Where was John Surratt on April 14, 1865 ?

[loetar44]

(03-07-2017 05:56 PM)RJNorton Wrote:  

(03-07-2017 05:09 PM)loetar44 Wrote:  Atzerodt said on July 6 (almost 3 months after the fact and the day before his execution) that he had seen Surratt on April 14 and that he (Surratt) was then staying at the Herndon House. Also he said that Booth told him that Surratt was with him (Booth) in Ford's Theatre

Kees, I recall where Atzerodt claimed Booth said (to Atzerodt) that he had seen Surratt in Washington on the 14th, and that Surratt was going to help in the box at Ford's. However, I do not recall Atzerodt himself saying he had seen Surratt on the 14th in Washington. Could you possibly post what you found regarding what Atzerodt said? Many thanks.

Roger,
I recall it was Weichmann who was the first who wrote about John Surratt in the Herndon House on April 14, 1865. I am not in the possession of Weichmann’s “A True History of the Assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the Conspiracy of 1865”, but once (long ago) read it. According my notes it was on page 386.

Further, it was you, who supported the fact that Surratt was in DC on April 14, 1865
See: http://lincoln-assassination.com/bboard/...668.0;wap2
In which you wrote:
“Atzerodt said a lot of things that have been debated/questioned on this board. In his statement of July 6, 1865, he wrote:

"Booth told me that Surratt was in the Herndon House on the night of the murder, the 14th of April, we were not all together at the Herndon House. Booth told me that Surratt was to help at the box, that he expected others in the box. I saw Surratt a few moments ago."

The vast majority of posters here feel Surratt was in Elmira. If true, then that's yet another Booth-Atzerodt conversation that is problematic. “

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(03-07-2017 07:56 PM)L Verge Wrote:  Both Andrew and Benjamin Queen gave statements on April 27th, 1865. Andrew's first paragraph relates only to Herold [not Surratt] running with someone matching Powell's description to catch a streetcar. In the second paragraph, Andrew says that he "knew Surratt" and "saw him last about six months ago."

Benjamin talks mainly about Herold and Atzerodt in his statement. About Surratt, he says "I have not seen Surratt since last summer a year ago, I stopped in his place [referring to Surratt Tavern] and got a drink of whiskey, except two weeks ago at church..."

Two weeks ago would put Surratt in church on April 15, if Ben is correct. I doubt seriously that John would be in any church in DC on the day after the assassination...

NOTE that both of the Queens lived close to Herold's home outside the Navy Yard gates. Ben's reference to summer a year ago would mean the summer of 1864 - before the Surratts moved into Washington.

Laurie,
Thank you so much for your remarks! I fully agree with you! Both Andrew and Benjamin Queen did NOT see John Surratt on April 14 in Washington DC.

Andrew and Benjamin, they both gave their official statements on April 27th, 1865. I re-read the full statements on page 1072/1073 of William C. Edwards and Edward Steers Jr. “The Lincoln Assassination / The Evidence”. You are right, Andrew said that he "knew Surratt" and "saw him last about six months ago."

You are also right about Benjamin. He said (2nd paragraph, p. 1073):
“I last saw him the afternoon of the murder between four and five o’clock. He was mounted on a roan horse. Atzerodt was with him on a bay horse. Herold was going fast ahead and Atzerodt loping his horse after him. I called after him but he did not stop. I have not seen Surratt since last summer a year ago, etc…”

Both men on horseback were of course Herold and Atzerodt. However, John Fazio wrote in his “Decapitating the Union” on p. 46: “In a report prepared by the military detective Charles H. Rosch, dated Washington , April 25, 1865, he said that B.F. Queen said he saw Herold with SURRATT on horseback, about 4:30 p.m. on April 14, 1865, coming from the vicinity of Herold’s house and going towards the city.”. He gave as his reference Edwards and Steers.

Another date (April 27 vs. April 25) and other men on horseback (Herold & Atzerodt vs. Herold & Surratt). I hope John will join to give his comments.