Judicial Murder of Mrs. Surratt

[Steve]

The earliest article I could find is from the front page of the 25 January 1870 edition of the Albany Argus:
   

However, it's more of a mocking reply to somebody else's article.

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, on page 2 of the 26 January 1870 edition, actually includes details of the rumor, attributing it to the New York Democrat:
   

I can't find the Democrat in any newspaper databases I looked at, so I don't know what the article actually said. Although, I'm assuming it was printed at least a day before the Argus article.

Also, note the Eagle article using the term "judicial murder of Mrs. Surratt".