Louis Weichmann

[L Verge]

(07-09-2015 01:13 PM)Susan Higginbotham Wrote:  Some of the sisters' stories (including one about a "lady" in man's boots) are mentioned in "Myths after Lincoln" (see the link below, pp. 225-26). I find the one about Anna Surratt luring Weichmann to an address in Philadelphia to translate a letter for her to be a little far-fetched.

In her biography of Holt and in her book "Lincoln's Avengers," Elizabeth Leonard mentions Weichmann's letters to Holt, beginning in October 1865, asking for a government job as recompense for the trouble his testimony had brought on him. Leonard writes that Weichmann complained of being shunned by the Catholic Church, but doesn't quote him as complaining to Holt about attempts on his life. That seems to contradict the sisters' claim (p. 226) that Stanton obtained the government job for Weichmann (which he got in December 1865) in order to protect Weichmann better.

https://archive.org/stream/mythsafterlin...1/mode/2up

In my opinion, Anna Surratt was much too fragile after the execution of her mother to make any plans against Weichmann. From what I know, his harrassments started coming almost immediately after the execution - when brother John was still in hiding.

No one has mentioned that brother Isaac might bear a grudge against Weichmann also. He had spent four years serving the Confederate cause and did not learn of his mother's death until September. Then he got arrested in Baltimore on his way home from war. That would irritate me!

It appears to me that we should be looking at other leads as to who was trying to get even with Louie. There were certainly an abundance of "secessionists," Confederate veterans, Copperhead supporters, and just plain people who thought he had shown poor regard for a "woman who had treated him like a son." Include a few who might have mental issues, and we can take some of the heat off of John Surratt.

I also want to know more about John Brophy. He was friends with both John and Louis - but it appears to me more friendly with the latter since they had both taught together in D.C. before Weichmann obtained employment (conveniently at the War Department).

People have also claimed that Anna stayed with Mr. & Mr. Brophy after the execution. Anna told a congressional hearing regarding Johnson's impeachment that the Holohans returned to the boardinghouse, helped her clean it, and that they all stayed there until the fall. There is a receipt somewhere from a merchant showing Anna having bought food for the H Street house as late as October of 1865.

The house was auctioned off in June of 1866 because of mounting debts. It was just about that time in 1866 that John Brophy was married - a slight little detail that would indicate that Anna did not live with any Brophy before that unless John had parents that are never mentioned.

We know from descendants that she spent time here in Maryland with her grandmother and uncle and also lived for awhile with school friends. I remember a reference somewhere to her being a sort of governess to someone's children for awhile before her marriage in 1869.

More needs to be revealed...