Where was John Surratt on April 14, 1865 ?

[SSlater]

(10-14-2017 03:06 PM)L Verge Wrote:  

(10-14-2017 05:28 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  

(10-14-2017 12:17 AM)SSlater Wrote:  Why can't we accept Gen. E. G. Lee's statements that he sent Surratt to Elmira, on a spy mission, and that Surratt was in Elmira on April 14, 1865? It seems that we accept the word of known liars and "unsure" egotists without hesitation. There must be additional information that I can't find. Help!

John, do you have Michael Shein's book on John Surratt? If so, please see pp. 276-277. The major point (as I see it) of what Shein writes is that, in the John Surratt trial, Judge George P. Fisher made the decision to exclude Lee's testimony "that Surratt was in Elmira to surveil the prison."

I asked this once before - why did Judge Fisher reject the admission of Lee's orders into the trial record? Was there something suspicious about them that the judge deemed inadmissible? Was the judge skeptical of the Elmira story?

There must be some reason why Lee was never allowed to substantiate in court that Surratt was in Elmira.

Could Judge Fisher have wanted Surratt convicted, so he did not want official orders that would have declared Surratt was in Elmira on April 14 to be admitted into testimony?

Remember the animosity that went on between the judge and Surratt's lawyer? Geez, guys, stop chewing on a rancid bone!

Thanks Laurie, I didn't realize that Judge Fisher was still controlling some of the Public's Thinking. This information would have cleared Surratt, so he would not allow it to be presented in his Court. But that should not influence our analysis of the facts.
Can we now accept that Surratt was in Elmira and find a new Bone to chew?

As a suggestion, can we "chew the bone" on whether Surratt had any real assignment in the Assassination Plot? I think he "knew" what was up, but did not (could not!) participate. It is very possible that he did know about Harney's participation, and knew about Harney's capture.
But, all that developed between April 10+/- and April 14 was NEWS to him. He never abandoned his Mother at this time - he never knew.

Mary Surratt was not guilty of the plot that resulted in Lincoln's death.
She was totally uninformed of that plot. Everyone kept their mouth shut about Harney -forever. It was years later before the public ever heard of Harney - too late! (I'm passing the BONE, someone else tell me what they think - If you please.[/size]