John Patrick Brophy

[Pamela]

I think he was the trusted friend mentioned by John Surratt in his Rockville lecture:

" Things continued in this way for some time, until I could stand the suspense no longer. I determined to send a messenger to Washington for that purpose, and secured the services of an intelligent and educated gentleman. I started him off immediately, I paying all expenses. I gave him a letter to a friend of mine in Washington, with instructions to say to him to put himself in communication with the counsel for the defense, and to make a correct report to me as to how the case stood; if there was any danger; and also, to communicate with me if my presence was necessary, and inform me without delay; with an urgent request that he would see and inquire for himself how matters stood. He left me, and God alone knows the suspense and anxiety of my mind during the days of his absence. I imagined and thought all kinds of things; yet I was powerless to act. At last he returned, and so bright and cheerful was his countenance that I confess one-half of my fears were dispelled. He represented everything as progressing well, and brought me the message from the gentleman in Washington to whom I had sent him:

'Be under no apprehension as to any serious consequences. Remain perfectly quiet, as any action on your part would only tend to make matters worse. If you can be of any service to us, we will let you know; but keep quiet.'

These were the instructions I received from my friend in Washington, in whom I felt the utmost reliance, and who I thought would never deceive me."

Brophy was teaching at Gonzaga College in DC at the time. He was a schoolmate of John and Louis's at St. Charles Seminary and was close to Father Wiget whose name appeared on Brophy's naturalization record. He said something interesting in a speech he gave to the Society of the friendly Sons of St. Patrick in the early 1900's (after Weichmann was dead, John Surratt still alive). It was mixed in with a lot of distortions and lies (like Davey Herold was a "sixteen year old half witted orphan", and maybe that's all it is:
"Booth plotted and planned the kidnapping carefully, but each time the plan was to be put into execution something occurred to frustrate him. Once the President was to be taken as he passed over the Anacostia Bridge in his carriage on his tour of the military hospital. That and the two other attempts failed."
I don't remember reading about three failed attempts. Wasn't there just one?

His speech is in the Confederate Veteran Magazine, Volume 18.

I did some research on Brophy and found that he married a niece of President Tyler, Elizabeth Watts Tyler. I've seen her name as Elizabeth Warren Tyler, also. He moved to New York and became President of St. Louis College, a school for boys. Years later he reinvented himself as an Assistant Deputy Clerk for the New York Supreme Court. He died in 1914.

Weichmann's response to Brophy can be read here:
http://www.nytimes.com/1865/07/18/news/m...davit.html
Weichmann said Brophy wasn't yet naturalized, but apparently he was.