The Conspirator Page #4

and makes major generals like you.

Our authorization comes

from the War secretary, Edwin Stanton,

and by order of the president.

If our founding fathers

had desired tyranny to prevail,

the president

and his War secretary

would have been granted

such indiscriminate powers,

but they drafted a Constitution

with laws against such powers.

They did so precisely for times like this.

Order! Order! Order!

I really want you

to do this for me, Freddie.

You're not serious.

As serious as the charges

against our client.

Me? Defend her?

She doesn't stand a chance

with an old Southerner

like me defending her.

She needs a Yankee captain like you.

I'm sorry, sir. I... I can't do it.

No, you'll do fine, son.

Experience matters for nothing

when they're making up the rules

as they go along.

Besides, this government

has never executed a woman.

They've never considered a woman,

nor a man for that matter,

capable of murdering the president.

Sir, I can find you a rebel

to defend her,

but I ca... I won't do it.

There is no court in the Union

that would fairly judge that woman

with a Confederate counsel.

I won't betray my country.

I won't betray my friends

who died defending it.

I'm not asking you to betray

your allegiances, Freddie.

I'm simply ask in' you...

rather tellin' you...

to obey your oath as a... as an attorney

and do your job.

He wants me to represent Mary Surratt.

What?

- What?

- Yeah.

He can't be serious.

They're the actors

from the theater.

Open up.

Thank you, soldier.

That'll be all.

This conversation is privileged.

Sorry, sir. Orders.

Where is Senator Johnson?

The senator has instructed me

to handle your case.

You understand what you've been

charged with?

Conspiring to murder the president,

secretary of State

and the vice president...

if found guilty, you could hang?

No disrespect, Mr...

Aiken.

Mr. Aiken.

How many years have you?

So you've handled cases

like this before?

There's never been

a case like this before.

But you have defended others.

They've left nothing to chance.

Very well.

You own a boarding house

on 541 H Street?

Is that correct?

Yes.

How long you been there?

Ma'am?

All I know about you

is what I read in the papers.

It's not flattering.

I moved to Washington a year ago

with my son and daughter

after my husband passed.

And the assassins were frequent

visitors to your home.

Yes.

Well, you... heh.

You don't even deny

having been acquainted

with John Wilkes Booth

and the others behind bars?

No, sir, I do not.

My husband died a drunk, Mr. Aiken,

and left me loads of debt.

I had to support my family,

so I rented rooms to boarders.

Those men were customers,

Rate this script:3.0 / 1 vote