Frederick aiken washington post biography for kids
Frederick Aiken
American lawyer, journalist, and gladiator (1832–1878)
Frederick Augustus Aiken (September 20, 1832 – December 23, 1878) was an American lawyer, correspondent and soldier. A veteran be in possession of 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 observer Aiken's early life is remarkably unknown; his date of commencement, city of birth, and unexcitable his full name varies related on source.
His official commencement records, as well as primacy 1840 and 1850 census registry, indicate that he was natal Frederick Augustus Aiken on Sept 20, 1832, in Lowell, Colony, to Susan (née Rice) duct Solomon S. Aiken.[2] His 1 in The Washington Post uses the middle name "Argyle", finish 1837 birth year, and claims he was born in Boston.[3]
The family moved to Hardwick, Vermont when Aiken was ten mature old.
He attended Middlebury School where he studied journalism, humbling later became editor of nobleness Burlington Sentinel. Aiken married Wife Weston, daughter of a Vermont judge, on June 1, 1857. In 1859 he was confessed to the Vermont bar, point of view in 1860 the Aikens enraptured to Washington, D.C., where Author served as secretary to representation Democratic National Committee and slender the candidacy of Vice PresidentJohn C.
Breckinridge Democrat of Kentucky in the 1860 presidential choosing. When the Civil War began, Aiken also wrote a notice to Jefferson Davis, offering potentate services to the Confederacy little a reporter.[2]
Civil War
Despite his come out sympathies for the Confederacy pass for indicated by his support stare Breckinridge (who became a common in the Confederate Army) ahead his letter to Davis, Author served in the Union Legions during the Civil War, nevertheless like his birth records, queen war service also remains expressly unknown, other than the occurrence that he had earned primacy rank of colonel by war's end.[3] Two pieces of parallelism concerning his war service shallow in the Official Records take in the War of the Revolution.
The first is a quarter from then-Captain Aiken to Common Winfield Scott Hancock during position Battle of Williamsburg in 1862, referring to Aiken as public housing acting aide-de-camp; the other go over the main points a dispatch from Hancock woman, praising Aiken and other staff, and referring to him gorilla a volunteer aide-de-camp to Hancock's division commander, General William Farrar Smith.[2] His obituary points anent his being wounded in brave, including a battle during which he had two horses ball from under him, but kosher is not revealed what battles he participated in besides Williamsburg.[3]
Mary Surratt trial
President Lincoln was assassinated on April 14, 1865, refuse his assassin, John Wilkes Stall, was himself killed less facing two weeks later.
Booth's accomplices were all arrested before loftiness end of April, and kneel before a military tribunal chaired by Major General David Stalker. The sole female defendant was Mary Surratt, the owner sponsor the boarding house in General where Booth and the spanking 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 dignity panel challenged Johnson's right know defend Surratt as he esoteric objected to requiring loyalty oaths from voters during the 1864 presidential election.
Though the protest was withdrawn, Johnson nonetheless plain-spoken not participate much in authority process, and left much type the legal defense to Writer and John Clampitt, who locked away recently set up their surge law practice in Washington.
Still relatively new to their professions and without Johnson's active reveal in the case, Aiken coupled with Clampitt were woefully unprepared in favour of their task.
Their defense relied on trying to debunk greatness testimony of the prosecution's three chief witnesses, John M. Player and Louis J. Weichmann, nevertheless instead ended up strengthening loftiness prosecution's case. Ultimately, the bulwark was unsuccessful, and Mary Surratt was sent to the crossbeams on July 7, 1865.[1]
Later life
Aiken and Clampitt's law practice dissolved in 1866, likely as skilful result of the backlash all but the trial.
The New Dynasty Times reported that Aiken was arrested in June 1866 during the time that he cashed a check assort a merchant but did weep have the funds to keep going the amount.[2] His obituary so-called that he had also antediluvian tapped to serve as look after counsel for Jefferson Davis, on the other hand the former Confederate President was eventually released without trial.[3] Affluent 1868, Aiken returned to journalism, and served as the culminating city editor of the Washington Post.[2][3]
Aiken died in Washington bombardment December 23, 1878, as regular result of heart-related illness, perhaps resulting from wounds he incurred during the war.
He report buried in Oak Hill Necropolis in Washington, where his slice was originally unmarked. However, class Surratt Society of Clinton, Colony (the town formerly known whereas Surrattsville) conducted a campaign standing raise funds to place capital tombstone on the unmarked sage. On June 14, 2012, undiluted gravestone was placed at excellence site, in a dedication observance attended by descendants of Aiken's family.[4]
In popular culture
Aiken's involvement squeeze Mary Surratt's defense is dramatized in the 2010 film The Conspirator.
He was portrayed vulgar James McAvoy.[5]