Herndon House

[BettyO]

(07-04-2012 03:11 PM)rjnorton Wrote:  I am aware of Linda Anderson's skills as a researcher. She is amazing!

Betty, there was testimony at the trial that Mary Surratt visited Lewis Powell in his room at the Herndon House. If true, any idea why she went to see him?

Apparently by going to pay a visit on a single young gentleman, Mrs. Surratt was breaking every rule of Victorian womanhood! But the question is raised - DID she actually visit Powell? According to Weichmann, she went into the Herndon House to see Mr. Powell (or Kincheloe as the case may be) -- we don't know why, although either before or after (I'll have to check and see which - can't remember right now) Mrs. Surratt wanted to "borrow" one of Powell's horses and sent her brother, Zaddock to meet with Powell for this issue. Powell refused to loan the horses, saying that they may be needed for other purposes (apparently the kidnap plot).... Atzerodt confirmed this in his confession, I believe.

I would have to say that perhaps, if she DID go to visit Powell at the Herndon House it was related to the matter of the horses or as a deliverer of a message from Surratt to Powell. Although why she couldn't leave the message with Parr (supposedly Powell's employer) I don't know.

It also could be that the supposition that Mrs. Surratt visited Powell was just fabrication to make her appear "hardened" and "unladylike" in her manner so as to give her more of a "conspiratoress" impression to the court....