A Change of Heart?

[Laurie Verge]

In 1860, only one man in Prince George's County, Maryland (the home county of the Surratt family) voted for Abraham Lincoln. In the election of 1864, a few more did switch their votes to the incumbent.

The assassination of Mr. Lincoln, however, evidently saw the county's leaders having a change of heart. I just received a copy of an advertisement from the Daily National Intelligencer of May 5, 1865, in which "The County Commissioners of Prince George's County will pay a reward of TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS for the apprehension of any of the parties concerned (whether as principals or accessories before or after the fact) in the recent assassination of the President and Secretary of State of the United States, provided said parties, or any of them, shall be taken within the limits of said county."

Note that this advertisement appeared just a few days before the trial of the conspirators began in Washington, D.C.