Louis Weichmann

[Pamela]

As far as I can tell, much of what Weichmann testified to was corroborated by other witness testimony, and it was Lloyd's testimony that sealed her fate. Should Weichmann have lied and withheld information needed to obtain justice for Lincoln because Mary gave him soup when he had a fever? She was loved by her daughter, clearly, and Weichmann gave her the strongest character testimony of the trial. That is undisputed. But she and John put him in a very dangerous position, and John intentionally tried to compromise him as a potential witness, and collaborated with Booth when he did so. I doubt Lou's parents thought Mary treated him like a son. Who came up with that, anyway--her lawyers? It was Weichmann who treated her as a mother, certainly more so that her own sons, who both abandoned her for their own glory. Louis escorted her to church, ran every errand she asked of him, helped her with any letter writing or contracts that asked him to, and was a respectful, mannerly boarder in her home. He worked for the war department. What proof is there that he spied for the confederacy?

From the trial: WITNESS( Louis). I had been a companion of John H. Surratt’s for seven years. I did not consider that I forfeited my friendship to him in mentioning my suspicions to Mr. Gleason; he forfeited his friendship to me by placing me in the position in which I now stand, testifying against him. I think I was more of a friend to him than he was to me. He knew that I permitted a blockade-runner at the house, without informing upon him, because I was his friend. But I hesitated about it for three days; still, when my suspicions of danger to the Government were aroused, I preferred the Government to John Surratt.