Mr. Hunter to Mr. Adams
My Dear Sir: You will be naturally solicitous to know what has been the result thus far of the efforts to secure the principals and accomplices in the hideous crimes committed and attempted against prominent members of the government.
[Page 327]Lewis Paine, supposed to be one of the St. Albans raiders, and a brother of Hezekiah Paine, who is now awaiting trial at St. Albans on a charge of being a party to the raid, has been arrested at the house of a Mrs. Surrat in this city, and is identified as the man who attempted the lives of the Secretary and Assistant Secretary of State.
Atzerot, the person who was to have assaulted the Vice President, has been secured.
Booth, who assassinated the President, and Herold, an accomplice, are both at large. Large rewards have been offered for the capture of any of the parties, and it is hoped that the vigilant pursuit will be successful.
Two persons, carpenters in Ford’s theatre, named Gifford and Spangler, and Maddox, the “property man,” suspected characters, are also in custody.
John Surrat has been traced to Canada, and the police and other authorities are in full pursuit. This is the son of the Mrs. Surrat at whose house Lewis Paine was taken.
Booth is believed to be lurking in lower Maryland, and stringent measures have been adopted by the War Department to prevent his concealment or escape. While I write, a rumor comes that he is taken, but nothing authentic to that effect has yet been received.
I remain, my dear sir, very truly yours,
P. S.—The Secretary’s condition is much improved. He has been sitting up this morning fully dressed. Mr. F. W. Seward is also more comfortable than he was yesterday.
[Same, mutatis mutandis, to all our principal ministers in Europe.]