Herold and Surratt

[RJNorton]

(05-12-2015 11:28 AM)Pamela Wrote:  It's kind of amazing how many factors muddy up the picture of where Surratt was on the 14th. Was Booth telling the truth to Herold and Atzerodt or manipulating them to strengthen their resolve? And then there is the statement that Betty found about a witness seeing Herold with Surratt on the 14th. P. 173, A True History, Weichmann thought there was a purpose in Mary's showing him the letter from John on the evening of the 14th but didn't speculate as to what it could be. Did she know that John had returned from Canada and wanted Weichmann to be sure to say, if asked, that he was in Canada, which is what happened? And why did the letter disappear?

Pam, if you are wondering if the letter were a ruse I am wondering that, too. If the letter were real why wouldn't he send it straight to his mother at the boardinghouse? Perhaps the letter was a ruse to make it appear Surratt was somewhere he was not (Montreal). And if the letter were real how could Mary lose it in only 3 days; on April 17 she was asked to show the letter to the detectives, and she could not produce it. Strange that it disappeared (as you mentioned). This was (allegedly) a letter from a family member; hard to understand that she could lose it so quickly.