Mary Surratt: Guilty or Not Guilty.......
Mary's eldest son John Surratt, was a Conferderate Spy, and through him is how she got connected with John Wilkes Booth. Mary's boardinghouse was a typical meeting spot for Booth and the other conspirators. Surratt supplied the men with weapons, and a place for drinks and conversation. It was noted several times that Booth and Surratt had private conversations together. On the day of the assassination Booth was spotted at Mary's boardinghouse speaking privately to Mary, just an hour before the assassination. After the meeting it was noted that Mary seemed "very nervous, agitated and restless." On April 17, after the investigation military investigators arrived at Surratt's house asking her questions about her role in the assassination. While they were there, Lewis Powell (remember him), showed up carrying a pick-axe, knocked on the door, and when he realized the investigators were there, he told them that he was just going to dig a gutter for Mary, and he was hired to do so. However, it was 11 o clock at night, and Powell was dirty and bloody, and seemed off. The investigators arrested Mary and Powell immediately.
The Trial....
Investigators found a picture of John Wilkes Booth hidden behind a picture in Mary's house, after her arrest. It was said that John Surratt, David Herold, and George Atzerodt came to Mary's house and dropped off ammunition, rope, and a wrench just 3 days before the assassination. Mary had been seen with the assassins we talked about earlier many times, and supplied them with weapons, and provided a storage place for these weapons. A man named John Lloyd testified to the commission and said that he seen all of this happen. Booth and Herold also visited Surratt's house after the assassination. This was the testimony that Lloyd spoke to the commission about that night.
On the 14th of April I went to Marlboro to attend a trial there; and in the evening, when I got home, which I should judge was about 5 o'clock, I found Mrs. Surratt there. She met me out by the wood-pile as I drove in with some fish and oysters in my buggy. She told me to have those shooting-irons ready that night, there would be some parties who would call for them. She gave me something wrapped in a piece of paper, which I took up stairs, and found to be a field-glass. She told me to get two bottles of whisky ready, and that these things were to be called for that night.
Just about midnight on Friday, Herold came into the house and said, "Lloyd, for God's sake, make haste and get those things." I did not make any reply, but went straight and got the carbines, supposing they were the parties Mrs. Surratt had referred to, though she didn't mention any names. From the way he spoke he must have been apprised that I already knew what I was to give him. Mrs. Surratt told me to give the carbines, whisky, and field-glass. I did not give them the rope and monkey-wrench. Booth didn't come in. I did not know him; he was a stranger to me. He remained on his horse. Herold, I think, drank some out of the glass before he went out.
I do not think they remained over five minutes. They only took one of the carbines. Booth said he could not take his, because his leg was broken. Just as they were about leaving, the man who was with Herold said, "I will tell you some news, if you want to hear it," or something to that effect. I said, "I am not particular; use your own pleasure about telling it." "Well, said he, "I am pretty certain that we have assassinated the President and Secretary Seward."
However it was also said that Lloyd was a drunk, who constantly was making up stories. It was also noted that Lloyd was addicted to alcohol. Mary's lawyer said that she didn't do anything wrong, because she was a woman and because she didn't kill anyone or harm anyone. Her lawyer also noted that the only reason Mary was involved with these men, was because of her son (who was in Canada fleeing for his life) and she was only trying to protect him through all of this. Surratt had many supporters throughout the trial that stood together and said that she was innocent. There was a petition that was put together and was supposed to be given to the now president Andrew Johnson, that was to show that she was innocent. The petition never got to the new president. Her son also could have spared her life if he would have shown up, he could have showed that she had no active participation in the assassination, however he was not there to testify.
Mary was sentenced to death, and found guilty. Many thought that she should have just been sentenced to life in prison. During their execution Herold screamed out that Mary was innocent.
On the 14th of April I went to Marlboro to attend a trial there; and in the evening, when I got home, which I should judge was about 5 o'clock, I found Mrs. Surratt there. She met me out by the wood-pile as I drove in with some fish and oysters in my buggy. She told me to have those shooting-irons ready that night, there would be some parties who would call for them. She gave me something wrapped in a piece of paper, which I took up stairs, and found to be a field-glass. She told me to get two bottles of whisky ready, and that these things were to be called for that night.
Just about midnight on Friday, Herold came into the house and said, "Lloyd, for God's sake, make haste and get those things." I did not make any reply, but went straight and got the carbines, supposing they were the parties Mrs. Surratt had referred to, though she didn't mention any names. From the way he spoke he must have been apprised that I already knew what I was to give him. Mrs. Surratt told me to give the carbines, whisky, and field-glass. I did not give them the rope and monkey-wrench. Booth didn't come in. I did not know him; he was a stranger to me. He remained on his horse. Herold, I think, drank some out of the glass before he went out.
I do not think they remained over five minutes. They only took one of the carbines. Booth said he could not take his, because his leg was broken. Just as they were about leaving, the man who was with Herold said, "I will tell you some news, if you want to hear it," or something to that effect. I said, "I am not particular; use your own pleasure about telling it." "Well, said he, "I am pretty certain that we have assassinated the President and Secretary Seward."
However it was also said that Lloyd was a drunk, who constantly was making up stories. It was also noted that Lloyd was addicted to alcohol. Mary's lawyer said that she didn't do anything wrong, because she was a woman and because she didn't kill anyone or harm anyone. Her lawyer also noted that the only reason Mary was involved with these men, was because of her son (who was in Canada fleeing for his life) and she was only trying to protect him through all of this. Surratt had many supporters throughout the trial that stood together and said that she was innocent. There was a petition that was put together and was supposed to be given to the now president Andrew Johnson, that was to show that she was innocent. The petition never got to the new president. Her son also could have spared her life if he would have shown up, he could have showed that she had no active participation in the assassination, however he was not there to testify.
Mary was sentenced to death, and found guilty. Many thought that she should have just been sentenced to life in prison. During their execution Herold screamed out that Mary was innocent.