Louis Weichmann

[Susan Higginbotham]

(09-07-2015 05:50 PM)Pamela Wrote:  

(09-07-2015 05:01 PM)Susan Higginbotham Wrote:  Does this sound like a man who would conspire to kidnap the President?

"I had almost forgotten to tell you that I called on your friend. Mr. Wm. Underwood, at the Carver Hospital. He has nearly recovered from his wound, though it has not yet quite healed. He intended going home in a week or two, and perhaps he may be there now, as it has been over a week since I saw him.

"Have you heard from your Uncle James [a Union soldier] lately ? There has been some very hard fighting out West recently, and you know, Cousin Bell, that the foe has very little regard where he directs his bullets. May God preserve him, and grant that he may see the end of this unholy war without harm."

Yet the writer of this letter (and other quite charming letters), John Surratt, certainly did plot to kidnap the President, and perhaps worse than that.

I think that under the right (or perhaps more aptly, wrong) circumstances, particularly in wartime, just about anybody is capable of anything.

I can't claim as a proven fact that Weichmann supplied John Surratt with confidential information, but I think it's possible that he did. Gilbert Raynor, the clerk whose statement you kindly pointed me to, did mention that Surratt visited Weichmann at work and that Weichmann boasted of ways he could make a large sum of money, and Colonel Foster mentioned "large quanties of envelopes, with the official frank of the office of the Commissary General of Prisoners," being found in the room Weichmann and Surratt shared. Maybe two or three envelopes were used by Weichmann as bookmarks, but large quantities?

Yes, his letter does sound consistent with someone who could conspire against the President. He talked about bullets, and an unholy war, compared to Weichmann who talked about sunshine, courage, a romantic village, complements of the season, influential acquaintances, succeeding through his exertions and writing in French. If you don't see the difference, I do.

Here's a letter to Ste. Marie written at the same time:

Dear sir,

I received a letter from Mr. Wiechmann yesterday, stating your intention to leave Texas by the first of May. I spoke to Mr. Hill about a teacher. He said he wanted one and was willing to have you as our teacher, but he could not build a schoolhouse for some time.

If you have made up your mind to go S---- I can send you all safely. Do not have the least doubt of it. Times are better than they were. All you have to do is let me know the day you will be in Washington, and I will meet you. You can carry a hand trunk with you.

There will not be the least difficulty, only perhaps you will have to remain among us some two or three weeks. Still, we can easily make the time pass agreeably. I suppose "Texas" looks as dreary as possible. My kindest regards to Father Mahoney. Do not fail to come to Washington.

Your friend,
J. Harrison Surratt

This is a letter written by a hardened blockade runner boasting about his skills. Texas isn't romantic, it's dreary. He isn't encouraging Ste Marie to obtain a respectable position by his own exertions, perhaps aided by influential friends; he told him there was no job available and encouraged him to head south, and presumably join the Confederacy. This difference between the two men is distinct, at least to me.

I haven't read anywhere that Weichmann was questioned about the envelopes although I presume he was. Louis was teaching himself phonography at home with daily lessons, considered to be incredibly difficult to do by Pittman. Perhaps Weichmann took some work home with him, rather than stay late and miss meals that his board paid for. I don't know why the envelopes were in his room and neither do you. To you it suggests something dark, to me something conscientious. Weichmann did answer to the money making comment. Have you read it in The Evidence?

Since Colonel Foster wrote in his report mentioning the envelopes that "It seems extremely improbable that Wiechmann was ignorant of the entire plot, if he was not an accomplice," I'd say that the envelopes suggested something dark (or at least suspicious) to him. And at this distance his opinion would seem to count as much or more than mine or yours. (I must say, though, that a franked government envelope strikes me as a good place to carry clandestine correspondence--if I were a courier and my friend and roommate offered to bring some home, I'd be most appreciative.)

Speaking of going South, didn't Weichmann acknowledge wanting to go to Richmond to study for the priesthood? That sounds like an odd choice for someone whose loyalties were firmly with the North, especially given the hardships of living in the South at that time.

I don't dislike Weichmann, by the way. But I just can't view him as an abject innocent.