A little-known person

[RJNorton]

Yes, I just altered the post.

[Steve Whitlock]

(07-22-2021 04:38 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  Regarding the tipster...Tom Bogar has researched actor John McCullough and determined he was not in Washington at the time of the assassination. Although it says that the tipster looked like McCullough, he also admits that he "never ascertained whether McCullough was in Washington at that time."

With respect to the identity of the tipster, Mike Kauffman writes, "It remains one of the great mysteries of the Lincoln assassination story." When a Lincoln assassination expert such as Mike Kauffman writes those words it shows the extreme difficulty of the task of naming such tipster.

Roger,

Do we have any law enforcement personnel as members of the Symposium? I would expect that Detective McDevitt would have been required, even in 1865, to write an in-depth, detailed report of how he was tipped off about the Surratt house. Given it's importance, especially at the time, surely that report was stored someplace. I wonder whether he named McCullough on a police report. It was someone who knew him, and someone he would have listened to. An actor who knew Booth would be a strong candidate for such an informant, or an undercover agent.

[RJNorton]

(07-22-2021 12:06 PM)Steve Whitlock Wrote:  I would expect that Detective McDevitt would have been required, even in 1865, to write an in-depth, detailed report of how he was tipped off about the Surratt house. Given it's importance, especially at the time, surely that report was stored someplace. I wonder whether he named McCullough on a police report. It was someone who knew him, and someone he would have listened to. An actor who knew Booth would be a strong candidate for such an informant, or an undercover agent.

Mike Kauffman is an outstanding sleuth when it comes to the Lincoln assassination. He has spent 40+ years of his life studying it. I am sure he has looked into this at an extreme depth and not come up with the tipster's name. IMO, the odds are great that the name of the person is lost to history. Thus, we are left to speculate.

[Steve]

The tipster specifically pointed out the Surratt boardinghouse. Did any of the actors know/meet the Surratts or anybody staying at the house?

Of course, Booth was a public figure and people could have seen him going to boardinghouse. It could be as simple as some neighbor and not someone we would guess.

[Steve Whitlock]

(07-22-2021 04:55 PM)Steve Wrote:  The tipster specifically pointed out the Surratt boardinghouse. Did any of the actors know/meet the Surratts or anybody staying at the house?

Of course, Booth was a public figure and people could have seen him going to boardinghouse. It could be as simple as some neighbor and not someone we would guess.

Steve,

I seem to recall the detectives were to look into the "shenanigans" at the Surratt house, and when they got there they were looking for John H. Surratt. Why John Surratt, who wasn't even in the city, and was less involved with the assassination plot than others?

That's an awfully big rabbit hole, I'm not falling for the challenge, probably. Still, I'm the moron that threw James A. McDevitt's name in the arena for no good reason. Redemption, or more failure? That is the question.

[RJNorton]

(07-22-2021 04:55 PM)Steve Wrote:  and not someone we would guess.

How about Daniel Gleason as a real longshot possibility? Gleason worked at the War Department with Louis Weichmann who lived at Mary Surratt's boardinghouse. It is known that several weeks prior to the assassination Weichmann confided his suspicions to Gleason about John Surratt and his buddies acting strangely in the boardinghouse. Some sources indicate Gleason took Weichmann's wariness to Stanton but it apparently didn't go anywhere from there. Weichmann retracted his statement to Gleason a few days later, but the fears may still have stuck in Gleason's mind.

Is it conceivable Gleason was out taking a walk the night of the assassination? Could Gleason have crossed paths with detective McDevitt? Could McDevitt have mistaken Gleason for an actor? Did Gleason look anything like McCullough?

Way too many ifs here - do not put any money on it...

[Steve Whitlock]

(07-23-2021 11:20 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  

(07-22-2021 04:55 PM)Steve Wrote:  and not someone we would guess.

How about Daniel Gleason as a real longshot possibility? Gleason worked at the War Department with Louis Weichmann who lived at Mary Surratt's boardinghouse. It is known that several weeks prior to the assassination Weichmann confided his suspicions to Gleason about John Surratt and his buddies acting strangely in the boardinghouse. Some sources indicate Gleason took Weichmann's wariness to Stanton but it apparently didn't go anywhere from there. Weichmann retracted his statement to Gleason a few days later, but the fears may still have stuck in Gleason's mind.

Is it conceivable Gleason was out taking a walk the night of the assassination? Could Gleason have crossed paths with detective McDevitt? Could McDevitt have mistaken Gleason for an actor? Did Gleason look anything like McCullough?

Way too many ifs here - do not put any money on it...

Roger,

Good information. And let me also say that I think McDevitt is covering for the informant. Whoever the informant was should have been in serious trouble, with the possibility of being held as a co-conspirator for the knowledge of who was involved in Lincoln's assassination, which would also be a life threatening position from Lincoln admirers in a high state of emotion.

McDevitt was reputed to be a good detective, and a good detective does not run off on a serious search for those involved in the assassination without knowing, absolutely, who was giving the information. I need a bigger can of bs spray for the idea that some actor may, or may not have been his informant. He would have made pertinent notes of the information given to him and who the informant was for followup. The statement of John H. Surratt to a group of people indicated they felt detectives had gotten wind of their plans and were closing in, so he thought they had dropped their plans.

If detectives were closing in perhaps one of those detectives had tipped McDevitt, but didn't want the notoriety and pressure that would have ensued for why they hadn't rounded up JWB and others before the attacks on Lincoln and Seward.

We should see whether there is more information available for Gleason. Was he at Ford's Theatre on the fateful night?

[Steve Whitlock]

(07-23-2021 11:20 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  

(07-22-2021 04:55 PM)Steve Wrote:  and not someone we would guess.

How about Daniel Gleason as a real longshot possibility? Gleason worked at the War Department with Louis Weichmann who lived at Mary Surratt's boardinghouse. It is known that several weeks prior to the assassination Weichmann confided his suspicions to Gleason about John Surratt and his buddies acting strangely in the boardinghouse. Some sources indicate Gleason took Weichmann's wariness to Stanton but it apparently didn't go anywhere from there. Weichmann retracted his statement to Gleason a few days later, but the fears may still have stuck in Gleason's mind.

Is it conceivable Gleason was out taking a walk the night of the assassination? Could Gleason have crossed paths with detective McDevitt? Could McDevitt have mistaken Gleason for an actor? Did Gleason look anything like McCullough?

Way too many ifs here - do not put any money on it...

Roger,

You must be a good fisherman. I'm slowly nibbling at the bait, but you should have reminded me of the robust discussion at the Symposium for the "My Journey on Lincoln's Assassination" thread where you also mention Maj Daniel Gleason. I'm also wondering about some others mentioned there. Still, if the assembled talent and knowledge of those in the thread couldn't resolve matters what's an old hick in rural MO to do? Is that a real bug swimming just above me? One might learn some stuff with a close review, again, of that thread. Sure, that's educational, nothing wrong with that. I'm not really getting drawn in.

[Steve]

Gleason was the tipster. I just came across an interview with him in 1910 where he admits as much. I'm going to email it to Roger so he can post it to the Forum.

[Steve Whitlock]

(07-23-2021 04:16 PM)Steve Wrote:  Gleason was the tipster. I just came across an interview with him in 1910 where he admits as much. I'm going to email it to Roger so he can post it to the Forum.

Steve,

BRAVO! I was looking through newspapers as well, but got sidetracked, and didn't see the article you found. The winner, and still champion, Mr. Steve Williams!!

And Roger, you get to be first runner-up for suggesting Daniel Gleason! It's a win for the Symposium as well.

Congratulations Steve Williams and Roger!

[RJNorton]

Many thanks to Steve Williams for sending these photos. The first one is of Daniel Gleason. The second two are of actor John McCullough. Steve writes, "One is from the 1860's by Mathew Brady with McCullough in costume. The other is a later photograph of McCullough. Of the costumed photo of McCullough, I think the mustache and goatee are part of the costume but concealing a mustache on McCullough."

Daniel Gleason

John McCullough

John McCullough

[RJNorton]

THANK YOU to Steve Williams for discovering this interview with Daniel Gleason. Steve writes, "I found this interview of Gleason from page 13 of the April 14, 1910 edition of the Boston Globe. I'm not sure what to make of his account of the particulars of what happened and what specifically Weichmann told him prior to the assassination.

Gleason says that he and his roommate, a Lt. Joshua W. Sharp (an adjutant from the Provost Marshal's office and who was aware of what Weichmann had told Gleason) after being awakened by the news of the assassination just after 10 - headed to Gen. Augur to inform him of the Surratt's connection to Booth. And that his information directly led to the Surratt boardinghouse being searched."

[RJNorton]

I should mention that at least one assassination author writes that there was no tipster in the street. In The Web of Conspiracy Theodore Roscoe writes that the government had known about the Surratt boardinghouse since February, 1865, and after the assassination Police Superintendent A.C. Richards sent the detectives (including McDevitt) to raid the boardinghouse in the wee hours of April 15, 1865.

Roscoe makes no mention of a tipster. If this account is correct, it would seem McDevitt's account of a tipster in the street is called into question. Gleason's account also doesn't mention a tipster in the street (unless I missed it).

I am not sure what to make of Gleason's account. He says, "Booth went to keep a professional two weeks' engagement at Fredericks City." This is blatantly false, IMO. It's not in Art Loux's book.

Did Weichmann really take Gleason to Booth's hotel and introduce the two men? I may be corrected, but at the moment I do not remember Weichmann saying anything like that in his book.

[Steve Whitlock]

(07-23-2021 04:16 PM)Steve Wrote:  Gleason was the tipster. I just came across an interview with him in 1910 where he admits as much. I'm going to email it to Roger so he can post it to the Forum.

Steve,

Your superior work in this matter is not yet completed! We need to determine whether Lt. Joshua Graves ever gave an interview, or testimony, confirming Daniel Gleason's account.

Also, the question arises as to if or why Det. James A. McDevitt fabricated his tipster. Was it to give himself more credit than he deserved? Or was he covering for Daniel Gleason in a coordinated plan? I don't recall whether Gleason ever gave testimony at the conspiracy trial. I don't think so, even tho Weichman did. Why? There is more to learn here.

How could so many historians have missed this article? It looks like a heckuva movie to me, if some gaps are filled.

Wait a minute!!! I just found some more evidence, and mention of Capt. Gleason and Det. McDevitt in conspiracy testimony, from a NY Times 19 May 1865 article. It confirms that Lewis Weichman advised Daniel Gleason of his concerns for the conspiracy taking place at Mary Surratt's boarding house.

HOWEVER, I don't think Gleason, who did go to the War Dept with his concerns, was the tipster to McDevitt. That honor, I believe, goes to the same man that tipped Gleason, i.e. Lewis J. Weichman.

There is an area of the attached NY Times transcription which reads:

Q. -- Were any inducements held out to you by any officer of the government? A. -- Not at all. I read in the paper that morning a description of the assassin of Secretary Seward. He was described as a man who wore a long gray coat. I had seen Atzeroth wearing a long gray coat. I went down to Tenth-street and met a gentleman, to whom I communicated my suspicions, and then went and delivered myself up to Superintendent Richards, of the Metropolitan Police force, and told him of where this man Payne had been stopping, and also of Atzeroth and Herrold. I was then sent to Gen. Augur's office, and after leaving that place, met a man who kept a stable in Thirteenth and E streets, who stated that a man had been to his place to hire a horse. He described the man as being of small stature, having black eyebrows, and a kind of a smile on his face. He said the name was Herrold.

I then went with Officer McDevitt to Herrold's house, and procured photographs of himself and Booth. Officer McDevitt procured a photograph of Surratt. I stated what I knew of Herrold's habit of riding through Maryland; that he had many acquaintances there, and that the assassins would probably take their course through Maryland.
******************************************
I took special note of " I went down to Tenth-street and met a gentleman, to whom I communicated my suspicions", and believe the "gentleman" was James A. McDevitt.

Places of the transcription make one wonder who the witness is, and I'm certain that the Lewis Wickham mentioned is Lewis Weichman. That same Lewis Weichman, in my opinion, is the tipster to Daniel Gleason and James A. McDevitt!!!

[RJNorton]

I would like to see what detective John Clarvoe had to say about the events in the early morning hours of April 15, 1865. If I recall correctly Richards placed him in charge of the group of detectives who went to Mary Surratt's. I'd be curious if Clarvoe supports (or not) McDevitt's story of the tipster. If anyone can post words from John Clarvoe that would be wonderful.