Louis Weichmann

[L Verge]

(09-20-2015 12:17 AM)Pamela Wrote:  

(09-19-2015 08:06 PM)Gene C Wrote:  

(09-19-2015 07:12 PM)Pamela Wrote:  Laurie, you've asked me a couple of times why Father Mulcahy despised the Weichmann and didn't think much of his brother and family. And I've wondered why Conroy's hatred was so bizarre and intense, and Mulcahey's just so intense, and unprofessional. I'm wondering if frustrated gay urges were a factor, something which is speculated about currently regarding many historic persons, sometimes based on thin evidence without enough respect for cultural and period differences.

I wouldn't publicly wonder or wander in that direction. There isn't any evidence as far as I know, and you haven't presented any, to go down that road. They chose to support the Surratt's over Weichmann, due to perceived wrongs. Comments have been made that there was also likely a political, regional, and/or friendship reason for their decision.

Gene, those reasons don't explain the Fathers' intense and bizarrely imaginative hatred for Louis Weichmann, presuming to crawl into his head and soul and know the evil inside him. Yes, they chose to support the Surratts or, specifically, Mary over Weichmann. But they took their support to a mentally, emotionally disturbing level. The Unibomber sounded sane in comparison. They are not sacred cows; Conroy wrote a report to enter into the public domain and you posted it on this discussion forum. Laurie asked me more than once for my views, and that's my honest opinion, because this kind of intimate, raw hate talk stems from something more than it's stated rational, IMO.

A small portion of Conroy's report:

"This one time student for the priesthood whose early ambition was to ascend the alters of the Catholic Church to say mass, this candidate for the priesthood, turned his back on the alter of his early ambitions for one reason and one reason only: every candle burning on the alter would have revealed to Wichman's conscience the picture of Mrs. Surratt in infamy and desperation on the scaffold in the jail yard in Washington, a victim of the perfidy and dishonor of a Lou Wichman who had broken bread in her house many times as a guest and then turned against her with the open, flaming mouth of a hyena at the trial before the military tribunal."--Father Conroy in a statement made in 1943

(09-19-2015 09:48 PM)L Verge Wrote:  "If Weichmann drove Mrs Surratt into the country because he knew of the plans then why did Mary go? And why the concocted story given to him for the purpose of the trip?"

I don't understand your announcement that the April 14 trip to Surrattsville stemmed from a concocted story about Mrs. Surratt owing money to the Calverts and hoping to get money that was owed her by John Nothey. The reason for that trip is soldily grounded in irrefutable evidence. Take the time to research it. Did that trip prove handy for JWB? Yes, indeed, but the assassination would have gone on whether or not Mrs. Surratt and her "coachman" Weichmann had made the trip.

P.S. I have talked with some Nothey descendants over the years, and the gentleman was not the finest character. He was evidently the type who would skip out on meeting with his creditors, which is exactly what he did. Mrs. Surratt ended up asking Weichmann to write a letter to him and asking Bennett Gwynn to deliver it. Gwynn testified in court to that -- as did our pal, Louis.

You're putting words into my mouth. Of course I don't know all the history that you do, but Mary could have simply sent him a letter for 3 cents.

You are the one who used the word "concocted" in your previous post, Pamela, so I just quoted you. As for the Nothey issue, Mrs. Surratt had already been in touch with Nothey, and this trip to meet in person was in hopes of finally coaxing the money he owed her out of his hands and into hers.

It was Friday, so the mail coach would not run out of D.C. until Monday. It would reach the tavern that afternoon, but then it was anyone's guess when (and if) Nothey would pick up the letter. Even if he picked it up on Tuesday, the coach would not be back until Wednesday. Under the fastest time, it would take a week for the two of them to communicate via snail mail. Time's a'wasting with the Calverts; she needs Nothey's payment asap. A face-to-face meeting makes sense.

People have also asked me why she just didn't go to Nothey's house to demand the money. A Victorian lady would not do that. It just was not proper, and it was not safe when dealing with a somewhat spurious character. I may be wrong in assuming this, but Louis Weichmann could have knocked on Nothey's door as her representative. Perhaps Mrs. Surratt didn't think he could be forceful enough?

In any case, she believed Nothey would come to her tavern; and when he didn't, it became too late to go searching for him and still get back to H Street before dark night. People always assume that she waited around for Lloyd to come home so that she could deliver the field glasses and message. Emma Offutt could have done that. I suspect (but can't prove) that Mary was waiting around until the last moment in the hopes that Nothey really would show up.