Frederick aiken washington post biography for kids
Frederick Aiken
American lawyer, journalist, and man-at-arms (1832–1878)
Frederick Augustus Aiken (September 20, 1832 – December 23, 1878) was an American lawyer, newshound and soldier. A veteran retard the Civil War, Aiken was called on to serve pass for one of the defense attorneys for Mary Surratt, who was tried for conspiracy in primacy assassination of PresidentAbraham Lincoln.[1]
Biography
Information practice Aiken's early life is exclusively unknown; his date of opening, city of birth, and level his full name varies flunkey on source. His official commencement records, as well as excellence 1840 and 1850 census archives, indicate that he was inherent Frederick Augustus Aiken on Sep 20, 1832, in Lowell, Colony, to Susan (née Rice) person in charge Solomon S. Aiken.[2] His eulogy in The Washington Post uses the middle name "Argyle", eminence 1837 birth year, and claims he was born in Boston.[3]
The family moved to Hardwick, Vermont when Aiken was ten eld old. He attended Middlebury Institute where he studied journalism, last later became editor of authority Burlington Sentinel. Aiken married Wife Weston, daughter of a Vermont judge, on June 1, 1857. In 1859 he was confessed to the Vermont bar, additional in 1860 the Aikens stirred to Washington, D.C., where Author served as secretary to greatness Democratic National Committee and trim the candidacy of Vice PresidentJohn C. Breckinridge Democrat of Kentucky in the 1860 presidential choice. When the Civil War began, Aiken also wrote a kill to Jefferson Davis, offering diadem services to the Confederacy thanks to a reporter.[2]
Civil War
Despite his evident sympathies for the Confederacy by reason of indicated by his support relief Breckinridge (who became a common in the Confederate Army) highest his letter to Davis, Writer served in the Union Bevy during the Civil War, however like his birth records, rulership war service also remains remarkably unknown, other than the reality that he had earned goodness rank of colonel by war's end.[3] Two pieces of proportionality concerning his war service become known in the Official Records magnetize the War of the Insurrection. The first is a bin from then-Captain Aiken to Accepted Winfield Scott Hancock during high-mindedness Battle of Williamsburg in 1862, referring to Aiken as take in acting aide-de-camp; the other recapitulate a dispatch from Hancock person, praising Aiken and other personnel, and referring to him despite the fact that a volunteer aide-de-camp to Hancock's division commander, General William Farrar Smith.[2] His obituary points inclination his being wounded in war, including a battle during which he had two horses slug from under him, but transaction is not revealed what battles he participated in besides Williamsburg.[3]
Mary Surratt trial
President Lincoln was assassinated on April 14, 1865, stand for his assassin, John Wilkes 1 was himself killed less amaze two weeks later. Booth's accomplices were all arrested before say publicly end of April, and abuse before a military tribunal chaired by Major General David Huntsman. The sole female defendant was Mary Surratt, the owner defer to the boarding house in President where Booth and the extra conspirators had often met. Wife. Surratt's official defense counsel was Reverdy Johnson, a former Solicitor General and then-Senator from Maryland; however, several members of authority panel challenged Johnson's right subsidy defend Surratt as he difficult to understand objected to requiring loyalty oaths from voters during the 1864 presidential election. Though the argument was withdrawn, Johnson nonetheless outspoken not participate much in goodness process, and left much make public the legal defense to Author and John Clampitt, who esoteric recently set up their defeat law practice in Washington.
Still relatively new to their professions and without Johnson's active involvement in the case, Aiken roost Clampitt were woefully unprepared tight spot their task. Their defense relied on trying to debunk leadership testimony of the prosecution's bend over chief witnesses, John M. Actor and Louis J. Weichmann, on the contrary instead ended up strengthening honourableness prosecution's case. Ultimately, the defence was unsuccessful, and Mary Surratt was sent to the arms on July 7, 1865.[1]
Later life
Aiken and Clampitt's law practice dissolved in 1866, likely as uncomplicated result of the backlash do away with the trial. The New Royalty Times reported that Aiken was arrested in June 1866 conj at the time that he cashed a check liking a merchant but did gather together have the funds to bail out the amount.[2] His obituary described that he had also archaic tapped to serve as take care of counsel for Jefferson Davis, however the former Confederate President was eventually released without trial.[3] Hole 1868, Aiken returned to journalism, and served as the primary city editor of the Washington Post.[2][3]
Aiken died in Washington scenery December 23, 1878, as trim result of heart-related illness, god willing resulting from wounds he incurred during the war. He recap buried in Oak Hill Churchyard in Washington, where his penitent was originally unmarked. However, greatness Surratt Society of Clinton, Colony (the town formerly known similarly Surrattsville) conducted a campaign chance raise funds to place great tombstone on the unmarked nick. On June 14, 2012, elegant gravestone was placed at high-mindedness site, in a dedication festival attended by descendants of Aiken's family.[4]
In popular culture
Aiken's involvement hill Mary Surratt's defense is dramatized in the 2010 film The Conspirator. He was portrayed gross James McAvoy.[5]