The Conspirators Trial and Media Frenzy

Transcription

1 HST 496 The Conspirators Trial and Media Frenzy Mary Surratt in the Press Sydney Grewe 4/28/2017

2 Introduction The assassination of Abraham Lincoln nearly broke the spirit of the Union, with victory and happiness being ripped from their very jaws. In the ensuing weeks the nation mourned, but sought vengeance against the people who had cut down their beloved Commander-in-Chief in his time of glory. This vengeance reached far and wide, ensnaring various men and a sole woman as the assassin s accomplices. The following trial was filled with drama, conspiracies, and ultimately death. The newspaper lapped up the drama, transcribing nearly the entire trial for their mourning readers. It was in this newspaper coverage that the accomplices, especially Mary Surratt, that showcased the desire for revenge that the nation had, followed quickly by the cooling period that has led to the removal of Mary Surratt from the history of the assassination. The emotional roller coaster that followed the ending of the Civil War and President Lincoln s assassination had a large effect on the media. The frenzy began after the assassination, with engravings of the beloved president s last few moments, artistic depictions of John Wilkes Booth, and even wanted posters. As the conspirators were arrested and the nation moved towards the trial newspapers published reports from inside the courtroom, photographs of the accused, engravings, and even the affidavits of several witnesses. Throughout these different types of media a consistent image of Mary Surratt was presented, an image of deceit, disloyalty, and pure evil. The media even went so far as to depict Mrs. Surratt and her home as the nest that allowed the conspiracy to hatch. Background John Wilkes Booth, the mastermind behind Lincoln s assassination had one goal; to revive the Confederacy. This would be easy to accomplish, he thought, if the Confederacy was

3 able to regain all of the men that the Union held in their prisons. This would require the Union desperately wanting something in return. What else could they want more than their President back? Booth began to hatch a kidnapping plot, where he would abduct the President from either Ford Theater or overtake his carriage during one of his various travels to a military hospital outside of Washington D.C. 1 He and his accomplices were thought to have plotted at the home of Mary E. Surratt, the mother of Booth s right hand man John Surratt. Mary took great pride in her son s friendship with Booth and was more than willing to allow him to entertain, and even let some of the accomplices stay in her boardinghouse. 2 However, she soon changed her tune when she discovered that one, George Azteroldt was hiding alcohol in his room. 3 As the kidnapping plot thickened it appears that Mary was soon pulled in. She had many private discussions with Booth. These discussions have been sadly lost to history. Even with all of the careful planning though, the kidnapping plot failed, and Booth turned radical. If the President could not be abducted, then he would kill him. 4 This decision sadly sealed the fate of many of his accomplices; including Mary Surratt. Mary Surratt did not make thing easy for herself though. Before the assassination she traveled to her former home in Surrattsville, where she spoke to her tenet John Lloyd. It was during this conversation that she allegedly gave him a package containing field glasses and told him to ready the firearms that John Surratt had hidden there earlier. 5 She then drove back to her home in Washington D.C. and was seen as acting nervous for the rest of the night. After the 1 Jones, Rebecca C. The Mystery of Mary Surratt: the Plot to kill President Lincoln. Centreville, MD: Tidewater Publishers, Jones, Jones, Jones, Jones, 34.

4 assassination of Lincoln and attempted assassination of the Secretary of State the police believed that John Surratt was guilty of attacking the Secretary. 6 The police raided the Surratts boardinghouse numerous times, and the last time Mary made a fatal mistake. A man appeared at her door claiming to have been hired by her to dig a gutter. She told the officers that she had never seen that man before in her life and that she had not hired him to dig a gutter for him. The officers arrested him as well as everyone in the house and soon discovered that this man was Lewis Powell, the man who had assaulted the Secretary of State, and a former boarder of Mrs. Surratt s. 7 Why was a man who had committed the second most heinous crime that night appeared on the steps of Mrs. Surratt s home? And why had Mrs. Surratt claimed to not recognize a former boarder? Mrs. Surratt, her daughter and her boarders were hauled off to jail, although they were soon all released besides Mrs. Surratt. Instead she was moved to Old Capital Prison with the rest of the conspirators. She was brought to trial by a military commission and her guilt seemed assured. Even though the main witnesses against her had been imprisoned and threatened with prosecution if they did not testify against her, she was ultimately found guilty of conspiring to assassinate the President. She was sentenced to death, but many people, even the commander of Old Capital Prison, believed that her death sentence would be overturned and she would be sentenced to life in prison instead. 8 However, President Johnson did not make that decision as he saw her as keeping the nest that hatched the egg. On July 7 th 1865 Mary Surratt was executed alongside Lewis Powell, David Harold, and George Azteroldt. She was the first woman executed by the United States government, and her death has had a far reaching impact today. 6 Jones, pg Jones, pg Jones, pg. 77.

5 Historiography Ever since Mary Surratt s trial and execution historians have debated her role in the conspiracy. Many fail to take a side; instead they state that Mrs. Surratt may have known some of the plans, but she was not included in all of the plans. One such example can be found in Kate Larson s book The Assassin s Accomplice: Mary Surratt and the Plot to Kill Abraham Lincoln. Throughout Larson s book she showcases that although Mrs. Surratt may not have been as guilty as the commission found her, she was not entirely innocent of the charges that were laid against her. Although Larsen does admit that she finds Surratt s verdict to be justified, she does not argue that point, instead leaving it up to the reader to draw their own conclusions. 9 However, some do take a side. In Mary Surratt: an American Tragedy Elizabeth Trindal argues that Mary Surratt was railroaded by a military commission, that her lawyers, two junior attorneys, poorly represented her, and the entire nation s desire to find a scapegoat sent her to the gallows. 10 However, Trindal lacks the resources to make a compelling argument, as she uses a variety of secondhand and perjury testimony. Along with Trindal, Guy Moore, author of The Case of Mrs. Surratt: Her Controversial Trial and Execution for Conspiracy in the Lincoln Assassination supports the belief that Mrs. Surratt s conviction was a miscarriage of justice and that the constitutional violations and testimony of the witnesses against her were too big to overcome Larson, Kate Clifford. Assassin's accomplice: Mary Surratt and the plot to kill Abraham Lincoln. New York: BasicBooks, Trindal, Elizabeth Steger. Mary Surratt: an American tragedy. Gretna, LA: Pelican Pub. Co., Moore, Guy W. The Case of Mrs. Surratt: her controversial trial and execution for conspiracy in the Lincoln assassination, by Guy W. Moore. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1954.

6 Throughout this paper the author will analyze various papers, focusing mostly on the New York Times and The Liberator, as well as various local newspapers. These papers all showcase the intense media coverage that surrounded the conspirators trial, especially Mary Surratt. Throughout the trial the media coverage was intense, with the media reporting facts before they were even confirmed and painting everyone involved in the plot to assassinate Lincoln in an extremely negative light. The emotionally charged period of mourning following the Lincoln assassination fed directly into the negative media coverage, although as time passed, especially after the assassination, the blind hatred that had been shown began to fade, and the media began to portray the conspirators, especially Mary Surratt in a different light. This was due to the new evidence that came out, and the public s realization that a military commission was the wrong avenue for this trial. Media Coverage following the Assassination After the assassination the media kicked it into overdrive. They immediately saw that the assassination was an attempt to paralyze the country at once by striking down (the) head, heart, and arm of the country and began to publish articles and engravings showcasing the assassination of the President and the end of his life. 12 Multiple images appeared, all showcasing the grief that entire nation was feeling. These images included scenes of Booth shooting the President, the fight between an unknown assassin and the Secretary of State, and the death of Lincoln. 13 The engravings along with the front page news on newspapers around the country 12 "THE ASSASSINATION." New York Times ( ), Apr 16, Matsell, George W. "The Assassin's Carnival." National Police Gazette (New York), April 22, 1865 found in: Swanson, James L., and Daniel R. Weinberg. Lincoln's Assassins: Their Trial and Executions. New York, NY: Arena Editions, 2001.

7 inflamed the passion of the public even more. Articles appeared that outlined in detail how the president met his untimely end, with many incorrect facts, spelling and typographical errors that showcased the haste that the media was trying to get the information to the public. 14 However, the media soon corrected themselves, with publishing the correct facts. These facts came out shortly after the assassination, with the authors clarifying that the pistol was not shot through the door, but inside the President s box. The article goes on to clarify, in somewhat gruesome terms the setting of the murder, showcasing the frenzy that the media had fallen into. 15 Newspapers even went so far as to publish a proclamation from President Andrew Johnson that offered a reward for Jefferson Davis and many of his advisers. 16 These proclamations claimed that Davis was the head of the conspiracy and that the Union government wanted to bring him to justice. 17 It is interesting to note that before the trial began the United States government was convinced that Jefferson Davis, and the Confederate government had organized the entire conspiracy and that Booth was only a pawn. Yet, when Davis was finally captured he was not made to stand trial with the other conspirators. Instead he was held in a prison and never brought to trial for the assassination of President Lincoln. Instead, as the trial continued the opinion of who was involved shifted away from the Confederate government and became only the people who were standing trial and John Surratt. The New York Times continued to showcase the outpouring of grief, even going so far as to share the feelings of members of the 14 "Terrible News: Assassination of Pres. Lincoln." Mirror Extra, April 15, 1865 found in: Lincoln's Assassins: Their Trial and Executions. 15 "THE ASSASSINATION OF MR. LINCOLN." New York Times ( ), Apr 18, THE PRESIDENT OF THE,UNITED STATES. "THE ASSASSINATION OF PRESDENT LINCOLN." Liberator ( ) 35, no. 19 (May 12, 1865): THE ASSASSINS. (1865, May 04). New York Times ( )

8 Confederacy, who came together and condemned the assassination of President Lincoln and attack on the Secretary of State, calling the President s death a national calamity. 18 The news of the President s death had a resounding effect on the world, with the media even reporting the outpouring of grief from Cuba. The arrival of the steamer Liberty, whose colors were at half staff, was thought to be bringing the news of the death of the Secretary of State Seward instead of the death of President Lincoln. The paper goes on to speculate that many of the listeners were of Southern heart and secretly rejoiced, with some being so bold as to rejoice openly. 19 As time went on and the conspirators were rounded up the media turned their attention away from the death of the President and towards the trial that was surely coming. Newspapers showcased the death of Booth, and how Secretary of War Stanton took over the government through engravings designed to build up the public s anger at the assassination of their president The lead up to the trial whipped the media into even more of a frenzy, with papers publishing photos of the accused, and engravings of what they believed to be the truth, such as an engraving of all of the conspirators being moved to the Old Arsenal together. 22 The Trial The trial of the conspirators was the trial of the century. Every newspaper reported on it, and the media painted each and every conspirator in a negative light. The media also created entirely false stories, such as stating that Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy had 18 "DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH." New York Times ( ), Apr 27, "FROM HAVANA." New York Times ( ), Apr 27, Kimmel and Foster print in Lincoln's Assassins: Their Trial and Executions Harper s weekly printed in Lincoln's Assassins: Their Trial and Executions Carving printed in Lincoln's Assassins: Their Trial and Executions. 78

9 celebrated when he heard the news of Lincoln s death. 23 The newspaper spoke of the testimony given during the trial, testimony had nothing to do with the conspiracy and was used only to inflame the passions of the public and show how horrible the Confederacy really was. For example, on May 16 th, nearly seventy to eighty people testified and much of the testimony given did not have to do with the conspirators role, instead they discussed the assassination itself, with Major Rathbone giving testimony as to what he saw in the President s booth that night. 24 Furthermore, newspapers did not call out the commission for their bad behavior; instead they humiliated the defense for trying to serve their clients the best that they could. 25 Furthermore, the commission allowed for side testimony, such as discussion of Confederate prisons, the story of Major Turner torturing Union prisoners, and Major Turner being in charge of a bomb that could blow up a Confederate prison. 26 The New York Times stated that the commission was seen as angels as the defense were allowed to speak to their lawyers as often as they wish, and that the commission allowed for pointless questions and irregular questions. 27 This is evident through various articles, as whenever a member of the commission objected to something and then withdrew his objection his fellow members of the commission would raise the same issue, making it extremely difficult for the defense to move forward with their case. 23 "THE CONSPIRACY TRIALS." 1865.The Independent...Devoted to the Consideration of Politics, Social and Economic Tendencies, History, Literature, and the Arts ( ), Jun 08, "TRIAL OF THE ASSASSINS." New York Times ( ), May 16, "THE CONSPIRACY TRIAL." 1865.Zion's Herald and Wesleyan Journal ( ), Jun 07, 1865, TRIAL OF THE ASSASSINS. (1865, May 26). New York Times ( ) 27 "TRIAL OF THE ASSASSINS." New York Times ( ), May 16, 1865.

10 Members of the media were not in total agreement as to whether a military commission was constitutional or not. According to the New York Times their competitors, such as the Tribune, and World felt that since the conspirators were not in military service the government had no right to have the trial be through a military commission. The Times argues that the military trial is constitutional as the country was still under war status, as the war had shrunk but still existed. The article goes on to argue that military tribunals do not exist merely to punish crimes committed by military men, but to punish crimes which assail the military force and menace its integrity and existence. 28 However, the Times was not pleased with the government s initial decision to keep the proceedings secret and went so far to even call out the government in an article. 29 The government eventually changed their mind and allowed the trial to be open to the public, showcasing once again the power of the media in this emotional time. When the government decided to hold the trial in an open court the Times praised their decision, stating that they understood some of the trial testimony might have to be withheld for the good of the country, but that they were making the right decision. 30 The media also created a very negative image of the conspirators. Throughout the trial newspapers would publish engravings to showcase their distaste for the accused. These engravings would show all of the conspirators being hanged, or as gallow birds. 31 These 28 "The Assassins and the Jurisdiction of Military Tribunals." New York Times ( ), May 16, "The Trial of the Assassins." New York Times ( ), May 12, "Trial of the Assassins." New York Times ( ), May 15, Lincoln's Assassins: Their Trial and Executions. Pg. 97

11 engravings only added to the negative feelings that the public had about the conspirators and showcased that the public and the media was not ready to handle this matter calmly. Furthermore, the media presented the trial as a sensational story, with the papers going so far as to print daily updates. In fact, the New York Times would go so far as to publish articles that outlined exactly what the attorneys stated in court, including the argument of Powell s attorney. Mr. Doster, Powell s attorney, states that there is no denying that Powell was the man who attempted to assassinate the Secretary of State, and that he does not fit the definition of criminally insane. Instead he puts forth the argument that it was Powell s upbringing that made him the way he is. Throughout the article the paper dismisses this argument and continues to focus on the negative aspects of the conspirators, going so far as to dismiss Mr. Doster s argument. 32 Media Coverage following Mary Surratt s execution The day of Mary Surratt s execution came on July 7 th After a nearly two month trial she and three other conspirators were destined to meet the end of their lives. The newspapers eagerly lapped it up, with newspapers publishing the sentence of the conspirators before their attorneys had even been notified. Furthermore, the papers published the sentence of the other conspirators, outlining the sentences that the commission had decided upon. 33 After the execution the photos were printed in nearly every paper, and the media stated that justice had been carried out. The anger with the conspirators was still evident, as can be seen in an article 32 TRIAL OF THE ASSASSINS. (1865, Jun 22). New York Times ( ) 33 THE CONSPIRATORS. (1865, Jul 07). New York Times ( )

12 published by the New York Times. This article described Mary Surratt in extremely negative terms, stating that Firmness and decision were part and parcel of her nature. A cold eye, that would quail at no scene of torture; a close, shut mouth, whence no word of sympathy with suffering would pass; a firm chin, indicative of fixedness of resolve; a square solid figure, whose proportions were never disfigured by remorse or marred by loss of sleep 34 The article continues to describe her and the rest of the condemned conspirators in derogatory terms, although they were less vicious than they had been at the beginning of the trial. The news of the trial and the execution reached near and far, with even the London Times keeping the public informed of what was happening. This article, printed months later by the New York Times showcases the pure joy that the media and public felt with the execution of the conspirators. In fact the article opens with Justice has before this been executed on the chief accomplices of Booth. 35 Many of the articles published painted every step that the condemned, especially focusing on Mary Surratt and her near fainting as she approached the gallows. 36 This focus was due to her gender, as the United States had never executed a woman before. Furthermore, President Johnson has suspended the writ of habeas corpus for Mary Surratt, directly overturning a judge s order, and adding more drama to the case. 34 "Execution of the Assassins; Execution of Mrs. Surratt, Payne, Herold, and Atzeroth." New York Times, July 8, AMERICAN TOPICS. (1865, Aug 01). New York Times ( ) 36 THE ASSASSINS EXECUTED. (1865, Jul 13). New York Observer and Chronicle ( ), 43, 222.

13 However, the media and the public were soon realizing that the trial had been full of mistakes. Only eight days after the execution of four of the conspirators an article was published which outlined the testimony that was suppressed during the trial. 37 The testimony that was suppressed was later found to be perjury and would have had nearly no affect on the outcome of the trial it does showcase that the public was beginning to understand the miscarriage of justice that had occurred. Not only was suppressed testimony beginning to appear, confessions were as well. In fact, a week after the executions the Liberator published George Azteroldt s full confession, which barely makes mention of Mary Surratt, showing just how small her role in the conspiracy had been and how quickly the government and media had blown it out of proportion. 38 After the execution of the conspirators though the public was still enamored with the assassination. In August of 1865 newspapers still published articles about the assassination plot and new details continued to come to life. Everyone wanted a say in what had really happened, and many people were being given that chance, including a African American woman who was in the home of Secretary of State Seward when he was attacked. Her view of that night was found to be interesting and published, along with an update on Mrs. Lincoln. 39 AS time continued to pass the media kept bringing the assassination back into the spotlight. In 1869 Edward Spangler, a conspirator who had been sentenced to six years in prison released a statement where he claimed his own innocence as well as Mrs. Surratt s. He claims to have never 37 "THE SUPPRESSED TESTIMONY IN THE CONSPIRACY TRIAL." Liberator ( ) 35, no. 24 (Jun 16, 1865): "CONFESSION ON THE ASSASSIN ATZEROTT." Liberator ( ) 35, no. 28 (Jul 14, 1865): "THE ASSASSINATION PLOT." Liberator ( ) 35, no. 32 (Aug 11, 1865): 1.

14 heard of her, but stated that the three men who were executed swore that she was innocent. 40 This is a very different tune than what the newspapers had been saying about Mrs. Surratt years earlier. As more time passed between the assassination and the execution of the conspirators it became clear that the media was regaining their composure, and began to share both sides of the story instead of just one. As the death of Mary Surratt and the other conspirators began to sink in the media and the public soon began to ask more questions. These questions would not be fully answered right away, as the public and the media still needed time to cool down. Everyone had been swept away in the emotion of Lincoln s death and no one fully realized just how much those emotions had affected the trial. That time would come soon though, as John Surratt was brought to trial and found not guilty due to a hung jury and soon spoke out against his mother s treatment years later The trial of Mary Surratt and the other conspirators were not without controversy. Years passed and the media was still debating the validity of Mrs. Surratt s verdict and execution. The North American Review published two articles, one in September 1880, and one April 1889, both outline the miscarriage of justice that occurred in Mrs. Surratt s case. The Trial of Mrs. Surratt, by her former lawyer John W. Clampitt discusses the trial and lack of regard that the commission showed towards Mrs. Surratt and the other conspirators. Throughout this article it is made clear that the commission had already decided on the fate of the conspirators, and discuses the appeal that five of the nine judges signed to have the president commune Mrs. Surratt s 40 "The Assassination Conspiracy--Statement by Spangler." New York Times ( ), Jun 25, 1869.

15 sentence to life in prison. 41 Nine years later, Mary Surratt s name once again appeared in print, with John T. Ford publishing called Behind the Curtain of the Conspiracy. In this article Ford outlines his time in prison after the assassination of Lincoln and how he came to believe that Mrs. Surratt was innocent. He was held with both Lloyd and Weichman, and both told him very different stories than what they testified too. These stories ranged from Weichman saying he was threatened with torture if he did not play along with the prosecution, to Lloyd admitting that he was drunk during his encounter with Mrs. Surratt. 42 These two articles paint a very different picture of Mrs. Surratt than what was being published about her during the trial and shortly after her execution. The softening of her image, the mistakes that the government had made, and the repressed evidence that was appearing all showcased the cooling of emotions that the nation was undergone in the years following the assassination. In fact, the nation had cooled enough that David DeWitt was able to publish a book in 1895, entitled The Judicial Murder of Mary Surratt and was able to paint a very negative picture of the military commission and the trial as a whole. DeWitt, a lawyer who was not involved with the case, argues that when the commission was assembled they had only one goal, to convict the accused. This goal was followed to the letter, as they immediately discredited all of the defense witnesses as they were tinted with the stain of the confederacy. 43 This made defending the accused extremely difficult as they were all well known Confederate sympathizers. This was 41 Clampitt, John W. "The Trial of Mrs. Surratt." The North America Review 131, no. 286 (September 1880): Accessed February 25, Ford, John T. "Behind the Curtain of a Conspiracy." The North American Review 148, no. 389 (April 1889): Accessed February 25, DeWitt, David Miller. Judicial Murder of Mary E. Surratt (Classic Reprint). S.l.: Forgotten Books, 2015.

16 only one of the difficulties that was outlined in the book, with many more showing how impossible it was for the conspirators to receive a fair trial. In 1916 the assassination of Lincoln and the trial of Booth s conspirators still appeared in the media. The New York Times published an article where the court reporter spoke out about his opinion of the trial. This man, who sat through the entire trial, stated that he believed Mary Surratt was innocent of all charges against her, and was not guilty in the complicity of the President s murder. This was based upon his relationship with Louis Weichman and the confession that Thomas Powell made before his execution. 44 This revelation only confirmed the fact that emotions surrounding the President s death had cooled considerably since the execution of the conspirators. Conclusion The trial of Mary Surratt and the other conspirators was one rocked with issues, ranging from the legality of the military commission, to the lack of hard evidence. Newspapers gobbled it up; portraying the conspirators as people who deserved to die and that there was no fate that could avenge the death of their beloved president. As the trial continued though, the frenzy and emotions that had consumed the nation slowly cooled down, with the public eventually believing that most of the evidence against Mary Surratt was circumstantial. This cooling continued for years, until Mrs. Surratt and the rest of the conspirators were nearly forgotten by history. This was done through the cooling of emotion, Booth being presented as the lone gunman, and the healing that was needed by the nation. The shame also led to the hiding of Mrs. Surratt as many felt that she may have been executed unfairly. In response to this belief in 1866 the Supreme 44 "Lincoln Trial Court Reporter Tells His Story." The New York Times, April 9, 1916.

17 Court declared that civilians could not be tried by a military court. The effects of this trial, and of Mary Surratt s death has stayed with this nation much longer than most people know, being one of the first trials that engulfed the public s attention, and leading to the changing of laws.

18 Bibliography "CONFESSION ON THE ASSASSIN ATZEROTT." Liberator ( ) 35, no. 28 (Jul 14, 1865): 111. "DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH." New York Times ( ), Apr 27, "Execution of the Assassins; Execution of Mrs. Surratt, Payne, Herold, and Atzeroth." New York Times, July 8, "FROM HAVANA." New York Times ( ), Apr 27, "Lincoln Trial Court Reporter Tells His Story." The New York Times, April 9, "Terrible News: Assassination of Pres. Lincoln." Mirror Extra, April 15, 1865 found in: Lincoln's Assassins: Their Trial and Executions. "The Assassination Conspiracy--Statement by Spangler." New York Times ( ), Jun 25, "THE ASSASSINATION OF MR. LINCOLN." New York Times ( ), Apr 18, "THE ASSASSINATION PLOT." Liberator ( ) 35, no. 32 (Aug 11, 1865): 1. "THE ASSASSINATION." New York Times ( ), Apr 16, "The Assassins and the Jurisdiction of Military Tribunals." New York Times ( ), May 16, 1865 "THE CONSPIRACY TRIAL." 1865.Zion's Herald and Wesleyan Journal ( ), Jun 07, 1865, 90. "THE CONSPIRACY TRIALS." 1865.The Independent...Devoted to the Consideration of Politics, Social and Economic Tendencies, History, Literature, and the Arts ( ), Jun 08, 1865 "THE SUPPRESSED TESTIMONY IN THE CONSPIRACY TRIAL." Liberator ( ) 35, no. 24 (Jun 16, 1865): 96. "The Trial of the Assassins." New York Times ( ), May 12, "Trial of the Assassins." New York Times ( ), May 15, "TRIAL OF THE ASSASSINS." New York Times ( ), May 16, 1865.

19 "TRIAL OF THE ASSASSINS." New York Times ( ), May 16, AMERICAN TOPICS. (1865, Aug 01). New York Times ( ) Carving printed in Lincoln's Assassins: Their Trial and Executions. 78. Clampitt, John W. "The Trial of Mrs. Surratt." The North America Review 131, no. 286 (September 1880): Accessed February 25, DeWitt, David Miller. Judicial Murder of Mary E. Surratt (Classic Reprint). S.l.: Forgotten Books, Ford, John T. "Behind the Curtain of a Conspiracy." The North American Review 148, no. 389 (April 1889): Accessed February 25, Harper s weekly print in Lincoln's Assassins: Their Trial and Executions. 96. Jones, Rebecca C. The Mystery of Mary Surratt: the Plot to kill President Lincoln. Centreville, MD: Tidewater Publishers, pg 21 Kimmel and Foster printed in Lincoln's Assassins: Their Trial and Executions. 86. Larson, Kate Clifford. Assassin's accomplice: Mary Surratt and the plot to kill Abraham Lincoln. New York: BasicBooks, Matsell, George W. "The Assassin's Carnival." National Police Gazette (New York), April 22, 1865 found in: Swanson, James L., and Daniel R. Weinberg. Lincoln's Assassins: Their Trial and Executions. New York, NY: Arena Editions, Moore, Guy W. The Case of Mrs. Surratt: her controversial trial and execution for conspiracy in the Lincoln assassination, by Guy W. Moore. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, THE ASSASSINS EXECUTED. (1865, Jul 13). New York Observer and Chronicle ( ), 43, 222. THE ASSASSINS. (1865, May 04). New York Times ( )

20 THE CONSPIRATORS. (1865, Jul 07). New York Times ( ) THE PRESIDENT OF THE,UNITED STATES. "THE ASSASSINATION OF PRESDENT LINCOLN." Liberator ( ) 35, no. 19 (May 12, 1865): 75. TRIAL OF THE ASSASSINS. (1865, Jun 22). New York Times ( ) TRIAL OF THE ASSASSINS. (1865, May 26). New York Times ( ) Trindal, Elizabeth Steger. Mary Surratt: an American tragedy. Gretna, LA: Pelican Pub. Co., 1996.