An EXCELLENT article, Monica, and a fascinating read. While our society has become quite reluctant and averse to execute anyone these days for any reason, unfortunately, not much has changed since the Civil War era within the "Justice System" and we regularly witness average citizens wrongly accused and prosecuted when a little due diligence and honest investigation would reveal their innocence in short order.
As for Mary's son, I can understand his desire to remain free from the clutches of the Union enforcers, but I cannot understand the form of cowardice that kept him from returning to the States to do everything he could to free his mother from prison, even if it did cost him his own life in the end ... but that's just me.
Thank you, Justin. Yes, I thought the same thing about Mary's son's in escaping from being executed as well. We will never know his reasons why, or if Mary even suggested he save himself. It's obvious Mary was a soft target becsuse of her association with Booth. There was much evil within the Lincoln years and we have seen much of this played out in many past and more recent administrations. Lust for power and greed turn men into monsters.
A fascinating story, though horrifying in Mary Surratt’s case. I’ve read some speculation that anti-Catholic bias may have played a role in her execution, as well, and I’ll be interested to see if you explore that angle in Part 2.
I have read some speculation about the anti-bias religious aspect of her case, but I don't think it was strong enough a case. The five Catholic Church priests tried to plead her case that as a devout Catholic she couldn't possibly be guilty, but I believe her execution was eminent, and only guilty by remote association.
An EXCELLENT article, Monica, and a fascinating read. While our society has become quite reluctant and averse to execute anyone these days for any reason, unfortunately, not much has changed since the Civil War era within the "Justice System" and we regularly witness average citizens wrongly accused and prosecuted when a little due diligence and honest investigation would reveal their innocence in short order.
As for Mary's son, I can understand his desire to remain free from the clutches of the Union enforcers, but I cannot understand the form of cowardice that kept him from returning to the States to do everything he could to free his mother from prison, even if it did cost him his own life in the end ... but that's just me.
Thank you, Justin. Yes, I thought the same thing about Mary's son's in escaping from being executed as well. We will never know his reasons why, or if Mary even suggested he save himself. It's obvious Mary was a soft target becsuse of her association with Booth. There was much evil within the Lincoln years and we have seen much of this played out in many past and more recent administrations. Lust for power and greed turn men into monsters.
Another government hit job.
A fascinating story, though horrifying in Mary Surratt’s case. I’ve read some speculation that anti-Catholic bias may have played a role in her execution, as well, and I’ll be interested to see if you explore that angle in Part 2.
I have read some speculation about the anti-bias religious aspect of her case, but I don't think it was strong enough a case. The five Catholic Church priests tried to plead her case that as a devout Catholic she couldn't possibly be guilty, but I believe her execution was eminent, and only guilty by remote association.
Definitely. At worst, she may have overheard some of Booth’s plan, but that hardly means she was culpable, much less that she needed to be executed.
Mary had it coming