The Conspirator Page #7

might consider you an accessory.

Well, it was through the Surratts

that I got myself in such difficulty.

The Surratts.

Don't you mean John Surratt,

to be more precise?

Wasn't it he who brought

the shooting irons

to your tavern door

in the first place?

Yeah.

And he showed you

where to hide them?

I didn't want to.

So you're saying that he asked you,

forced you to do so against your will.

Yes.

So he brought them to you,

he showed you where to hide them,

and he forced you to hide them

against your will?

That's right. Yes, exactly.

If John Surratt was capable

of putting Mr. Lloyd,

Louis Weichmann

and Lord knows

how many others at risk,

who's to say he didn't do

the same to his mother?

- Objection.

- Stop this!

- Sir, it seems the...

- Stop it right now, Mr. Aiken.

- It seems the only thing...

- Objection.

- General, objection.

- that Mary Surratt might be guilty of

- is having given birth to her son John.

- How dare you?

Objection sustained.

That will be all, Mr. Aiken.

Just to be clear, Mr. Lloyd,

it was the defendant, Mary Surratt,

who just hours before

the assassination

brought you field glasses

and instructed you to prepare rifles

and two bottles of whiskey?

Yeah.

Thank you.

General Hunter,

members of the Commission,

the government rests its case

against Mary Surratt.

That'll be all, Mr. Lloyd.

You may step down.

What did they promise you

to say that, Mr. Lloyd?

Counselor, I'm warning you.

Bet a case of whiskey's all it took.

You best hush up.

I'll put you in the ground, boy.

Mr. Aiken, you will sit down, sir.

You shut him up.

Sit down, sir.

Now...

we will adjourn.

When we resume,

the defense may call its first witness.

Left. Left.

Excuse me, sirs.

Uh, Captain Cottingham?

Yes.

Can I have a word with you, please?

Sir.

And did you interview John Lloyd,

the man who runs the tavern

on Mrs. Surratt's property?

Yes, right after the assassination.

And did he tell you that Mrs. Surratt

asked for rifles and whiskey?

Yes. Lloyd said Mrs. Surratt asked him

to do all those things.

Uh, excuse me?

Did we not talk just yesterday?

We did.

And did you not say

that Mrs. Surratt never asked for whiskey

or rifles of John Lloyd?

I do not deny that.

And now you're swearing,

under oath,

that what you told me then was a lie.

Yes. I lied to you 'cause I thought

you had no business to ask me.

No business? I...

You're my witness.

Should I not expect the truth?

I state here that I did lie to you,

but under oath,

now I'm telling the truth.

Mr. Holt,

do you wish to question the witness?

Uh, no. I believe what we've heard

is more than sufficient.

Captain, you may step down.

As you know, tonight mark s

Washington's celebration

honoring our troops,

so we will adjourn.

It's not enough, is it, Mr. Holt?

It's not enough that you, uh...

you set the rules.

You... You pick the judges.

Now you have to turn

my witness as well.

Counselor, control yourself.

Control the prosecution.

Mr. Aiken.

Every witness I wish to call has either

been turned by jail or the threat of it.

That's enough!

There is no limit to how far

the prosecution is willing to go!

Stand down, counselor,

or I will hold you in contempt.

You had better comport yourself

in a more appropriate manner,

or you will find yourself

incarcerated with the others.

Good evening.

Good evening, Douglas.

- Ma'am.

- Good evening.

Mr. Aiken, may I have

a word with you?

Of course.

Would you excuse me?

His first day on the job.

I'm sorry, Mr. Aiken.

It's all right, Douglas.

It's not your fault.

Frederick!

Uh, Nick, would you escort Sarah

upstairs for me, please?

Sure, but, uh...

- Is everything all right?

- Everything's fine.

Come on, Sarah.

Even with one good leg,

I can still outdance him.

Another night, Nick.

Sarah.

Sarah, where are you going?

"Conduct unbecoming."

I'm sorry about the party.

You think I care about the party?

Please. Everything will be all right.

I promise you.

You are just like that woman,

ready to go to the gallows

for the most pointless cause.

People do get left behind

when you do that.

I can't ignore what's going on

in that courtroom.

But you can ignore me, us?

I didn't say that.

Please, I have to do this.

Do you?

I find your devotion to this frightening.

I waited such a long time for you.

I'm so sorry.

I know. But I'm back now.

No, you're not.

I am. I... ple...

Sarah, please, will you just...

We have to...

we have to talk about this.

Fred, I love you. I...

I wish I could do this.

I just... I can't.

I just can't.

Wait. Let me see you home at least.

Please wait.

Uh, Mr. Secretary.

I have to speak with you.

Mr. Aiken, perhaps this isn't

the best time.

What is happening to Mary Surratt

is an abomination.

Stand down, Captain.

It's all right.

Would you escort Mrs. Stanton in?

I'll just be a moment.

Yes, sir.

Young man...

always indebted to you

for your courage in the field,

but you must learn to tread lightly.

- Tread lightly?

- Mm.

I will not tread lightly.

You have predetermined her fate.

Mary Surratt's fate rests entirely

with the Commission.

My concern is preserving our Union.

Why did I fight for the Union

if my rights aren't assured?

You tell me.

Fine words for rallying the troops,

not for running a nation.

They assassinated our president,

and someone must be

held accountable.

The people want that.

It's John Surratt you want.

You don't even want Mary.

I'll settle for either one.

If you'll excuse me,

my wife is waiting.

Mr. Aiken.

May I come in?

- It's late.

- I know.

I need you to testify.

Very well.

I'll tell them my mother's innocent.

I need you to tell them

that your brother is not.

I won't do it.

You know what'll happen

to her if you don't?

Anna...

Your brother does not need

to be saved right now.

Your mother does.

Mr. Aiken,

are there any other

witnesses you wish to call?

Uh, yes.

The... The defense

would like to call Miss Anna Surratt.

General Hunter, what is...

Place your right hand on this Bible.

Where's my mother?

Anna, she's just right here,

behind these men.

Why won't they let me see her?

I don't know.

Please, Miss Surratt.

Do you swear to tell the truth,

the whole truth

and nothing but the truth,

so help you, God?

Miss Anna.

I do.

It'll be all right.

Miss Surratt, can you tell us

when your brother first became acquainted

with John Wilkes Booth?

Miss Surratt, you will

answer the question.

I believe my brother

met him January last.

Three months before

the assassination.

He must have been mighty pleased

to have befriended such a famous actor.

You'll have to ask him.

Well, I'm sure

we'd all like to ask him.

Your brother proudly called himself

a friend of Booth's, did he not?

Mr. Aiken, what are you doing?

Mother!

Miss Surratt.

Miss Surratt, please.

Miss Surratt.

I never...

asked what my brother's

relationship was to Booth.

It was at John's invitation

that he first came to your home,

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