The evidence that sealed Mrs. Surratt's fate

[L Verge]

I believe the gist of Weichmann's supposed statement was to claim to the end that he was innocent and that the Surratt family had continued to persecute him to the end of his days. There was an earlier incident, I believe, where someone named Surratt happened to move to Anderson, Indiana (Weichmann's home). Weichmann was panic-stricken that they were chasing him to the ends of the earth. This family may have been part of our Surratts generations before, but not closely related. Uncles of John Surratt, Sr. began westward migration in the mid-1700s.

Personally, I think that Weichmann was on the periphery of the plotting, BUT from the standpoint of knowing something was going on - not just what or any details. If he did report his suspicions to the officials in the Commissary General's office where he worked, that should have gone a long way in his defense. Reporting a conspiracy in order to stop it nullifies one's role in that conspiracy if I understand vicarious liability correctly.

I once asked Mr. Hall about this, and I think he believed that Weichmann did report it and the officials chose to just keep a watch on the boardinghouse to see what developed. Sounds much like the surveillance we do of suspected bomber cells - and then something happens...

On the Good Friday services issue: I am an Episcopalian, and for many moons, our church has observed Good Friday with three-hour services from 12 noon to 3 pm. A short mass is held in the morning and/or evening, for those unable to attend during work hours. This would appear to be the reason for Stanton sending workers home in time to make the long afternoon services. However, the journey with Mrs. Surratt to the country would have started near the end of those services.

Questions for theological historians: If someone attended at least one of those services, had they done their duty for the day? Could one attend the three-hour service, but leave before it ended? If only the evening service was left to attend, did you have to pay penance for not attending?

It appears to me that Mrs. Surratt - based on the timeline of her associations with Booth that day - would have had to have gone to the morning service in order to do her religious duty. The afternoon service would interfere with her hurried trip to Surrattsville; if she waited for Booth to stop by at night to pick up hat and pistols (as several of you theorize), she would not want to leave home; and, if we are to believe Richard Smoot, she and Mrs. Holohan started out probably for evening service and turned around because of the weather. That last statement has never made sense to me because it was not very severe weather that night - and it certainly would not have prevented a Catholic (or any other Christian faith) from doing religious duties.

I'll leave y'all to ponder those questions while I decide whether I want to go to church in the morning...