John Surratt

[Rhatkinson]

(08-06-2013 06:59 PM)GARY POPOLO Wrote:  I have read a number of posts questioning where John Surratt was at the time of the assassination. After all was said and done he was found not guilty and walked away a free man. What troubles me is how after all the facts were presented about Dr. Mudd and how he had a huge part in helping Booth medically, allowing him and David to stay in his home and then helping in his escape by giving him names and places he could go to help him escape to Virginia gets nothing but a small jail term and then is pardoned while others who had almost no connection to Booth were given maximum punishment or death. Hard to believe he was able to get off so easy. Not to mention he was a major confederate spy! Maybe I am missing something here. Any help? Best Gary

Gary,

If memory serves, Dr. Mudd was spared the gallows by only one vote, so it wasn't as if he was deemed innocent. Much of the involvement we now know that Mudd had was, at great expense in legal fees spent by Mudd's family, concealed from the commission. The only person who, I believe, got shafted was Spangler. His is truly a sad story. The rest deserved what they got in my view.

Heath