Countdown to July 7

[BettyO]

Quote:At the end of the line sat Lewis Payne, whose attempt had been to murder William H. Seward, Secretary of State. In his face there was depicted neither anxiety nor interest. During the time we were in the court-room, Payne, who was sitting near the open window, watched the swaying of a tree, face and figure expressing indifference to all the transitory things of life - life which he seemed to have no further interest in. One could not but wonder, looking at him as he sat so undisturbed and motionless, what was the composition of his thought.
"Mrs. Surratt sat more towards the centre of the group. She was rather a large woman, wearing a rusty-black woollen dress, and most of the time held before her face a large palm-leaf fan. Of the other five prisoners who were charged with conspiracy and the murder of Lincoln, I have no very distinct remembrance, beyond the tragic vision of seeing them hand-cuffed and an officer standing on each side of a sitting figure.

Interesting observations - thanks, Linda. I'm downloading the book now as I type.... there are some errors in her recollections as to the seating arrangements of the conspirators in the courtroom. Of course, Mrs. Surratt sat separately from the male prisoners....rather across from the dock in a straight backed chair. Powell sat not near the window, (that was Sam Arnold's seat) but one removed sans the guard and Herold from Mrs. Surratt on the end near the cell block door. Herold sat right next to the door and across from Mrs. Surratt and one seat occupied by a guard, next to Powell.