Thomas F. Harney

[John Fazio]

(07-27-2015 08:06 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  John S. and Herb, I am still on the fence. I just cannot understand how 13 witnesses could have testified that they saw Surratt in Washington on the 14th. I am sure some of these folks testified not "in good faith" but all 13? Just makes me wonder how this could have happened.

If I am reading Michael Shein's book correctly he says Surratt could have traveled from Elmira to Williamsport, then to Sunbury, then to Baltimore, then to Washington arriving as early as 5:45 A.M. on April 14th. (The author did not include a map of this possible route; I am just going by the text as I understand it.) In a footnote Shein adds that, "There might have been a Surratt look-alike parading about (Elmira) in a Garibaldi jacket into the afternoon of the 13th, while Surratt was already on the train."

Roger:

Charles Higham, in his Murdering Mr. Lincoln, also postulates a scenario whereby Surratt made his way to Washington from New York State in time to help Booth. As for the look-alike, I made the same suggestion in Decapitation, not without some evidence, though it is slim (see Decapitation, p.8 and The Lincoln Assassination (Edwards and Steers), p. 1226). In my opinion, these train scenarios are tortured and most unlikely. Recall that Surratt told McMillan that he left Montreal immediately in response to Booth's "letter" (read telegram) advising him that their plans had changed and that he was to return to Washington forthwith. Why, then, would he go to Elmira to patronize haberdashers and soak up the lower New York State scenery? It doesn't make sense. It makes more sense that he would go directly to Washington, which would put him there long before the 14th. This scenario accords with one of Ste. Marie's two accounts (the one he gave in court), but not with his Affidavit given in Italy, with the testimony of 13 or 14 witnesses at the trial and with Atzerodt's saying that Booth told him on the 14th that Surratt was going to help him and that he had just seen Surratt in the Herndon House. I's a tough nut to crack.

John