The Conspirator Page #5

uh, your friend,

testified against your mother

after you told me

he was like a son to her?

What went on here?

Why should I trust you?

Because your mother

told me everything.

She told me about John.

She told me about the plot to kidnap

President Lincoln.

Anna, did you try and stop him?

How was I supposed to do that?

'Cause you're his older sister.

You don't know how stubborn

my brother can be.

All right. Did your brother

conspire to kill the president?

My brother left town week s

before the assassination.

It proves nothing. Look, the night

he left the boarding house...

I've said all I will.

Miss Surratt, I'm trying...

I'm trying to help.

By condemning my brother?

Mr. Aiken, my mother would never

allow that, and neither would I.

Oh. All right. All right, look,

you knew about Weichmann.

If you know any potential witnesses

the prosecution might call

or what evidence

they'll use against her,

you must tell me.

Will you help me?

Let us proceed with events

following the assassination

of President Lincoln.

On the night of April 17,

what were your duties, Major Smith?

I was charged with finding John Surratt,

and we were searching the house.

Major, I found these.

They were here

in the daughter's bedroom.

Major Smith, please read aloud

what's inscribed here.

"Sic semper tyrannis."

Could you translate?

Of course.

"Thus always for tyrants."

Are those words familiar to you?

Indeed.

Booth yelled them

after he cut down our president.

You found the same three days later

in her daughter's bedroom

next to a photograph

of the assassin himself.

Like a shrine, sir.

Uh...

Please continue.

Uh, objection.

Sic semper tyrannis

is the state motto of Virginia.

It hardly constitutes proof

of a shrine to Booth.

No further proof is needed,

Mr. Aiken.

Proceed, Mr. Holt.

Continue, Major Smith.

As I was fixing to take the Surratts

to headquarters for questioning,

there was a knock at the door.

You all right, ma'am?

I... I must be mistaken.

Wait a minute.

Whom do you wish to see?

Uh, Mrs. Surratt.

This is her place.

Bring him in.

Is she expecting you?

She sent for me, asked me

to dig a gutter for her.

At this time of night?

In the morning. I just wanted

to know what time.

Bring Mrs. Surratt in here.

Ma'am, did you hire this man

to dig a gutter for you?

No, sir.

Do you know this man?

No, sir.

Is this the man

she denies knowing?

No, sir.

Is this the man

she denies knowing?

Yes, sir.

Lewis Payne.

The same man boarded at the Surratts'

prior to daggering the secretary of State

and his kin.

Yes.

Thank you, Major.

Nothing further.

Major Smith, are you aware

that Lewis Payne

boarded at the Surratts' under an alias,

claiming to be a Baptist minister

from Baltimore named Wood?

That's what she claimed.

She claimed?

I would like to submit into evidence

this ledger of guest accounts

from the Surratt boarding house.

Supposing, as this evidence would seem

to suggest, that were the truth...

suppose Mrs. Surratt

simply failed that night

to recognize Wood the preacher

in the guise of Payne the ditch digger.

He was standing in full view of her

not three paces.

General Hunter, since accepting this case,

I have come to learn that my client's

eyesight is defective.

I have here a sworn affidavit

from her doctor stating just that.

Major Smith, it was dark.

It was nighttime.

Isn't it possible Mary Surratt simply...

failed to see him?

If I saw a man dressed as a preacher

and two months later a laborer,

then I would recognize him

as the same person.

Thank you, Major Smith.

A simple yes or no will do.

Is it possible she failed

to see him properly?

Yes, I suppose it's possible.

No further questions.

The prosecution seems unable

to present any proof of guilt

beyond a reasonable doubt.

Uh, could somebody bring me

the transcript of today's trial?

Shall I read it aloud to you?

Oh, Ed.

Your young associate is

putting up a spirited defense.

Reminds me of a certain lawyer

I had to face 25 years ago.

Ah, he learned to fight in your army.

Can I get you a drink?

No, no. No, I won't be staying long.

Reverdy...

You've done as much for this nation

as any man I know.

Oh. Feeling's mutual, Ed.

Don't you think it's time for us two

old war horses to call a truce?

Heh heh.

Not if you insist on staging

this travesty.

This trial will do more

to keep the peace

than any paper treaty could.

Heh. How'd you convince

yourself of that?

Because justice, swift and firm,

will help deter the South

from ever conspiring again,

as well as discouraging the North

from seeking revenge.

What about the rule of law?

My first responsibility is to ensure

that this war stays won.

Oh, and this is how you do it,

by keeping fear alive

as long as you see fit?

Look. "Stanton warns

of future rebel plots,"

uh, water supplies poisoned, um...

firebombing cities.

Uh, yellow fever spreading

all over the place.

This is a frightened country, Ed.

You don't need to scare us anymore.

And who is to say that none

of these things could happen?

The unspeakable already has...

Our president assassinated,

The world has changed, Reverdy.

Abandoning the Constitution

is not the answer.

You may prefer dining alone.

I just hope your young associate

does as well.

If he pushes too hard,

he will make enemies

who will not soon forget.

On this, you know I'm right.

I'm here to see Secretary Stanton, boys.

Stand down.

Sorry, sir. Mr. Stanton doesn't see anyone

without an appointment.

Well, good morning, Mr. Aiken.

Morning.

Perhaps I can be of some assistance.

If you can arrange an appointment

for me with the secretary, you can.

Unfortunately he's quite busy right now,

but perhaps you'd care

to have a word with me instead.

Please.

My client is unwell.

So I hear.

Touch of the woman's curse.

I'm sure she'll be well enough

to continue her trial in a few days.

She's been in solitary confinement

for over a month.

She hasn't eaten in over a week.

She's refusing to eat.

All the prisoners are fed daily.

Soft bread and salted meat.

Unless she has a proper meal

and some fresh air,

I can't guarantee

she'll be fit for trial.

One of the conspirators

refuses to be guarded by a Negro,

and the other insists on only eating

his mother's cooking.

We can't accommodate every whim.

Come now. I am merely asking for you

to stop treating her like a savage.

How dare you accuse us of savagery?

Have you forgotten how our own

were treated by the rebels?

Of course not.

Well...

But Mary Surratt is in serious decline.

If this treatment of her continues,

she will not be sound of mind.

And I trust that is something

the government wishes to avoid.

I may have a way to serve all interests.

I'll deny ever telling you this.

Understood?

Father.

Counselor.

F eel that sun.

Do I have you to thank for this?

Well, thank you.

Well, if I could just get you

to start eating.

Left. Left.

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