Where was John Surratt on April 14, 1865 ?

[Steve]

For those of you that are interested, like Laurie, Bissell settled his suit in June 1865 with the railroad for $5,000 (abt. $81,400 today) plus his legal costs:

https://archive.org/stream/trialofjohnhs...0/mode/2up

This is from the testimony of Bissell's lawyer in the railroad suit, Charles Wetmore, who was called as a rebuttal witness. Wetmore also admitted in his testimony that he had heard rumors that Bissell had a bad reputation when preparing witnesses for Bissell's case. I don't believe hearsay testimony like that from Bissell's former lawyer should have been allowed at the trial but it is telling about Bissell's character as historical evidence.

Wetmore also testified that they had already begun settlement negotiations for the case with the railroad lawyers in mid-April 1865 and that he did not believe Bissell was actively trying to find new witnesses at that time including the elusive brakeman Bissell claimed to be looking for that never became a witness in the case. One would think that Bissell would tell his attorney if he was looking for or thought he needed this specific witness for his case.

Also, if you examine the testimony of J. R. Fletcher (James Riley Fletcher):

https://archive.org/stream/trialofjohnhs...8/mode/2up

Fletcher testified that he knew Bissell while they both lived in Leraysville/Pike Township in Bradford County PA around 1860 and that Bissell had a bad reputation before the railroad suit was even filed.

That they were indeed neighbors then is confirmed by the 1860 census where Fletcher is located on the census page before Bissell:

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXP3-HNW

(see the link to Bissell's 1860 census record in my previous post)

Fletcher in the 1870 census:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZ26-KRW

and 1880 census:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MWVX-88Z

(Fletcher's occupation is listed as a carpenter in the 1860 and 1880 censuses but his occupation of "keeping eating house" in the 1870 census seems like a close enough match to the livery stable keeper occupation in the court record.)

I have a few more thoughts on Bissell and his testimony, but I'm sort of pressed for time, so I'm posting what I've already written now and finish my thoughts tomorrow.