Where was John Surratt on April 14, 1865 ?

[mikegriffith1]

(08-11-2018 05:01 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  Welcome to the forum, Mike.

Thank you.

Quote:We have discussed this issue many times, and there is evidence that leads in both directions. IMO, the definite majority of historians nowadays accept that John Surratt was indeed in Elmira, not Washington, on the 14th of April, 1865.

That's interesting, because I have lost count of how many books and articles I've read that either (1) assume, as a given, that John Surratt was in Washington on the 14th, without even mentioning the controversy over his whereabouts that day, or (2) that treat the claim that he was in Elmira on the 14th as a dubious conspiracy theory and that note that "numerous" witnesses placed Surratt in Washington that day.

I did see, though, that Michael Schein says he believes that Surratt was in Elmira, but he does not mention any of the severe problems with the prosecution witnesses who put him in Washington.

I do not believe that John Surratt knew about the assassination plot. I think he decided to withdraw from Booth's schemes in mid-March 1865.