Evening Star Newspaper, July 7, 1865, Page 2

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THE EVENING STAR. —— W. D. WALLACH, Editor and Proprieter. WASHINGTON CITY: FRIDAY... JULY 7, 1865. WF READING MATTER ON EVERY PAGE. BEE OUTSIDE FOR INTERESTING TELE- GRAPHIC AND OTHER MATTER. EXTRA. THE EXECUTION. FOUR OF THE CONSPIRA- TORS HUNG! Petitions for Executive Clemency, Attempt to Stay the Execution. Incidents at the White House. Scenes at the Surratt House. Sketches of the Condemned. Their Preparation for Death. Prostration of Mrs. Surratt. ‘The Agony of the Daughter. Scenes at the Gallows. _ Incidents, ‘The last act of the tragedy of the 19th century is ended, and the curtain dropped forever upon the lives of four of its actors. Payne, Herold, Atzerodt and Mrs. Surratt, have paid the pen- alty of their awful crime. In the bright sunlight of this summer day, ‘when the hills and grassy fields are fairest, and all the elemenis make earth pleasant, the ‘wretched criminals have been hurried into Sternity; and to-night, will be hidden in de- Spised grayes, loaded with the execrations of mankind. Their deeds have been judged patiently and impartially. Seven weeks were devoted to their trial, witnesses have been summoned rom remote sections, every point thatin any mmanner suggested innocence was carefully "weighed, and the sentence of death executed @nly because there was not ome reasonable doubt of overwhelming guilt. The friends of Mrs. Surratt thought her life might be spared out of regard for her sex, but @ just tribunal is no respecter of persons, and declares that the majesty of outraged law must be vindicated without reference to age, sex or Condition. The community will experience a sense of Yehef at the termination of this tragedy. Day after day the subject has been brought before the public until every one was weary of it, and mow the memory of the assassins will be put away as a hateful thing. CONCERNING THE PRISONERS, Interesting Details. Now that the last scene in the drama is over ‘with the prisoners convicted of the capital of- ence, it is proper to give some details concern- ing them and their imprisonment not hereto- fore published. As soon as the Government got trace of the ‘whereabouts of some of the conspirators suf- Meciently definite to make their speedy capture Probable, at the request of the War Depart- Ment one of the three monitors then at the Wavy Yard (the Saugus, Lieut. Day com- manding,) was assigned as the prison ship, @nd hauled out in the stream about one hun- dred yards from the experimental battery on the wharf. A strong guard of marines was placed on the Saugus, under command of Capt. Frank Monroe, and at the same time a number ©f double irons were placed on board, ready Zor such prisoners as should be sent down. The first prisoner received was O’Laughlin, ‘who was placed on board at 10 o’clock p. m. on ‘Tuesday, April 18th. He appeared to feel his situation very sensibly, but had but little to way. He was at once conducted to the cap- tain’s cabin, where he was placed-in double rons and a ball and chain attached to his legs, mand acanyass bag placed over the head with @n aperture over the mouth large enough for Aim to breathe throngh. Lewis Payne was the next one received, he @rriving about 5 o’eloek on the following morn- amg, and he was placed in the anchor room, ‘where he was secured in the same manner as ©’ Laughlin. Payne while on board the monitor made the desperate attempt to br*; out his brains against ut the iron walls, wich led to padded hoods being placed “cr the heads of all the prison- Spey ee ne throughout his imprisonment here — -vited the same cool audacity he displayed during his trial afterwards. At 11.30 p. m. on Thursday, April 20th, G. A. Atzerodt and Hartman Richter arrived and ‘were placed in the coal bunker, where they ‘were secured. Atzerodt did not have much to pay, but while Richter was being secured he Protested his innocence, saying he knew no- thing of the case, and when the irons were about being placed on him he said that that ‘was the first time such things had been placed on him. On Sunday, April 23d, the monitor Montauk, Lieutenant Commander Stone, hauled out in ae stream, and being lashed to the Saugus, Atzerodt was transferred from her to the wind- ass room of the Montauk. On the night of the game Gay Samuel Arnold, detected by the Sam” ictter, was brought down and secured 4g the others in’a small apartment on the mon- aie [ater in the night Spangler ‘was brought z dand con.wed inthebag room. At9.30 pa ‘Tuesday, 25th of April,the Fortnguese, J. M. Celestina, was brought onand after being secured as the others, placed in the hammock At 1:45 a. m., of TI tH Of April, the steamer John 8S. Ide, Captain, Henry Wiison, cams alongside Booth's body, and with David O. Herold. id! was taken to the ‘ward-room store-room,. where he was placed 4m double irons, and otherwise secured as the ny f wis badly frightened When he was placedon board, and for some time he was out.of his » Dr. G. B. Todd, Sur- of the M prescribed for him, and two or three _¢ he became calm. Atze- godt also needed the Doctor's services on being ‘Wiret imprisoned, but he did not need them dong. ~ a Bors f HEROLD. David EHerola is the only son of the laté JR. George Herold, who for over twenty years wwasthe principal clerk of the Navy Store at ‘the Washington Yard, and who died last fall st his residence near the Yard. David was ‘porn at the corner of 1th street east and I) wtreet south, nearly %3 years since. He was “noted for trifing, frivolity, whblly unlike the’ ‘others of the family, who are of a retired dis- position, seeing Mttle company. David was very fond of ‘horses, dogs, aud gnns, and was. great brag, never deing without something to boast of. His was exceedingly ‘font of -eporting, and hunted frequently from Wash- "ington to Ohapel Point, where he crossed to “Wirginia #nd thence back to Alexandria; usual- Jy,taking David with him, and sometimes he “and David would be ont for A month or More in bunting. Dayid wos never known to until a few months previous to his arrest, He Sirst ‘father had six daughters and twosons. He was naturally adverse to hard work, and con- sidered bodily toil for his livelihood degarding. He attended school in the easternsection of the city when ofa tender age, and finished off by three years schooling in Georgetown College, after which he entered upon thedrug business, his first engagement being with Dr. Bates, cor- uer of 7th and L, (Navy Yard,) then with Dr. ¥. S. Walsh, on Sth street west, and subse- quently for a few months with W.S. Thomp- son, near the State Department. After his father’s death he gave up his busi- ness, and spent mostof his time in the country, stopping with various persons between this city and Port Tobacco, and he was often seen drinking when in town. His most intimate acquaintances never heard him mention"poli- tics at this time, his whole conversation being of his exploits with dog and gun. The family are of the Episcopalian persuasion, the mother and his seven sisters being attached to Christ Church, at the Navy Yard, but David seldom ifever attended church. The family are high- ly esteemed in the community, and have the sympathies of the public. The grief of the family on hearing his death warrant was heart-rending. From Herold’s frivolous turn of mind and mnetable character, it is believed that Booth did not rely upon him to do any of the heavy work of the great tragedy, but counted upon him as a valuable auxiliary in his flight, trom his local knowledge of the country through which that flight was to be essayed. ATZERODT. George A. Atzerodt is short, thick-set round- shouldered, ofmuddy complexion, with brown hair, light-colored mustache and goatee, un- pleasant green eyes, aged about 33, anda black- smith by trade. He was born in Germany, but raised, we learn, in Charles county, Md. where he has spent most of his life. His char- acter has stood none of the best heretofore, and for.some years he has been living with a woman, not his wife, near Port Tobacco, by which woman he has a child. For some months previous tothe assassination he had been missing from Port Tobacco, and it is believed he had been engaged in blockade running and other traitorous practices. Atzerodt alleges that during the latter part of February John Surratt and Booth wanted aman who understood boating, and could both get a boat and ferry a party over the Potomac ona capture. Surratt knew him, and under the influence of great promises of a fortune, he (Atzerodt) consented to furnish the boat and do the ferrying over. This plot was attempted on the 18th of March,, and failed Booth, however, kept his subordinates unin- formed of his plans, except that it was under- stood the President was to be captured. Mean- while everybody was waiting for Booth. On the 13th of March he (Atzerodt) went to the Kimmel House, and what took place after- wards according to his statements to the court is as follows :— I am one of the party who agreed to capture the President of the United States, but Iam not one of a party to kill the President of the United States, or any member of the Cabinet, or Generat Grant, or Vice President Johnson. The first plot to capture failed, the second to kill L broke away from the moment I heard of it. This is the way it came about:—On the evening of the 14th of April I met Booth and Payne at the Herndon House, in this city, at § o’clock, He (Booth) said he himself would take charge of Mr. Lincoln and General Grant, Payne should take Mr. Seward, and I should take Mr. Johnson. I told him I would not do it. That I had gone into the thing to capture, but I was not going to kill. He told me I was 2 fool; that I would be :ung anyhow, and that it was death for every man that backed out, andso we parted. I wandered about the streets until about 2 o’clock in the morning, and then went to the Kimmell House, and from there pawned my pistol at ccorrere wis and went to my cousin's house in ontgomery county, where I was arrested the 19th following. After I was arrested I told Provost Marshal Wells and Proyost Marshal McPhail the whole story; also told it to Capt. Monroe, and Col. Wells told me if I ppouiied out the way Booth had gone I would be reprieved, and so I told him I thought he had gone down Charles county in order to cross the Potomac. The arms which were found in my room at the Kirkwood House anda black coat do not belong to me. On the afternoon of the 14th of April Herold called to see me, and left the coat there. It is his coat, and allin it belongs to him, as you can see by the handkerchiefs, marked with his initial and with the name of his sister, Mrs. Naylor. Now I will state howI passed the whole of the 14th of April. In the afternoon about 2 o’clock I went to Keleher’s stable on Sth street, near D, and hireda dark bay mare and rode into the county or pledsure, and on my return put her upa Naylor's stable. The dark bay horse which I had kept at Naylor’s before on or abo at the 3d of April belonged to Booth, and also the saddle and bridle, and I bad charge of him to sell him; and I do not know what became of him. At about 6 in the evening 1 went to Naylor’s again and took out the mare, rode out foran hour and returned her to Naylor's. It was then nearly 8, and I told him to keep the mare ready at 10 o’clock, in order to return her to the man I hired her from. From there I went to the Herndon House; Booth sent a message to the “Oyster Bay,” where I was, saying he wanted to see me, and I went. Booth wanted me to murder Mr. Johnson. J refused. I then went to the “Oyster Bay,” on the avenue, above 12th street, and whiled away the time until 10. At 10 I gotthe mare and having taken a drink with the hostler, galloped about town, and wentto the Kimmell House. From there I rode down to the depot, and returned my horse riding up Penna. avenue to Keleher’s. From Kelener’s I went down tothe Navy Yard to get a room with Wash Briseoe. He had none, and by the time Ae back to the Kimmell House it was near 2. ‘he man Thomas was a stranger I met on the street. Next morning, as stated, I went to my cousin Richter’s in Montgomery county. GEORGE A. ATZERODT. Despite this statement of Atzerodt, there is no doubt whatever that he fully entered into the assassination plot up to the very hour of its ex- ecution, and only lacked nerve at the last mo- ment to execute what he had promised. The testimony, direct and circumstantial, is con- elusive as to this. PAYNE, OTHERWISE POWELL. Lewis Payne Powell is- the son of the Rev. George C. Powell, a Baptist minister, at pres- ent supposed to live at Live Oak Station, on the railroad between Jacksonville and Talla- bassee, in the State of Florida, and was born in Alabama in the year 1845, Besides himself his lyed for some time in Worth and Stewart counties, Georgia, and in 1859 moved to Flori- da. atthe breaking ont of the war, four years ago, the prisoner was a lad of sixteen, engaged in superintending his father’s plantation and a number of slaves. In 1861 his two brothers enlisted in the Confederate service, and Lewis in the same year enlisted in Capt. Stewart's company in the 2d Florida infantry, com- manded by Col. Ward, and was ordered to Richmond. At Richmond his regiment joined the army 6f General Lee, and was joined to A. P. Hill’s corps. With it he passed through the peninsula campaign and the battles of Chan- cellorsyille and Antietam. Here he heard that bis two brothers had been killed at the battle of Murfreesboro. Finally on the 3d of July, 1€63, in the charge upon the Federal center at Gettysburg he was wounded, taken prisoner and detailed as 2 nurse in a Pennsylvania hos- pital. From Gettysburg he was sent to West Build-. ings Hospital, Pratt street, Baltimore, aud re- mained until October, 1963, when he deserted for his regiment, and walked through Win-: chester, met a regiment of Confederate cavalry at Fauquier, which he joined, and remained in that sérvice until January 1, 1665, About that time he deserted and came te Alexandria, sold his horse, gave his name as Payne, took tho oath of alicgiance as a refugee from Fauquier, aud went to Baltimore and took room at. the house of Mrs, Branson, the lady he had met at Gettysburg... Here he fellin with Booth, wh: he had metin Richmond, and became 4 ready, ally to the atrocions conspirator, and much o! the preliminary bigcking out of th® work f the conspiracy seems to have been done by this brace of cool, desperate villains. i * Aecordinigto the statement of Payne, the plan was firetto come to Washington, where the gang of working conspirators were to go ont On horseback to the vicinity of the Soldiers! Home, capture President Lincotn and delfver nim tosthe rebel authorities, According ta the ‘testimony of Lewis J. Weichman,such 9 ‘ inoluding Booth, Payne,and John Surrait, out on horseback, one, afternoon subsequ the 4ti of March; and retarmed’ very:much citéa ‘Aha discomposed, as if bafiled inYdém cberished vudertaking, The supposition és as already described, and one or two pieces of merons spectators from the shore watched the erful glasses. it was thought that the body would be placed in it, but the box was not called for. mainutes past two o’clock the surgeons who that an attempt to:way-lay President Lincoln, at that time, ‘Was really attempted and miscar- ried, but thescheme to of Mr. Lincoln im broad day light, to the Confederate. tines, ‘was too absurdly im; ble to have ‘heen really entertained by Booth, at least, if any of his fellow Ts were crack-brained enough to be deluded by it. There is little doubt that Booth meant miirder whenever h& should come in, contact with President; Lin- coln, and be able to deal the blow with any chance of escape. Payne alleges that on the night ef the fatal 14th of April, he met with Booth at the Hern- don House at 8 o'clock, where the workof each ‘was assigned, and Booth directed him to meet “him at the Anacostia bridge after the deed was done. They parted not-again to meetin this world. MRS. SURRATT. Mrs. Mary E. Surratt was raised near Water- loo, on Calvert’s manor, in Prince George’s county, Maryland. Her maiden name was Jenkins. Her father died when she was quite young. As she grew up she displayed consid- erable force of character, and expressed a de- sire to havea better education than was attain- able in her neighborhood, and she was sent to a female seminary in Alexandria. Returning to her mother’s home, she became an acknowledged belle in Prince George’s county, and quite as noted for her strong will, she seldom failing in anything she under- took. She married Surratt about the year 1835, and the couple first settled at a place known as Condin’s Mill,near Camp Stoneman, (Giesboro) which property Surratt inherited from an un- cle named Neal. After they had lived herea few ,years, the house was seton fire by their slaves, and the Surratts barely escaped from the fire with their lives. Surratt afterwards engaged on the Orange and Alexandria railroad as a contractor, and on finishing his work returned to Prince George's county, and bought a farm, on which he established the tavern known as “Surratt’s,”’ and afterwards was appointed Postmaster at that point, but he being an uneducated man, the duties of the office devolved upon his wife. They had three children, a daughter and two sons. One of the latter (Isaac) went South at the outbreak of the rebellion, entering the south- ern army it is said. The other son (John) staid about home, spending his time in idleness or worse. The father was knownasa pro-slay- ery man, and a sympathizer with the South in the rebellion to some extent, but was not looked uponas an open secessionist. He died very suddenly about three years since, and soon af- terwards his widow leased the property and came to this city, where she opened a boarding house on H street, which house has since be- come notorious as the scene where was con- cocted some of the most stupendous deviltry of the world’s history. «“Surratt’s” (house and farm) is situated on the mail route from Washington to Leonard- town, Md., and is twelve miles from Washing- ton post office, at a junction of the Marlbor- ough and Piscataway roads. The houseis a comfortable two-story double frame building containing nine rooms, andon the front and one side are porticos for the visitors to enjoy the fresh air during the sultry seasons. The farm is well adapted for gardening purposés, and though not very extensive, is profitable for wheat and tobacco. When Mrs. Surratt come to this city to open @ boarding house she rented the tavern stand to John M. Lloyd at a rent.of $500 per annum. REMOVAL @F THE PRISONERS TO THE ARSENAL. On Saturday night, 29th of April, about 104 o'clock, the steamer Keyport came alongside the monitors, and the prisoners were taken off one at a time, and, each guarded by two marines and a detective, they were taken to seats on the Keyport, apart from each other; men of the Veteran Reserve Corps relieving the marines, and between 1! and 12 e’clock they were landed at the Arsenal wharf, and escorted to the cells they haye since occupied. BOOTH'’S BODY. The body of Booth was placed on a carpen- ter’s bench on the bow of the Montauk, where it remained until the afternoon, covered the most of the time witha tarpaulin. During the day many applications were made for admis- sion into the Navy Yard to get in the vicinity of the Montauk, but the orders were very strict, and no one was allowed to enter but the work- men and those holding passes from the proper quarter. Col. Baker, Col. Wells and others were present during the day. Some witnesses were taken on board to identify the body, among them Dr. May, of this city. About noon a post mortem examimation was held by Sur- geon General Barnes, assisted by Surgeon Todd, of the Montauk, and one or two army surgeons, and others. The wound was found the vertebrie at the point touched by the ball were taken out. While this was going on, nu- movements with intense interest through pow- As a coffin or box had been made for the remains at the joiner’s shop, at the yard, A few had held the autopsy witharew from arouna the bench, aud in a few minutes more an ordi- nary grey blanket was produced, in which the body of Booth was placed, and it was lowered into the gig of the Montauk, in which Col. Ba- ker, with two or three others, including a nayal officer, took their seats, and the six oarsmen pulled away towards the Arsenal. Speculation, it will be remembered, was busy as to what disposition was made of the remains, One rumor was the Government had directed the army medical bureau to take charge of the corpse, to add the skeleton to the army medical museum on H street. Another report was that the head and heart only had been assigned to the museum. A third story was to. the effect that it was taken to Alexandria and placed on a tug boat, in which it was sentto the flag-ship ofthe North Atlantic Squadron, in Hampson Roads, which conveyed it out to sea and dropped it deeper than plummetever sounded. The best authentic statement, and which is now the accepted theory amongst those who should know, is that the body was taken tothe Arsenal, where it was placed in an ammuni- tion box and deposited that night in an exca- vation made under the brick paving, about midway of the southeast portion of the room, formerly used as the penitentiary store room, between the Warden's raom and the cell ranges, FURTHER OF THE PRISONERS. Herold, when he was first placed on the Montauk, bad nothing to say, except that he would like to send ant to his mother to get him a paif of shoes. For the most part of the time he was on the monitor he was sullen. Colonel Wells was on the boat one day, and when Herold was brought before him, he tol@ the Colonel to “take a good look, & good square look, so you will know me.” During the time they were on the iron-clads they were kept, as will be seen above, entirely separated, and noone of them knew that any ofthe others had been arrested. During the whole time two marines, with loaded muskets, kept guard over each man at his cell; and at the same time a sentry was placed at the hatch- wey. The prisoners duringtheir confinement here, were brought upon deck, one at a time, where they were photographed by Gardner. Herold .was. brought up for this purpose on the sdme day he arrived, and it was some time | before & satisfactory picture was got. On this ‘occasion he. appeared sullen, and ‘he put on a pouty look as he took his seat in the chair and glanced with dissatisfaction in the directionof the wharf, where s number of spectators were watching every movement on the vessel, many of whom. were his old a¢qnaintances. g THE FINDINGS. - i ‘On Wednesday, morning President Johnson called for the findings of the Commission, and with see J dvocate General Holt carefully reviewed » excluding all visitors, ‘Those who called atthe White House on official busi- ness were limited to an interview with the private. ary, Gen. Muzzy, and aD tention of Président were deferred: snetee exagninatio! and approval of the sentences bad teen com- af | |, ola cells, not haying yet been made aware of | their sentence. passer-by, was attracted tothe spot, while the residents of the neighborhood sat quietly at their doors and windows watching the move- ments of ‘those who approached the house in which the conspiracy was concocted. During the evening notless than 500 persons visited the spot. The house is a large three-story and attic brick, with the street front painted lead color, and has two entrances on H street, one deing on the lower story or ground fieor and the other on the second floor by means of a high porch from the pavement. Several beautiful shade trees in front of the house (which is of modern build, of fine interior arid exterior appearance) completely hides it from the view of passers-by on the opposite side of the street. Since the ar- restof Mrs. Surratt this house has been the centre of interest in the northern part of the city, and hundreds of persons who haye passed it, either intentionally or unintentionally, have stopped and gazed upon it with curiosity, while those parties living im the vicinity have been kept busy in answering the questions of per- sons from a distance eager to obtain all infor- mation possible relative to Mrs. Surratt, her family and the house in which she resided. INCIDENTS AT THE WHITE HOUSE. About half-past $ o’clock this morning, Miss Surratt, accompanied by a female friend, again visited the White House, haying been there last evening for the purpose of obtaining an inter- view with the President President Johnson having given orders that he would receive no one to-day, the doorkeeper stopped Miss Sur- ratt at the foot of the steps leading up to the President's office, and would not permit her to proceed farther. She then asked permission to see General Muzzy, the President’s military secretary, who promptly answered the sum- mons, and came down stairs where Miss Sur- ratt was standing. As soon as the General made his appearance Miss S. threw herself upon her knees before him, and catching him by the coat, with loud sobs and streaming eyes, implored him to assist her in obtaining a hear- ing with the President. Gen. Muzzy, in as tender & manner as possible, informed Miss Surratt that he could not comply with her re- quest, as President Johnson's orders were im- perative, and he would receive no one. Upon Gen. Muzzy returning to his office, Miss S. threw herself upon the stair steps where she remained a considerable length of time sobbing alond in the greatest anguish, protesting her mother’s innocence, and implor- ing every one who came near her to intercede in her mother’s behalf. While thus weeping, she declared her mother was too good and kind to be guilty of the enormous crime of which she was convicted, and as: that if her mother was put fodeath she wished to die also. The scene was heart-rending, and many of those who witnessed it, including & number of hardy soldiers, were moyed to tears. Miss S., having become quieted, gave vent to her feel- ings in silent tears, and was finally persuaded to take a seat in the East Room, where she re- mained for several hours, jumping up from her seateach time the front door of the mansion | was opened, evidently in hopes of seeing some } one enter who could be of ser¥ice to her in ob- taining the desired interview with the Presi- dent, or that they were bearers of good news to her. » Two of Herold’s sisters, dressed] in full mourning, and heavily veiled, made their ap- pearance at the White House shortly after Miss Surratt, for the purpose of interceding with the President in bebalf of their brother. Failing to see the President, they addressed # note to Mrs. Johnson, and expressed a hope that she would not turna deafear to their pleadings. Mrs. Johnson being quite sick it was deemed expedient by the ushers not to deliver the note, when, as a last expedient, the ladies asked permission to forward anote to Mrs. Patterson, the President's daughter, which privilege-was not granted, as Mrs. P. is also quite indispesed to-day. The Misses Herold, although feeting greatly concerned for their doomed brother, showed but little outward signs of grief, which was deep and silent, and it was impossible to tell the anguish going om within their hearts. AN ATTEMPT TO STAY THE EXECU- TIONS? pleted. The President was, however, still suf- fering from indisposition, and was compelled to maintain his seclusion, seeing no visitors on business, ether Wednesday or yesterday. As soon’as thé order for the execution had been issued, Gem, Haneock proceeded to the peni- tentiary and the sentences were read to the prisoners by Gen. Hantranft, commanding the troops guarding the prison and adjacent grounds. . . The first intimation given to the public of the approval of the findings, was received by members of the press at the White House, yes- terday morning, where they were directed to call at the War Department. Up to this time there were but two copies of the findings and order for the execution—one for te Depart. ment, the other in the possession of General Hancock—and the Excited movements of the yarious newspaper correspondents in the city to get access to one of these would have been laughable but for the serious character of the occasion. Scouts were sent in all directions for the General, and his headquarters, ihe various bureaus of the War Department, and Willards’ Hotel closely watched by anxious newsgatherers, while some parties posted themselyes at points on the avenue where his carriage would be most likely to pass, deter- mined to obtain a glance of the documents, regardless of difficulties. At the War Depart- ment every facility was extended to members of the press, and ali who made application for the findings were provided for in ample time for their respective journals. The announcement of the sentences was rather more sudden than was expected, and occasioned some surprise, though every one approved the dispatch with which the subject had been disposed of. THE READING OF THE SENTENCES. The sentences of those to be executed were made kiiown to them about 12 o’clock yester- day, Maj. Gen. Hartranft performing the duty imposed upon him in as delicate and humane 1 Amanner as possible, Maj. Gen. Hancock ac- companied Gen. Hartranft, and they first of all visited the cell of Lewis Powell Payne, which is No. 195, on the north side of the second tier. Payne showed no perturbation, and took the announcement as if he fully expected it. He spoke to Gens. Hancock and Hartranft, stating that he had been much better ty ited than he had expected—better, he thought, than he would if he had been in the custody of the civil authorities. 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 satis- fied that he had done wrong, and expressed his sorrow. He was actuated in the part he took by motives of revenge for the wrongs he thought had been committed upon CUonfed- erates falling into our hands. The cell of George A. Atzerodt, which is No. 161, on the south side of the same tier, was next visited, and on the sentence being announced he showed great nervousness, his face turniug: an ashy hue and his lips and hands quivering. He immediately expressed a desire to see some of hisfriends. Only one visitor beside Marshal McPhail had seen him since he was in prison, and that one his brother. He asked for a min- ister. David E. Herold, whese cell was on the third tier, 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 gotinto it through John Sarratt. He attended a meeting of the party, at which Booth said he was going to assassinate 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 accompany him. He (Herold) begged that all the members of his family be sent for. He also stated that his sympathies had been with the South, head and heart. Mrs. Surratt was next visited, hep cell. being No. 200, on the north side of the third-tier, and on the terrible news being broken to her she burstin a violeut paroxysm of grief. As soon as she recovered, she asked that Rev. Father Walter, of St. Patrick’s, Rey. 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. During the afternoon the four condemned pereons were moved to cells on the ground tier, fronting south, the others—Spangler, Mudd, Arnold, and O’Langhlin,—being left in their At an early hour this morning, Mr. Aiken, one of the counsel fer Mary E. Surratt, applie® to Judge Wylie, of the Supreme Court of this District, for s writ of habeas corpus to stay her execution to-day. It was granted, and directed to Major Gen- eral Hancock t »roduce her in court at 10 a. m. to-day. Shortly after 10 a. m. the Marshal made return that General H. had refused to obey the writ, &c. At noon Gen. Hancock, accompanied by At- torney General Speed, appeared in court, and the case was taken up, the return read, &c. It embraced Gen. Hancock’s reply in writing, stating that the President had suspended the power of the writ in this ease, as he had done in several previous cases, by virtne of the law of Congress authorizing him:se todo; and di- recting him to make no obedienee to the order of the court, for which reason he declined so to do. His reply was accompanied’ by various mili- tary orders in the case, embracing the Presi- dent’s action im the premises. Tne Court, in a few remarks, explained that the military authorities having taken the case out of its hands, it had ne power to proceed further in it. Attorney General Speed addressed the Court briefly in explanation of the action of the goy- ernment iz the premises, showimg that the sus- pension of the writ of habeas corpus was ab- solutely necessary in time of war for the preservasion of the pwhiic: liberties and the life of the Government in.time of peace, and en- forced with power and; effect the right of the military authority te protect the life of the commander-in-chief of the army and nayy by and through its own courts in such times, He declared that the Government had given the case anxious. consideration, and had di- rected that the writ should not be com- plied with only after mature and patriotic de. liberation. He atgg expressed his confidence that Judge Wylie had been guided in the mat- ter only by sincera_conyictiqns of duty. The Court responded to his. remarks, in further explangti@m of the necessity resting ; upon it to take np further action, &c.. We shall publish in 4 later edition to-day all the interesting particularsinyolved. The Court room was crowded during their proceedings with a largely and deeply. interested throng of citizens. THE ROAD TO THE PENITENTIARY. Double guards were stationed early this PETITIONS FOR CLEMENCY. Immediately upon the announcement of the sentences arush was made for the “xecutire Mansion by friends and relatives of the con- spirators to plead for a brief respite. Among the applicants were the counsel of Mrs. Sur- ratt, a sister of Herold, the wife of Dr. Mudd.,. and the spiritual advisers of the condemned_ and a number of parties whose sympathies got the better of their judgment and afforded the ealy apology for their officiousness. All ap— plicants were referred to Judge Advocate General Holt, but he, like the President, was imexorable. At night the throng of applicants increased, and the entreaties were most impor- tunate. Many expressed the belief that in con- sideration of her sex, the sentence of Mrs. -Surratt might be commated to imprisonment for life, and her case was the most strongly urged. Even down to the hour for the execu- tion the hope of clemeney was entertained by some, and not a few were sanguine to the last. PASSES. Gen. Hancock, assisted by Major Anderson, of his staft, gave passes to such parties as were privileged to witness the execution. These were limited to the regular members of the press, the necessary witnesses, and a few offf- cers. The pass was as follows: Headquarters Middle Military Division, Washington, D. C., July 7th, 1865. Mojor General J. F. Hartranft, Military Gover- nor Military Prison :—Admit to the Mili- tary Prison this day. Winr’p S. Hancock, Major General Volunteers, Commanding. On the reverse was written, “Between 10 a.m.and 2 p.m.” Each pass was registered with the rank and station of the officer, and the paper to which | representatives of the press belonged At the Metropolitan Hotel, where Gen. Han- cock stops, 4 great crowd assembled, in hopes of meeting him and procuring passes to the ex- ecution. His letter-bax was filled with letters and cards that projected likea fun, and fora time the entrances to the hotel were completely blockaded. y The applicants for admission were witheut | number until @ late hour last evening, and early this morning Gen. Hancock’s headquar- ters were besieged for passes. The rule of lim- itation, howeyer, wasstrictly adhered to, and none permitted to attend the executieg for the! mere gratification of curiosity. SCENES AT THE SURRATT HOUSE. | The residence of Mrs. Surratt, on H street north, near Sixth, remained closed’ yesterday avenue to the Penitentiary. A strong guard was also stationed at the’ upper gate of the ar- senal grounds, and no person. was admitted here without proper vouchers from General Hancock. A park of carriages, hacks and bug- gies gathered here were turned back by the guards and the unlucky oco nts compelled after the announcement of her fate had become | *© 10t it along the hot road to te-Penitentiary known through the public prints. In the eve-'] Building. ning but asingle dim light shown from one of THE GUARDS, Before: 9 o'clock the 4th Hancock regiment, Col. “Wood, Ist Hancock, Lieut. Col. Bird, a large detachment of the 60th Ohio, arrived near the building, when the ist Hancock were marched in the south yard of the prison, the 4th stationed on the -watts-and partly on the outside and at the doors, the 60th Ohio around the walls outside. A detachment of 20 men of Gen. Sweetzer, wnger command of Capt. | Keags, who has been on duty at the Arsenal | since the trial commenced, aad a squadron of | the 16th New York, under Capt. Winesbecker, | were also present. 7 H THE SCENE OF THE EXECUTION. Prior to the hour for the execution the vicin-} ity of the :seene was: visited; by numbers of! spectatoty | inelndixg many news: men} from abt eager to glean ‘every cular) concerning the prisoners, the prison, the prison yard and all the surroundings. Severnl artists ‘the rooms, while within the house all was as quiet as death up to abotit eight o’cleck, at) which hour, Miss Annie ®. Surratt, who has; heen in constant attendance upon her mother,’ drove up tothe doorin ahack, accompanied by a gentleman. She appeared to be perfeetly; crushed with grief, antasshe alighted fromthe! carriage ladies who were standing near were moved to tears in sympathy with the unforta-| nate girl; whose every look andaction betrayed, ‘her’ ish. ‘ : j Miss Sutratt was assisted in Ascénding the stensof the mansion by her ompanion, and after gaining admittance to the house fainted ‘several times, causing great bustle and excite: mentamopg the inmates, who were untiring in’ their efforts to console the almost heart, , broken: young lady. ii) oie Prom early inthe evening tntil a late hbut aAtinight hundreds of persons—old and young, male and femsle—visited the vicintty of Mrs, , Surratt’s residence, stopping upon theopposite | pictorial papers. ‘Th omy | M Savor une atzent glancing over wits anggus | Passialiiaelg pwtier Paiste SET Age Feiaed Fe eae: a watt now included in the Aj yee! Ma brick, a Little over conspirators. met, commenting upon oe of the pe woman atid’ stances connected therewith. Ey’ ding, grounds. [tis Rusidred thet iong, anc morning along 4% street from Pennsylvania i ‘wide, and three stories in height. was erected du! the latter part of John Quincy Adams’ term, and finished in the com. mencement of Jackson's administration, th first Warden being a Col. Williams, who had previously been penitentiary at Baltimore It was first 0; to prisoners in May, 1831, the first p being one Williams, who was convicted at our Cirenit Court (which was the only court in the District) of the larceny of a barrel of flour. Singularly enough the wardenof the peniten- ti was of the same name, as was also the keeper of the jail, the prosecuting witness, the foreman of the grand and also the foreman of @ petit juries. the Petree Warden. Colone] Williams, of Bal- timore, was followed in turn by Isaac Clarke, John B. Dade, R«-bert Coltman, C. P. Seng- stack, Thomas Fitn sm, Jonas B. Thomas Thornley, C. P. Sengstack, (8 second term,) and H. I. King. Uv to 1850 the number of con- victs sentenced was over 500, but from that time to the time when the prisoners were transferred to Albany the number. was consid- erably increased, es) ally during the first years of the war, when it was made the place of confinement for soldiers under sentence of court-martial, and the entire number sentenced there by the courts may be estimated at about 1,500. The accommodations were for 224 pris- oners, 64 cells being for females; but while the court-martial cases were sent there the total number raised 250 several times, the chapel as well as the hospital having. to be put in requi- sition. Among the most noted criminals who were sentenced and commenced their terms here were Edward Hall, sentenced in 1838, for three years, for counterfeiting; John B. Henderson, the forger, for ten years, in the same year; Harry H. White, sentenced in 1836 for ten years, for burning the Treasury Department; Joseph Allemander, the celebrated silver thief, sen- tenced for ten years in five cases, in 1850, who, on one 4th of July, made a general descent on a number of dwellings, and ran off with the silver plate, and who, with Frank Camper, who wa: convicted in the same year of man- slaught rand sentenced for eight years, made his ese’.pe; Edward Mooney, who robbed the mail b-tween the Georgetown and Washington post offices, sentenced for ten years in 1852, but pardoned in 1856; Hosea Hildreth Smith, con- victed of it Ed land warrants in five cases, and sentenced to eight years, in 1847; Jacob Shuster, alias Tom Hand, convicted of stealinr the diamond snuff box and gold scabbara sword from the Patent Office, and sentenced to three years, in 1849, Jack Shepherd, alias Joseph Fisher, convieted of arson in two cases, and sentenced to twelve years; and Wiiliam Wells, sentenced for life, 1851, for the murder of young Mundell, near the ssleokd Yard. he main entrance to the building has here- tofore been on the west front of the building, which is upon the banks of the river, There are four rooms on a flour in this wing or end ofthe building. Those on the first floor were formerly occupied as the inspector's room, warden’s Office, reception room, &c. Fhe rooms on the two floors above were occupied by the wardens’ families. A large hal passes through this wing of the building, at the ead of which isa heavy iron gate, opening into a room intended originally as the dining room, but which has been mostly used asa store- room. This rcom is about forty feet deep by the width (fifty feet) of the building, and forms the connecting link with the long apartment which forms the shell for the central rangesof cells. A morbid interest, as elsewheic -+cter attaches to this gloomy, sparsely-lighted, iron~ warded storeroom from the fact that popular report places under the brick flooring of its southern half all that remaims mortal of the assassiir 5 From this room two ponderons iron gates open into the cell department immediately east. In passing through we come first upon the celts occupied by male prisomers when the building was used for penitentiary purposes. The comb of these cells, asin most prisons, runs along the center of the long room, with ample space between the lower cells and the walls, and with cortidors to the upper ranges, affording access to the cells and wabks for the guards. Tiese cells face north and south, and are built in’ four tiers, twenty in a range, on each side, the whole namber being 160. ‘dose on the upper tier were built originally for female prisoners, an‘i with proper courtesy to-the sex, were made twice the size of those for the male prisoners. Subsequently 2 separate deyartment was made forthe fmale prisoners, anc’ the just mentioned'cells were halyed by partitions into double theiv number for the use of male prisonexs. The galleries, which forma lete circ mit round the comb of cells, arereached by a flight of steps at the west end of ttre range. From the gatlery around the second tier a flight of stairs lead into a large room over the store- room, and formerly used as-aehapel. From the fact that this cHapel-room: is ious and airy, it‘was inferred that it would be used as the coust-room for the tria® of the conspira- tors. Ii is’ understood; however, that this room is now so fully packed with arsenal ma- terial not convenient to be removed, that it was thought advisable to select some other room. From the third tier’of-these eell. galleries an- other sbost Hight of steps leads intw what was the male hospital, ovar the chapel. From this room the most frequent attempts were made by ‘penitentiary convicts’ to eseape,. they sham~- Ping illness $o get into the hospital‘for that pur- jpose. The cells are 18 inches thick, the front being of stone, 15 inches thick,in which.# door of heavy wrought iron is set. The upper portion ef the cell door is pierced with. a-grating, and there is a small aperture at the bottom of the gell door for drainage. The door are 5 feet ia height, and’ two feet wide, and the cells in- side measure'2 little short of S feet deep, 4 feet wide, and 7 feet high, with vaulted S. Many of the old penitemtiary prisoners deco- rated their celis with such articles as they could obtain—sometimes with pieture setin frames of ingenious design, of bene, leather and other unusual material. “ ‘Phe walls of the roomenclésing these cells are‘strongly built of brick,.1S inches thick. At theend of the south wail of *his voum doors emerge into what was-the prison yard, where were: situated the. work-shops, enclosed by strong brick walls, on the top of which sentry boxes are placed at intevvals, between whic are walks for guards and sentinels, Leaving the male department, x small iron. door opens into the female depertment, in whieh are 64 cells of the same size as those in the male department, arranged eight in a row with galleries arownd them: A door in the east end of the north wall opens: into the yard on the north side, where was formerly situated the wash yard. In- these cells the eonspira- tors have been confined. Bhey are not placed near each other; but-seattered thremgh the dif- ferent tiers. The wall separating the two de- partments was removed during the wardenship- of Mr. H. I. King and made so.as toinclude the cells on the south side in the male department. Formerty there was but one mode of ingress and egress between: the fematle department to the quarters nsed by the papiy arden in the extreme.east end of the building, viz: from the second tier of female cells to.the second story hall of the dwelling of the uty Warden, which is an exact counterpart of the Warden’ dwelling at the | site end, except that the third story is not divided by « hall. Within etone’s throw of the trial roomis 2 spot celebrated as the lecality where a number British soldiers eame to a sudden andter-~ rible end at the time of thecapture of WasRing- ton in 1814. @n, the Pay, after the capture = party of 200 British soldiers, with several officers, were sent down tothe Arsenalgrounds to complete the work of destruction, andzwhile there one ofthe soldiers threw a lighted port- fire into a dry well, im which it seems some of ;ourown people had concealed sixty tvs of ipowder. The well and a magazine about itwelve yards distant, full of shells, blew ap iwith a oye in pe explosion, Sprains the j nei ing beildings and bd num- ipo er the soldiers, A horrible scame wap af- ‘terwards presented of legs, arms and heads protruding from the mounds of earth threwn up by the explosion. TRE GALLOWS. or The gallows was erected under direotion Capt. C. Roth, of General Hartrantt’ by ‘worlnnen from the Arsenal, detailed by @blonet Benton, and by 11 o’clock this.morning it was ready for the execution. It is of a different style than those heretofore used: here. It is erected in the sonth yard of the. building, between the old shoe shop and the.wall, and the platform is reached by fifteen sieps, om the east side. There are mine heayy uprights holding the floor, above, which, rises on the west side the uprights, an) the beam from which hang the ur ropes, being of strong hemp, the slip consisting of nine twists and knot. The dimensions sare.26 feet lonz, 10 feet high to floor, 29 feet to, beam, 15 feet wide to platform. The drops, of which there are two, are each 4 feet by & are directly beneath the beam, and.are ” in their place by an. ‘upright, which is from under by two pieces of scantling being swung against it. The drop is six feet. ; - A few feet south of the scaffold, and near tbs east wall, the four gvaves, each 7 foet by 3 wide and 4 deep, were dug, it being the intention ‘that' they, the eondemned, should be baried there, ig. case their friends would not clajm the | BOW THEY SPENT THE NIGHT. ** Payne, during the night, slept weib for about three hours, the other portion of the night be- ‘ing spent in converse with Rev. Dr. G of the First/Baptist Church, who, offered sot vices Rs son as he was informed of the sen- tence, aki without showing any partiou- Jar emotion, paid close attention,to the adrice

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