Newspapers / The Morning Post (Raleigh, … / Dec. 7, 1902, edition 1 / Page 13
Part of The Morning Post (Raleigh, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
THE MORNING POST; SUNDAY. DECEMBER 7 1902. Arnold's Story of Lincoln Conspiracy One of the Famous Plotters Breaks the Silence of Years. THE RECITAL OF SGhSg AND TORTURE , How Booth, Arnold and Others Planned to Abduct the President Graphic De scription of Events Before and After the Assassination. (ropvrtsht.4 by B!ilur Imrrl(tD) : irrr"rtant and interesting: doc-.t-'.!:r.c with the stirring events -.!- Isr.g an J subsequent to the f President Abraham 1. 1 . 1 :ne into the poss ssiort V: forever keep my lips closed to Inter views, and, should I ever come before the public, it shall" be in black and white, sworn to before a notary public. Of course I knov nothing of the assas sination plot. The kidnapping was of m. ami will be presented iuch a quix.Mic nature that there Is t t ; i in sorU.l form. The au- j nothing In It. and with the last no : t . .;;us ript id Samuel Hl.in.l overt act was committed, therefore, no i the foremast l.lmoln proceedings could be established under w h- now. f.-r the first j the law. I will cease to write of the t ..." .ie cf C. unseals the Hps I harrowing subject, it but angers mc." ; 5 r y Jw i.-re the kidnap- i v.. 1 consummated, to tell W f .iiM the mst minute do t. it lntry making ep.xh. t :.! rful story that this nian . ' Samuel 11. Arnold unfolds . ij i-li to c.ipturv t)e Chief th- .Vr.fe-Ieraie Ilr,. oon- .,,,,rBMn'- nev"r mns to the surface. I.ollt BataThtnikl In a subsequent letter, consenting to jhe publication. Mr. Arnold says, in part; "My guilt raj but a thought: the government made it a crime. Thoughts exist in the minds of men, but remain . : r th sunned impulses of i to the South: of passions ! never executed, hei.ee to make such a "!i:ii in my particular case, would make it criminal in the case of all. t ? tr.c I-r:r,s of human su!s,,. , , , ,,, .wit i c tut th- Impulses of hearts er such a thing will not hold - t y civ.l r'fe cull eng. n- l U ,ov' ' my. tement I deal i t i:r.; r; mn.ei.t. cruelty and vita facts alone indisputable facts. . . th r-.'y ar They describe the horrible tortures in- . . .1 . , jf.cted borc. during, and after tiial. . -t r.; rn written through mal- , . . , ... . , , . . -.(. ........ t v. n fl,'t condemned before any kind of 1 ;r tictlxeness; I have confined ,. . , . , , . . - ......... . ,, 1 evidence had been adduced before th-i f t th truth. says Arnold. ... , . . ... , . r court. It also describes the dread.ul a re. tt.it ions of circumstances. , . , , , ,.. . . ... . . 1 ...... . I . I t mi. Inrrf.ri. s ias o. iatcrn.il t.ca.e, i . : , . , happiness, w h-n the ! Rl ry i oriuy vs. g- ng ,n - -.;.cs of th- Ktt-rness of war have ! .e acts, ocsmes tr.3 o.ucera wuu 5 or: astie forever, read Uke th'e r-rpctrate-J them. t"a of o;;i horrible nightmare, j "Neither malice nor prejudice prompts .! f a reality. my action. No man In this land loves . autobiographical recitation of ! his country mo.-e than I do. None are by a man who can never fr- ' more patriotic, nor.e more Just, honor . ...1 who s-.vks seclusion ai.d or truthful. posc-sslng a heart of I:.s f-i:o.vman. a nu?.tnthrip;!t ; Jti:vlr.i and tenderness, equal to that o-.cn tat-. :r... t.t. The Ameri ar. "t a wwman. I can produc witnesses -v.s Lis life siorj- upon i:. -n n f tae very be.-t b'..od and standing i' . a r-iWi t-.o.v unprejudiced, and " the state ti voaeh for my manhood. earn- tor my ! .r: t c!:!! 1 t!:A f.:v." p"ritv of h'-.'rt. Tmliy in my old age ArnoM. and In h!s mh-.-.nthr i c ' the-n r-pected nd loved. it. a a-itrvd of maakliid t .i . . ixed ' Tho loa 1 hU!i far nearly 40 years iT ivVjs.s4't:f jS&f&y'' WWk -"1 u stt In Jaigm.. t u;vmi its Thy have known me from my ;..;-ts. st boyhood, ar.d can vouch fo PICTURES IN THE FLAMES in routa.t v.i;h tl.e hi bur.,- o' er my heni prevented me ih t Surratt Is the son of Mrs. Mary E. Sur ratt. who was one of those hanged In th arreml at V"ashlr.gton for the mr.r- ik-r of the martyred President, and who dlers themselves at the Dry Tortugas, cause, for how can I now come after liich he describes as a veritable hell j telling- them I had left you? Suspicion on earth. These events, he says, lie rests upon me now, for my whole fain recorJed from day to day in a diary, ;ily, and even parties in the country. I v. arm or miliary nw, nc r.at m L 1 to l"t Lis stry s!a;nter unt:! ir4.sc!f had rinsed lntt th- grfat V::o-.n. when he thtmght that nr . r.s nnht be rl;w for the recj liu :.: r it 1. I h:s - n mind's eye the l.n:J .. a had hutyc for well nigh 4 years I s.eer Lern lighteneti ivr les!-,e 1. from obtaining lucrative employment l i : it ,-. nh i lon-ml mv life that I iow g!ierai:y lojpKea tipnii as na- , irorn wa.cn uis iraziusei m iun wax m ne umiyniru iu ivhvc , i. ,.r.nt th. i : for liinriiiif.il. anvhow. and how soon. I care not. The story of the cruelties as set down None, no not one, were more in favor ing oeea innocent oi v!ii.-h bIia hiiTm-piI 1 ht Jfatb netialtv had a!mot become o misanthropist. I , T . n rtfh th nftiml inur- hv Ai-nnl.l in 1-is .ii;?rv received the sun- iof the enternrise than myself, and to v. as r..vr be tter satlsfltHl thou in "' fdt.re'r of j4;nV-oni. was shot and killed rt of Dr. Samuel A. Mudd in a letter j day would be there, had you not done own 4dus!tfi nod retirement. M-Vinhcn raptured in a barn In Northern j which is reproduced with this publiea-jas you have by this I mean, manner (rr 'iim 'K h a ien or su n a nature that I lu.d iv desire to mix w ith man- t ..,I,ture v.jth hn nnd T.vis Payne Virginia. David K. llerold. who was , tion. Mr. Arnold wishes it distinctly of proceeding. 1 am, as you wen Know. Ford's Theatrein Wnshins'lon, to wit- , United State ness the production of "The American Cousin." The Chief Executive of the Nation lingered until 23 minutes past T o'clock on the morning of April 13, 1S65, when death came. While the second scene of the third act was being performed the audience was startled by hearing the discharge of a pistol, Booth having entered the box, and while standing between the door and the President, fired the fatal shot, with an exclamation which is said to have been "Freedom." Major Henry P. Rathbone, who was in the box, grappled with Booth, but the ac tor wrenched himself from his grasp and at the same time wounded that of ficer, in the left arm with a knife. Booth rushed to the front of the box and leaped over the railing to the stage. In jumping Booth used a flag hanging by the box to aid himself In the leap, crying at the time "Sic sem per tyrannis." The assassin ran out of the back door of the theater, where a horse was In waiting, and although his leg had been broken, made good his escape for the time. "When those in the box had time to realize what had happened the Presi dent was found to be unconscious. The outer door of the passage way had been barred with a heavy piece of plank by Booth, and persons outside were unable to get in until this obstruction was removed by Major Rathbone. The President was carried from the thea tre, and Mrs. Lincoln, who was in tensely excited, was assisted from the playhouse. Neither Mrs. Lincoln nor Miss Harris, who was present in the box, noticed Eooth until he fired the shot. Confedf racy Exonerated During his story Arnold takes upon his own shoulders, in conjunction with LBooth, Atzerodt, Payne, O'Laughhn, Herold, Surratt and .Spangler, the en tire responsibility of a number of plots to abduct or kidnap President Lincoln, and he exonerates from all complicity in these plots, or in the assassination, which he described as but the product of a few hours, the Confederate States Government or its higher officials. Dur ing the trial the prosecution endeav ored to bring out statements to that end, and the early histories of Lincoln and of his untimely end give wide cre dence to this theory. In that portion of "The Life of Abra ham Lincoln." by Joseph H. Barrett, commissioner cf pensions, published in 1S65, dealing with the death of Lincoln the trend of the opinions of that time in government circles in Washington is probably as well shown as anywhere else. A portion of this publication- is as follows: "The assassination of Abraham Lin coln was the culmination of a series of fiendish schemes undertaken in the aid of an infamous rebellion. It was the deadly flower of the rank and poison ous weed of treason. The guiding and impelling spirits of secessionism nerved and aimed the blow struck by the bar barous and cowardly assassin; who stole up from behind to surprise his victim, and brutally murder him in the privacy of his box and in the presence of his wife. "Large rewards were speedily offered for the capture of the chief assassin and of his principal known accomplices, Atzerodt and Herold.' The villain who 1 ircrto 1 to cause u description ot said" pcv.-u.ns . with vt the ubo.-e -rewards, to be publlsncd. "'In testimony thereof I have here unto set my hand ayd caused the seal of the .United States to b affixed. " 'Done at the City of Washington tl"e 2d day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty tlve, and of the independence of tho United States of America the eighty ninth. 'ANDREW JOHNSON. . " 'By the President, W. Hunter, act ing secretary of State.' " FUTILE EFFORTS TO SAVE MRS. SURRATT Frealdeal J.Udcom itefaard to Bl.y Execution Belief in fnr.rta- nC. Woman', lunec.aro ' Great interest has always centered about the case of Mrs. Mary E. Sur ratt, and there are many firm believers in her innocence of any criminal knowl edge concerning the assassination plot.1 In years after the close of the war, when the bitterness of that great strife had passed away, much publicity was given her. case from time to time, and many of those who were connected' with the trial in official capacity wera made the centers of attack. f Mr. John P. Brophy, who was at th time of the trial an instructor at St." Aloysius' College, in Washington, had' an interesting experience in endeavor ing to aid Mrs. Surratt. After her conviction for complicity in the murder.' Weichman, who boarded in her hous and was the chief witness against her, came to him and said that in splto of all he had sworn to, he thoroughly,, believed Mrs. Surratt was innocent of all knowledge of the plot against th President until after its actual con summation. Mr. Brophy deemed Welch man's statement so important that ha' reduced to writing and Pent it to Presi dent Johnson as at least worthy of investigation. To his communication he got no re ply, but on the night before the execu- tion he received fi;om the War Depart ment a permit to visit Mrs. Surratt iru the, arsenal, where, with the three othert condemned prisoners, Fhe was confined.' Mr. Brophy had not asked for any such' permit, and he has always supposed that Mrs. Surratt heard of his actloi in her behalf and herself made the re quest that he be allowed to see her. JV.t Dirt. Surratt kind. I had lost all confidence In the humn r.. e. Now going on 65 years of it ws r..t until rec-ntly that the iag. ny health is snattere.t ana crip ,u;; wns rvit hd that his t.ry i ! fr,i,n rheumatism, contracted dur l r -n t- rt-ad and dige'tr I with-i?' my incarceration. I h ive passed MMion. ami Mih li!e f.iltlv no i.i!h aK- t cv-r Ili'd employment lo and George A. Atzeroldt. went to thetr death on the scaffold with Mrs. Sur rat. Samuel B. Arnold, Dr. Samuel A. '.Mudd. Mrhael O'Lnttghlin and Edward Spangler were tried for the murder of understood that this relates only to j in need. I am, you may say, in rags. ..ternpted the murder of Mr. Seward those things enumerated as having ta- whereas, to-day I ought to be well s ,.as first arrested giving his name as the President with the others, and were J Mudd, prior to our trial. To that pe- ken place during the confinement of Dr. Mudd and himself in the Dry Tor tugas. "Personally," snid Mr. Arnold in this regard "I never saw nor knew :rrtta cr demerits. With this de- bridge over the short ff.u; tiw.-n ihe s...ltence,1 to ,lfe mprjonment in the riod he was totally unknown to me. n-..-a tion established. Mr. Airoll. prcs i.i a:in i:ij u-aiii. : ?e. . his manuscript to th- ! 1 through The American. ftbaaa.J t ntr r TlTr. y as lAte os i K tooer ! u Plot 1 bat t-'allrd manuscript of Arnold. The manuscript of Arnold. In lela- It'on to Its nrenaration. extended over si Mr. 'long period of years. That portion i.i 'Dry Tortugas. Arnold alone lives of and therefore l would not nave ms these men, all of whom were pardoned name brought forward in any man- bv President Johnson' in s to any connection "ith that por- ' s'nrrmt the onlv other living conspira- tion f my statement covering the ab- clothed. I do not feel right sta king Payne Booth and his companion, Her old, were traced through the counties about with means, and more from ap pearances a beggar. 1 feel my depend ence, but even all this would and was forgotten, for I was one with you. Time more propitious will arrive. Do not act rashly or in haste. I would prefer your first query, go and see how it will be taken at R d, and ere long I shall be better prepared to again be dislike writing: would . j . I'.lnnl inn 1 .a t IT. inn, f -.t-K i o tliAtitrht ! ii'lih T nlcliL-i wi'ltintr t- 'ixmn Mir to lftl Klorv OT ArnOKl. . v. ui. hum j.v-i.. .w v. ,..uue..w nun ......... . ....-r - i . . . . . . . . .. . . , I tnat wouiit urag innocence into my . sooner veroauy mane Known my Mews Ar. ,. l u.w r.rmanddetermlre.1 , ot toihl.h u most Interesting a-count PZlnl I lnoln Suiwtt iory. Of Dr. Mudd I know nothing I yet your non-writing causes me thus fth the manuscript for public- , of the nccption of the plot- t tion "?nh " - A" ina- ! whatever, beyond our association as j to proceed. ; '? x lnx' Z, political prisoners. He is now Do not in anger peruse this. Weigh :-r a r.I.vttxe aki! that l.c make sue , e ruiures C... in r a ' . of lhG ulmovt endeavors dead. He bore his sufferings the same all I have said, and, as a rational man --'r ruV.ic in order !. Let his departed spirit rest, and a friend, you cannot censure or up- ef th. afrir might stand against, connected thereulth. was written ot bo en ."Vln - hoie may be my case, after braid my conduct. I sincerely trust v.cfh.,;ro-..utor. Mr. Arnold w rot,. nth- year is-i.. uihl'e Arnold was .-..n- and as not Jw ct in hi Pecked "iV statement has been made public this nor aught else that shall or may he Dry Tortugas. Florida, and years A 1 R " comDanion to the world, the trouble never again occur .will ever be an obstacle to oblit- f.-..-t , .v t-.K i...t,. ; attested to before a notary of the pub- , surratt. with an unknown companion. . ..'..,,.. .. , j ' . . r ........... ( , , , -, n,..- tkftn 111 UC I C3U1 I CVICU. tlUlC UU1 lOIIIIiri LI icnuaill u tlHU u- . r . . 11 nc ami a srx-iai commissioner appoint- reacnea pi. Ai'ioi". . . . . i, , A ine jeiier 01 ur. aiuaa is as ionows: tacnmem. vnte me 10 jaiiimore, as -iiiion. I have neruscl your ln congressional ommission , ai-u - rirefutiy. nnl duly ror.MderM j lnestigate Into the circumstances of the line, r-vp- -:tlo-- and I no re.-un surrounding the assassination of the, flnrr.tt In .! v I r.iM rrorxn an Issue s-tt let! ..w.. ... , 0nce having rounrt an asylum in v t:i Fort Jefferson, Fla., November 25, 1863. I have read the statement in regard to the treatment of Arnold, O'Laugh- f Mbit- m!ad no-v nearly ) year. .wmr "'" u",r"1 " , ada.Surratt secured funds and remainca Iln spangier. Colonel Grenfell and t :io p.rt of the human rA-e. questions put to Arnold as to bis lire, Jn MontrPa for some time. Feelir.w Mudd. and all representations are sub- tir . tr. n rharjeter to pieces ,-' e iii i.u.. ,hat n COuld not long remain secrctea :stantially correct. Very respectfully. r ! t hi, name In the m.re .ind ) ai that time me writings rtopiei tor uJth h, Amorkan detectives swarm- :h t r.r - .r.ri- -..ht t.tirr than many yers. nut in me eariy nineties .Mr. rnna.i., surratt took passage lor l l. ti tnL- lt urlllnv . - .. ... ' him. The tie p'.are.l upin ; " " ... - . ... . pnKAP(. nnd from mere weiu 10 iuiik.-. tr re of history r.n i.ever be rr- rntlre story of his life. 111 painstak- enlsted In the Papal Zr.uaves. and j rl. r...r v.oUl J they even If Jesus " ne pi.i m ma. -k ana wnu waJ, arwlM whiK in SAMUEL A. MUDD. A Fateful Letter I expect to be in about Wednesday or Thursday, or, if you can possibly come J of Prince George, Charles and St. Ma rys, Md., and finally across the Po tomac, in King George and Caroline counties, in Virginia. . Fouud lu a Barn "They had crossed the Rappahannock at Port Conway and had advanced some distance toward Bowling Green. By the aid of information obtained from negroes, and from a rebel pa roled, they were finally found in a barn on a Mr. Garrett's place early in the morning of the 6th of April, when Her old surrendered. Booth, defiant to the last, was shot by Sergt. Boston Cov bett. of the cavalry force in pursuit of the fugitives, and lived but a few j hours, ending his life in miserable agony. In leaping from the box of the theater he had broken a bone of his leg, impeding his flight and producing on, I will Tuesday meet you in Balti- intense suffering during the 11 days of more, at B . Ever I subscribe my- jhis wanderings. self. j "In addition to the arrests of Payne Tour friend. J and Herold were those of Atzerodt. SAM. jO'Laughlin. Spangler, an employe at A iiprayal ofKentene . When the commission found Arnold 1 Ford's Theater: Dr. Mudd, who har- ; bored Booth the day after the assassi nation, set the broken bone of his leg At Naples he nuc ii-ronrip I in shinning Booth, after the assassination, of which inJ isem too terrlb to be real. The clear' fi.hlng sloop bound for Mes- Arnold later speaks at length in his sina. and reached Alexandria by that manuscript. Yl hlle at the time this that command. 1 1.. . ,.,- .1 A .1 . V. 1. a.,- - . . . - . I .1 .. ... .... .. . . 1 j. 3 1 t n 1 ur to rtnr n a wltnt rr; " ... surmtt broke loose from ins capion , mtr uiiuinMiin ut wv v - lll'i, jT ; . m Ull't HV'i uii-i j t -v. i ....v.1. .. . .,ni tivetil mat to me mini ot ine prpwri -r r, ,. i.K..t ,irw meut. cn and legible chlrography. to - fnitel State, (roTrrr.reni .the;ether with the nature of the subject 'n9. ,Iif. purpose was. after reach- letter was seized upon by the prosecu- r,. i., .i ...... ib. in.ii. m.tlr. with Its pHlrdy carefully . ,n milV(k his ...av to Upper tion as strong evidence against Arnold. . . . . Jl .... .twriihed. jet pointed construction, all ..... .ii k from f" ,-r-.IU. i-i'iir hj... I.gJP. - o- - - fl . T-i Tavn. MiPhasl fl'Lonrlilln P.rl. ll.l'Il. a 14. ...... -..t . ,-h'clve a key to th- character of th !nrh law conuniil'!i convrnl j u nlr. to trri out justice, but cndem- After h.s release fro mthe Dry Tortu i. to arpa the public cry Pr Arnold, sklng seclusion and re ce.e. I have quietly borne my j tlrement. ropp t from t he public eye. --rtrc, the. 41 years. nd prcp.se! and ven In Baltimore but little wh, urtil the end. when, no d mbt. ' Knou n of him In reen, yenrs. I ntil - t r..:.frr-t-t with the rr.,nber ' six ymn. -pn he rc-ld-d hi this city. ' .ourt and its prosecutor, when and to tho.- who did find him he nl- - ar. J Inno- ence of both vlctlravays n fused to opea his IIPs. Th ' :rt will be unraveled, and the knolc!c lha? he had prepared a n -t,M!,he.1 as to who ,re ih- ,tatemci t of hN experiences to b--" .! r-ct o fth- subordination of 'giver, out ft-r h s rte.it h w prcvaVr.t : rjrvts committed In our trliL 51 r ' w " 1 ; th" touch of clvilizat Arnold's arrest was brought about by 'ont at hard labor for life.at such place jwhoge ,etter to Booth, found in the lat- as the President should direct. Presi- t ,a trunk sI d ..Samt showed his Wilkes aent jonnson approvea tne nndings or . roT1T1tlnn with th. consolrarv. an,i the commission in regard to the execu- ! Mrg Surratt( at whose house some of tion oi xieroia, Atzeroat, rayne anu h conspirators were wont to meet. and who was charged with aiding the estcape of Booth. Kebfl Cfflelal. Blamed "But the conspiracy was clearly trace able to a higher source than Booth and these wretched accomplices. Mr. John- even practically abandoned the idea of hereby approved, and it Is ordered that son wno naa Deen .inaugurated as this, and that the letter was intended the sentences of said David E. Herold, President on the morning of Mr. Lin to dissuade Booth from that scheme, j O. A. Atzerodt, Lewis Payne and Mary j coin's death, issued, after the plot had The letter as recorded at the trial, E. Surratt be carried into execution i become more fully unraveled, the fol- Mrs. Surratt, and of imprisonment for the others in the following words: "The foregoing sentences in the cases of David E. Herold. G. A. Atzerodt, it will probably be regarded in the as supporting Arnold's claim that his part alone was in the conspi- ward Spangler, Samuel Arnold, Mary . . . i i ws finu-AVAi TV-n i fin the .lookout and Surratt was again ar- racy to abduct Lincoln, and that he had E. Surratt and Samuel A. Mudd. are j rested soon after his arrival there. He was sent home on the United States steamship Swntara, returned to Wash ington, tried .and was not convtfted. The two years which had elapsed mce his flight had calmed down public in dignation, and he was neither executed iv-r had to suffer the pime punishment as those of his alleged confederates. v ho were ent to the Dry Tortugas. was as follows: Hookstown, Baltimore County, bv the oroDer militarv authority, under i lowing: the direction of the Secretary of War. " 'Whereas !t appears from the evi- 1 . ' J - M T. a m . I JTI 1 X A . T ..hit a March 27, 1S63. on the 7th day of July, 1865, between the oence oi me duicsu uA jam mi j, juclicc Dear John: I hours of 10 o'clock, A. M., and 2 o'clock tnai ine atrocious muroer oi me iaie Was business so important that you !p. M.f of that day. It is further or- (President Lincoln and the attempted ! could not remain in Baltimore till I saw dered that the prisoners. Samuel Ar- assassination or the Hon. w. i-i. he wltho-;t fan knowing where Ar i- - i . ..... ... i.i cmi a nr.,jj T7j c 'ward. Serretarv or Htare. were incfterl. t". i.,. ,t fc1r1 nn t.irt in thn n- J- 1 came in as soon as I COUlU, DUl wju. .nuci ju uu opaiit;- ( ----- Tnat Arno.d had no part in tne a- i- j xt.-vi t v,t , concerted and procured hv and between . . i mi i m i a iii it ; in ifrinp t n rT pn in auvi ui.uac4 w uauc mi ii urr uuiniiir i ' . 1 . . j n f,.. rw.,.,. :l extended to w .hit.-tr. i so-ne time previous, and a!SO lo SPe -iiKe. dui learned from ins '"x i ueiiueimary at - " ' ' tr. r. t!.e pigmy, under the rro- . ,th,r ,,ur!r the country. J K ' "Ve"udo ed i O d Point mother he had gone oat with you. and Albany, New York, during the period and Jacob Thompson, Clement C. Clay, f t:..-l.w. gained the,., mt. and l" ' - r rk whn th ft erei nad not turned. I concluded, there- designated in their respective senten- ! Beverley Tucker, George N. Sanders. ,1 innocent P-rfons t, death, H.r.H. bT ea,u ' T I rommiue.1 has long sPe' fore, he had gone with you. How in- ces." jW. C. . Cleary and other rebels and . ... . .v -in Mothir s.mni a- 'crime was committed, has long siue ....... ' . . . traitors a e-ainst the government of the :.?rrin:r:ent tr.ey rTaiir.e.1 iii-:r i miiv- .... . ,t,.,i ..t.,,.i. iCr-m.t nt lonsiuerj' le juu nave oeen: wnen i The above approval was made on . . , ' .n4 1 shM innocent bl.l with- diH In Anne Arun.V, county. Md.. E,., left you. you stated we would not meat 'july 5. 1S63. and 10 days lat" PresT Unlte StfeS' t ""J " f nad,a: i shatier-b-a before Gt n tr,- N-id the stor:-- w-as erroneously pub- h J'1' 'P in a month or so. Therefore. I made dent Johnson modified the order so that "ow therefore, to th e end that justice itr.y .,Ub made to ansner and jlhcd in some parts of the , ountry that ";e" "jn application for employment, an answer the prisoners be confined at the Dry ?r 7 7";" . , -r ..i IM.,i-a win tw the Arnold of the Lincoln consp racv sajs In tne entire ana true siorj oi i . . . ... - . dent, of the United States, do offer and r -r t.rers and assassl.-s will be the i r;"; Teiegr-.ms HrmeJi". affair as far as his knowledge extends, to which I shall receive during the Tortugas instead of at the Albany peni- ! nramjSa for the arrest of said persons ' r" fnVn" r! .io.', rt.m "Vrv Knowledge of a plan to assassinate week. I told my parents I had ceased tentiary As will be seen by the story r t 1 Vt r, , I a V Irl eunt r y o s k?: g t ha" The I n t President Lincoln he confines to Booth, "ith you. Can I, then, under existing of Arnold, this change had a deep after "nlted Stages sf that they Tl MreV'thr XX.n'X AnmM ,0 Pyn. Atzerodt and Herold. and holds ZTtVT "T " ll Zit ..I T.!h I' ?rr: S", ' V...l r:l;, , n,.n.rs. nnd this proved in- Mrs. Surratt as entirely guiltless of the You know full that the G-t suspicions ACQ AQQIM ATlflM OF wards: One hundred thousand dollars . r. -n- o,, .... . . . , ,n ,.hi,,hn,, crime of which she was charged, and someming isgoragon tnere ;thereforc, oovnooi nn 1 1 vn vi ; rrcrt.l lust tfie reveri as S!- 1 UUtries l' T . : . .. . .. . , ,. th nnrloHnltino lo hr.r., I v , ,, . .. , 1 , r,M thit Samuel Bland Arnold or w men sue sunerea uie ueain p;n- " " utlu"u"b muiv- .,hr rl. Inr nC. t0. lhl Zf 'ii fuJ -Hr n a f. altv. (.plicated. Why not. for the present. - .r.r ,.,.. uui ,....-. - - - - . I aesisr. ior various reasons, which, if -.-z guilt, to jrai-t irtloM of thilii on ut-oi- -o i--.. ......v.. ........ ............... you look into you can read iTv Tt-ith . fnr flwhiicinion I of the eight men who. according to I Probably the most remarkable por- iOU ,tWK in,,' ou can rea(JIl see, with , on He'evcn m ms 'th, story oi r.ArnoU. conspire.1 together tion of the story of Arnold, as told By I ou -y making any mention thereof. ,'V .v . ..... x.J K.o-t President Lincoln, but two hmself. Is the recital of cruelties prac- oPietona Ar.u.el Kootb'i Crlne, Hit Eieapc aa Deatb Buma Carried to Hlsti Con federate Officials r.. tVio a rrntjt of .TfiffprnAn Tin i-ia PRESIDENT LINCOLN 000 for the arrest of Clement C.'cfay. 523,000 for the arrest of Jacob Thbmp son, late of Mississippi. J25.0OO for the arrest of George N. Saunders, $25,000 for the arrest of Beverley Tucker and 510,000 for the arrest of William C. Mvilsh. hii claim was turned down, now llv Arnold and Mr. John H. Mir- tlced Upon himself and other prisoners! You, nor anyone, can censure me for President Lincoln was shot on the Cleary, late clerk of Clement C. Clay. "Under existing ctrcumnce all 'ratt. who now lives in mis 01 government, as wen as to so!- uny present course, you have been its night of the 14th of April, 1S65, wohp ?t 1 " 'The rrovost .tarsnai licn--" of ti-e Mr. Brophy went to the arsenal. Mrs Surratt asked him to undertake at some future time, when the passions of the war were cooled, the Task of clear ing her name of the crime for which' she then stood condemned and of which she earnestly protesetd her Innocence,' This Mr. Brophy promised to do. Aftei leaving her he went to see Lewis Payn Powell, known throughout the conspiy racy as Lewis Payne. Powell, who wa the son of a Florida clergyman, was, alter Booth, the fiercest and most bloodthirsty of all the conspirators. H retained to the last the stoical synW cism which he had shown from tin first. In this mood Mr. Brophy found him a few hours before he was hanged,' To his own impending fate he told Mr. Brophy he was utterly indifferent, He had played his part in the tragedy and was. ready to take the consequen ces of an act which he in no way re gretted. But when he spoke of Mrs. Surratt all trace of affectation disappeared. Thai woman, he protested by all that In held most sacred, was as innocent ol . the plot against Mr. Lincoln as tin child unborn. Powell's manner was sa earnest and so convincing that it maU a profound impression upon Mr, Bro Phy. It was now about 9 o'clock in th morning. Th execution was to taku , place between 11 A. M. and 1 P. M Mr. Brophy, from Powell's cell, hur ried straight to General Hartranft,1 afterward governor of Pennsylvania,' and then the provost marshal general in having full charge of the execution. He earnestly besought General Hart ranft to go to Powell and hear what he had to say. This General Hartranft did, and came bnck impressed quite as Mr. Brophy had been: "I will furnish you an army convey ance and swift horses," he said. "Tak it and drive like mad to the Whit House and give the President this note. 1 will delay the execution until the last moment or until I hear from you defi nitely and positively what the PresN dent's answer is." Pica lor Raprleva The note was nstrong plea, for a re prieve for Mrs. Surratt. With it In hU pocket Mr. Brophy drove on a gallop to the White House. Here, about th' first person he saw was Miss Annie SurV ratt, daughter of the condemned wo man, who for hours had been at th Excutive Mansion trying to get aeces.t to the President to plead for hei" mother's life. Two men barred the way to all wh wished to get at President Jobnson These were Preston King and Gen. Jas., Lane. President Johnson was suspected; f having a vacillating nature and thosa who believed that justice had been don in the conviction of the conspirators did, not want an nppeal to the weak side ot the President's character to succeed, i Mr. Brophy tried to get past th'l guards, but tried in vain. He tried tl get General Hartranft's note sent In toj the President. In that also he failed. After nearl, an hour's delny he was no nearer do- ing his errand of life and dr-ath thar when he first arrived. His own half distracted frame of mind was intensi fied by the frantic entreaties of Mist Surratt, who, sobbed and choked with grief, was clinging to him and begv ging him to do something. But what could he do? In every ave nue that led toward the President then was a glearr.ir.g bayonet and behind the bayonet the stern bronzed fjee of a, soldier. Mr. Brophy was at the vergs of despair when suddenly a fine car riage came dashincr up to the Whit 9 House entrance ,-uid out of it hurried -i richly-dressed and strikingly har.dBorrr woman, the beautiful Mrs. Stephen A. (Continued on 11th-page.)
The Morning Post (Raleigh, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Dec. 7, 1902, edition 1
13
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75