
even If It WAS behind the bars Of the old
Capitol Prison.
During the time he was on board the
SNatlra an armed entry was at his
dOOr and no ono but the commando
N" executive officer. tho SURGEON and
~" officer of tho deck ever spoke to him
iE"tr conversation WAS limited to I'm.
Guirics Tor hts health and comfort.
llc was never tried by n military
commission. In tho summer Of 1867 hts
nrst trial vas ~ tho Criminal Court in
Washington, before Judge Fisher |
vas a witness at this trial simplv TO
i'cntifv him as the man taken on board
the SNa'ara 1T Alexandria, ECvpt. I'm
December, 1866 The Jury DISAGREED at
tins trial after many hours Of consider
alton, and two other juries at two sub
s'lnent trials also disagreed. when the
indictment was quashed and Surratt was
set at liberty.
Whether Ste. Marie ever received sny
reward ! never knew.
GEORGE pr FOREST BARTON.
Late Paymastcr, United States Navy.
NEW YORK, May 10.