MARY SURRATT: Civil War Terrorist or Judicial Murder?

On July 7, 1865, Mary Surratt became the first woman in the history of the United States to be executed by the federal government. In this interview, playwright Ned O'Neill discusses Mary Surratt's role in the Lincoln assassination and how his play gives her the voice that she never had.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Mary Surratt
• Abraham Lincoln
• John Wilkes Booth
• boardinghouse matron
• military tribunal
• enemy combatant
• habeas corpus
• Guantanamo Bay
• Camp X-Ray
• Japanese internment
• Muslim detainees
• WWII
• post-9/11 world

[jpbab00]

Although I feel she should not have been hung, the evidence albeit circumstantial, leans toward her guilt. However, her main accuser Lloyd, was more deeply involved and given clemency in exchange for testimony against her. HE should have been hanged. The guns WERE stored at HIS tavern. Every place Mary Surratt frequented was used by the confederacy for espionage. Those homes are small and flimsey. Any conversation can be overheard. Especially considering the drunks that most of them were.

[Nedge40]

Thanks for the post. I think all of them were a bunch of drunks that got pulled into Booth's web -- and then freaked when they realized he was crazy. Mary's death was more symbolic -- this is what will do to you if you persist -- even women!

[zrtproductions]

She never should have died. She was hanged to hurt her son, to prove to the people that no one was safe, reguardless. The government couldn't find her son, so they punished her. We can never allow this to happen again, because in a time of panic, the government abandoned the very thing that keeps up together. The constitution was tossed aside to appease a few, angry men. I am thankful that people have since been proven innoncent, because it can and should be done.

[locotesd]

She was done wrong. There was no physical proof that she was involved. Her son was the biggest coward for letting his mom die. He should've taken responsibility for his actions. A new movie called "The Conspirator" just came out, is based on the perpetrators. It's a great movie and recommend everybody watch it.

[goodoldrebel8]

Yankees were truly the original nazis.

[RPenta]

@angusmcpherson Were you born an asshole or did you have to work at it? I guess we can exclude Bushes, Obama, and Clintons in list of non-citizens.

[guitaristforeden]

just because she was a women does not mean she had nothing to do with murder!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[gerjerry99]

she should never been hanged

[kcdkplays]

@unsexynstupid

actually Angus is right on many points.. The attorney general of the United States,at that time,

James Speed, ruled

they could be tried by military tribunal based on the military nature of the conspiracy and the existence of martial law in Wash DC ( can you say, theater of war?) The ruling you speak of ( ex parte Milligan 1866) did state civilians had to be tried in civilian court, but that was after the Lincoln conspirators met their fates. I believe Speed acted correctly.

[Mimereader2]

If one takes into account that the country was still at war, and that Lincoln and Jefferson Davis had already suspended many constitutional liberties as they waged it, then Mary's fate becomes far easier to understand. The recent film about this, the Conspirator, took the opposing view, but then most of the students of this story found the film's credibility seriously weakened by a long list of needless errors known instantly to those who actually know the story.

[infinitepeace101]

Mary Surratt deserved a fair trial and she definitely shouldn't have been hung. For future and any other past cases like this one, the death penalty should be illegal. The worst that should be given to a person is a life sentence in prison. Killing someone is just morally wrong no matter what the circumstances are for numerous, obvious reasons. World Peace.<3

[afg96]

Even if she was guilty how can you hang a women?

[unsexynstupid]

@angusmcpherson Just FYI angus, in 1867 or so, federal courts ruled and the Supreme court upheld, that any US citizen was guaranteed a trial by jury. And at the time, Washington DC was NOT part of the "theater of war".