Dave Taylor / Davey Herold Question

[John E.]

I agree with those who believe Booth's faith in his minions (except for Powell) was quite a reach. I doubt that any of those guys (save for John Surratt) were capable of killing. They just weren't as committed as Booth and Powell were. It wasn't about making a quick buck for those two men, it was about ideology. Booth and Powell were just as willing to die for their cause as they were to kill someone else for it.

I maintain that Herold was the "signal" man responsible for signaing the others to go forward with their assignments. After Booth signaled Herold to alert the others that the plan was on, Davey rode down to the corner of Penn. Avenue and Lafayette Park and signaled Powell. I think Herold went looking for Atzerodt but after he found no one in the hotel room, he split to go meet up with Booth.

He didn't abandon Powell, nor did Powell want Herold around.