John Surratt's real parents?

[L Verge]

I actually differ from Roger and Betty in that I don't think Mrs. Surratt was officially under arrest (meaning charges had been made) until she was at headquarters and Bell, the Seward doorman, identified Powell as the assailant of the Secretary of State. I think that's when she was sent to the clinker.

I also think that's when Weichmann started putting two and two together as to what had been going on for the past four months or so -- and became very cooperative with the authorities (in order to gain Brownie points?). As for Lloyd, I think he told the truth throughout because he was so far on the fringes, he didn't know enough about what was going on to concoct a good lie!

Tom and Roger, thanks for the compliment (I think) about my battle gear. Remember that I said I was being devil's advocate. That was one of the techniques that teacher training drilled into me in order to get students to think for themselves.

That said, I do believe that there was enough evidence (albeit circumstantial by our standards) to charge, try, and execute Mrs. Surratt according to the laws of war and conspiracy and the temper of the times. I just think the government made her more guilty than she likely was. Of course (and pardon me here, Bob Summers), I also think Dr. Mudd should have received the death penalty for starting the whole thing of getting the Surratts involved!

BTW: Kate Larson became a good friend while researching her book Assassin's Accomplice and was brave enough to hit the subject of Mary's guilt head-on, instead of dancing around the issue like so many historians before her. Bettie Trindal's American Tragedy set the stage for a totally innocent woman, and Kate turned the tables in the opposite direction. Most authors over the years have chosen to wiggle out of giving a real opinion.

Shortly after her book came out, Kate was kind enough to tell me that she had almost given up writing the book because she thought she was the only one who thought that Mary got what was due her - until she happened to read a speech that I gave in 2003 for the Surratt conference. I titled the talk, Mary Surratt: Did She or Didn't She? My conclusion was that She Did (at least enough to supply the rope to the government for hanging...).