Dave Taylor / Davey Herold Question

[KateH.]

Do you mean the statements Atzerodt gave? Were they truthful? No, I don't believe he told the truth. In both confessions (the first one and the "lost" one) he lies. In the first statement (which can be found in "From War Department Files") he says that he knew about the assassination and was asked to assist. "Booth proposed that we should kill the President...that Wood would go up to Seward's house and kill him...He then asked me if I was willing myself to assist them." Then, in his "lost" confession, he says that he heard Booth mention murdering Lincoln and Seward and he did not believe the story. "He then said he was going to kill the President and Wood, the Secy. of State. I did not believe him." A few short lines down he says, "I repeat I never knew anything about the murder." Atzerodt wasn't being truthful and, on trial for his life, may have tried to implement others (Herold, Mary Surratt, Dr. Mudd) further so his own sentence would be reduced.