The Conspirator Page #8

was it not?

Yes.

Does this picture of Booth

belong to you?

I found it in a gallery one day,

and I bought it.

Your brother must have been pleased that

you held his friend in such high regard.

- No.

- No?

No. He told me to tear it up

and throw it away.

Why?

Why did your brother

tell you to destroy

a photograph of his friend, Booth?

No, Mr. Aiken!

- Please.

- I beg of you.

- Please.

- Order!

Miss Surratt, please.

Answer my question.

I suppose he was trying to protect us.

He was trying to protect

you and your mother?

Yes.

Why would he need

to protect his family?

Anna, you have to choose.

I suppose...

he and Booth

were planning something.

He was planning something.

Did you know what?

Of course not.

When did you last see your brother?

He left at the beginning of April.

Days before the assassination.

Did he tell you where he was going

or what he might be planning?

He only said he had to leave.

And did you or your mother

try to stop him?

Yes.

- But we couldn't.

- How could you? He was angry.

He was frustrated with the war.

He hated the Union.

He would have done

anything in his power,

even risk his own family

to aid Booth in his cause.

But, Miss Surratt, did your mother conspire

with John Wilkes Booth?

Absolutely not.

Thank you.

There are no more questions.

General Hunter,

the government understands

why Miss Surratt would be moved

to the most extraordinary lengths

to conceal her mother's guilt,

including incriminating

her own brother.

My mother is innocent.

Miss Surratt, you are dismissed.

The government no longer

deems it necessary to hold you.

You are free to leave.

I just want to see my mother.

Please. I'm sorry, mother.

I'm sorry.

Please.

Please, let me see her.

Sir, the defense would push

for the Commission

to show some compassion

and allow a mother

to see her daughter

for a brief moment only.

Mm-hmm.

We will reconvene in the morning.

Unh!

Frederick, it's me.

Anna.

What are you doing here?

You never asked why

I had Booth's photo.

Tear that up and throw it away.

That man is gonna get us all

in trouble, if not worse.

I should have thrown it away,

but I didn't.

So you were infatuated with Booth.

I swear I didn't know

what he was capable of.

I believe you.

But your brother did.

Can you save my mother without him?

Can you, Frederick?

Probably not.

Father Walter!

Father?

Will you excuse us for a minute?

Counselor.

I need to see John Surratt right away.

Anna Surratt sent me.

Well, as I told Miss Surratt,

I can only pass along a message.

Where is he?

I don't know.

Only that some in the church have chosen

to provide him sanctuary.

You don't seem troubled by their choice.

You prefer he be crucified by this mob?

John is hardly the Prince of Peace.

He's wanted for murder and treason.

Harboring him is not only immoral,

Father, it's illegal.

Our laws are written here, counselor,

our allegiance to God.

You forgive me, Father,

but that's a bunch

of cock and bull.

Bible bears as many interpretations

as anything else.

Is there a message

you wish me to pass along?

My case summary is tomorrow,

so you tell John Surratt

that unless he surrenders himself,

his mother will most likely be

punished for his crimes.

Mr. Aiken.

F or the lawyer as well as the soldier,

there is an equally imperative command.

That duty is to shelter from injustice

the innocent,

to protect the weak from oppression

and, when necessity demands,

to rally to the defense

of those being wronged.

After the most thorough investigation

in our nation's history,

the government's entire case

against Mary Surratt

rests on three acts...

one,

her acquaintance with Booth,

two,

her alleged instructions to Lloyd,

and, three,

her nonrecognition of Payne.

It is these three acts

that constitute the sum total

of Mary Surratt's part in this traitorous

and murderous conspiracy.

By themselves,

they constitute no crime.

Any one of you or I

might have done the same,

but the government insists

she did them with evil intent,

largely based on the testimony of two men,

John Lloyd

and Louis Weichmann.

Yet, at best, the actions of these men

undermine their credibility,

and, at worst,

they have done the unspeakable...

they have gained their freedom

by falsely accusing another

of their crime.

There can be no doubt as

to the principal and real reason

that Mary Surratt is here today.

It's because of her son, John Surratt.

He invited Booth into her home.

She did not.

And he hid rifles and ammunition

in Lloyd's Tavern.

She did not.

If John Surratt was part

of this conspiracy,

I pray to God that he receives

every punishment known to man,

but if his mother can be convicted

on such insufficient evidence,

I tell you none of you are safe.

Members of the Commission,

do not permit this injustice

to Mary Surratt

by sacrificing our sacred rights

out of revenge.

Too many of us have laid down

our lives to preserve them.

Gentlemen.

Gentlemen.

One bullet may have killed

our beloved president.

One bullet, but not one man.

Sit with me.

Is there any word?

No. They're still deliberating.

I mean about my son.

I held him too close.

I didn't want John turning out

like his father,

so I kept him near.

And when the war broke out,

he wanted to enlist,

but I wouldn't let him.

My son just needed to break free...

be his own man.

And this is the way he did it.

All those in favor?

Aye.

Well, then, we are all agreed

on the penalty of death

for the prisoners

Herold, Atzerodt and Payne.

What about the woman?

Regarding Mary Surratt,

all those in favor, gentlemen?

No.

Damn it!

No.

No, she must be punished

to the full extent.

I want these people

buried and forgotten.

The majority prefer

a more merciful sentence,

life in prison

on account of her age, gender.

I give Mr. Aiken credit.

He knew just how

to use the daughter.

It seems so.

You made my sentiments known

to the Commission?

Their minds are made.

Then let us change them.

"After mature consideration

of the evidence,

"Commission finds you,

Mary E. Surratt,

"guilty...

"guilty of conspiring

to kill and murder

"P resident Abraham Lincoln,

"guilty of conspiring

to kill and murder

"Andrew Johnson, vice president

of the United States,

"guilty of conspiring

to kill and murder

"William H. Seward,

secretary of State.

"The Commission

does therefore sentence you

to be hanged by the neck

until you be dead."

Mary Surratt to meet her doom!

F our assassins die tomorrow at noon!

Here you go, sir.

Mary Surratt to meet her doom!

F our assassins die tomorrow at noon!

Mr. Surratt.

Here, sir.

There must be something we can do.

You have three options:

Petition the president

for a stay of execution...

but, uh, he won't do that,

because if he did,

people would think

he was part of the conspiracy.

Uh, two, apply for

a writ of habeas corpus

to retry her in a civilian court,

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