Was there an assassin on Grant's train?

[L Verge]

(06-23-2015 04:56 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  Pam, I can add Mike Kauffman's opinion on the Father Menu letter. I had written Mike about this back in 2006, and Mike replied:

"If Father Menu wrote to Weichmann just after the so-called kidnap attempt, his letter would have arrived about March 20 or 21. John Surratt was out of town at the time, so that means it was most likely Mary Surratt who intercepted the letter and turned it over to Booth (perhaps indirectly through John, later in the week.) In her defense, it could be said that her motive was to warn her son that he ought not to trust his old friend. Either way, it was not just Weichmann who betrayed Mrs. Surratt; that was a two-way street."

SOURCE: Mike Kauffman email, March 8, 2006.

I am so glad that you saved that email, Roger. I knew that years ago, several of us discussed the Menu letter (I think Mr. Hall was still alive and in on the discussion) in a chat that we used to have sometimes after events and Booth Tours. I could only remember that the consensus of opinion was that Mrs. Surratt was the one who told Booth about it.

I have very mixed emotions about Louis Weichmann. I will also admit that my judgment of him is based more on feelings than facts. However, I see him as an unstable personality who wanted desperately to fit in (sort of like the child that never got picked for the softball game at recess). As for him turning state's evidence against Mary Surratt, I understand from the standpoint of self-preservation as well as doing his duty as a good citizen.

The other side of me thinks that he would have to live with his conscience for the rest of his life for turning against the woman who supposedly had treated him like a son. During the last six months of the war, especially, he served her more than her son did because of John's increased responsibilities with the Secret Line.