No. 68.]
Legation of the United States,
Rome,
November 20, 1866.
I have received a letter from our consul at Naples, of which I enclose a
copy.
I have telegraphed the information to our consul at Alexandria.
Hon. William H. Seward,
Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.
Mr. Swan to Mr. King.
United States Consulate,
Naples,
November 18, 1866.
Sir: I received your despatch this morning
about 8 o’clock. I immediately had the police at Naples and the
small towns about here hunting for Surratt, and learned, about 2
o’clock, that he left last evening at 9 o’clock, on the steamer
Tripoli, for Alexandria, under the name of Walters. The steamer
stops to-morrow at Malta to take in 300 tons of coal, and as the
quarantine is in force there, he cannot get on shore. I immediately
sent the following despatch to the consul at Malta:
“Surratt, one of the conspirators against Lincoln, left here last
evening on the steamer Tripoli, for Alexandria, under the name of
Walters or Watson. He has on the uniform of a zouave of the Papal
states. The steamer stops at Malta to-morrow to coal; have him
arrested. If you do not receive this in time, telegraph the consul
at Alexandria.”
I did not telegraph to Alexandria, as I thought there would be plenty
of time for you to do so if you thought best after the receipt of
this. If our consul is in Malta, there is little doubt but he will
catch him there.
Surratt has been about Naples in his zouave uniform some days. Passed
himself at the British consulate as a Canadian, and was taken on
this steamer through the influence of the consul.
I have the honor to be very truly yours,
Hon. Rufus King,
Minister, &c., Rome.
