[Untitled], May 19, 1866

[Untitled]

Respectfully returned.

It is recommended that the American minister at Rome be urged to procure without delay, if possible, a full statement of John H. Surratt’s confession to H. de St. Marie, verified by oath, which could probably be obtained through assurances that St. Marie should in no manner be compromised thereby. This man, there is reason to believe, is the same referred to by one of the witnesses on the trial of the assassins of the President. He was represented to have been engaged in school-teaching in Maryland, at a village called Ellangowan, in the year 1853. Afterwards he came to Washington, and was for a short time employed by Father Wiget. He stated that he had come from Montreal, Canada, where he had sold his farm, the proceeds of which he had lost in this country. He spoke French, Italian, and English fluently, and was known as Henry de St. Marie. The American minister has no doubt caught the sound of his name imperfectly, and has in consequence written it “B” instead of de St. Marie.

The particulars above given will make it easy to ascertain if this is the person mentioned in the despatch to the Secretary of State. If he is, it is believed that it can be shown here that he is a man of character and entitled to credit in his statements. It may be added that in this despatch the American minister has slightly mistaken Surratt’s name. It is not John S., as he supposes, but John H.