Payne's Statement?

[RJNorton]

(07-14-2014 05:02 AM)BettyO Wrote:  Weichmann stated in his testimony that Mrs. Surratt remained in the Herndon House about 20 minutes and that they walked around the block....but then who really trusts Weichmann's testimony? He was and I do believe, trying to save his own neck!

Here is Weichmann's testimony about Mary's visit to the Herndon House. My question is - did Weichmann know who "Payne" was? I ask because he had used some aliases at the boardinghouse including Mr. Wood and Reverend Mr. Paine. Did he know Mary was going in to see the man who originally was known as Wood but later became Reverend Paine? I know Weichmann expressed his concerns to Captain Gleason, but I wonder if he could have done more. Could he not have insisted on seeing Stanton about his observations? I don't know, but it seems to me that Weichmann could have done more - I realize he saw himself as a hero, but I don't think I am seeing it exactly as he did.



Q. In going from any church ; I do not know the names of the churches
here?

A On Sundays she went to St. Aloysius. During Lent there were evening
services at St. Patrick's during week-days, and she went there.

Q. Did you go with her to church at any time, and returning, stop anywhere?
I do not remember the dates. You will give them.

A. Yes. sir. After the 27th, I do not remember the particular evening, Anna
Surratt, Miss Jenkins, Miss Fitzpatrick, Mrs. Surratt, and I, had been to St.
Patrick's church, on the corner of Tenth and F streets.

Q What occurred in returning?

A. On returning she stopped at the Hemdon House, at the comer of Ninth and
F streets. She went into the Hemdon House, and said that she was going in
there to see Payne.

Q. Mrs. Surratt said that?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. Tell what occurred?

A. She did go, and she came out.

Q. How long was she in there?

A. Perhaps twenty minutes.

Q. Did you see her when she came out?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. Where were you waiting?

A We walked down Ninth street to E— the party did — and down E to Tenth;
then returned to the comer of Ninth and F, and met Mrs. Surratt just as she
was coming out of the Hemdon House.

Q. Did she join you?

A. Yes, sir; and went home with us.

[BettyO]

I don't know how much Weichmann knew about what was going on; but it has always been my impression that he knew a lot more than he told. A WHOLE lot more! I think he possibly wanted to be a part of the goings on but as Surratt later stated, "He [Weichmann] could not ride a horse nor could he shoot...." So it is my impression that Mr. Weichmann felt somewhat left out from the doings of the other boys. In his book, Weichmann stated that Powell came one night in February (and Maggie Branson backed that up with her testimony that he was "away for one night in February.") At that time, Powell was dressed in black and only spent the night. He arrived under the name of "Mr. Wood", was given supper on a tray in Weichmann's room and then turned in for the night, catching an early train back to Baltmore the next morning. A few weeks later, Powell arrived at Mrs. Surratt's house under the guise of "Reverend Paine", dressed in a new gray frock coat, vest and black trousers. It was at this time that he played cards and requested Annie Surratt play the piano for him. He also later wore Weichmann's military cape to Ford's the night of the "theatre party" and all night session at Gautier's. This visit of Powell's was right after he was released from the Provost Marshal Jail in Baltimore after the altercation with the Branson's maid.

Did Weichmann know what Powell and the rest were up to? I think so.... but was too scared to squeal at that time.

[L Verge]

He claimed that he alerted a higher-up in the Commissary General's Office where he worked that there were some strange happenings at his boardinghouse, but evidently nothing was followed up on. Mr. Hall wondered if the message was passed along and the authorities decided to watch the situation instead of breaking up the fun. Once you raided a "place of interest," the plotting just moved somewhere else.

[JB Banning]

(07-15-2014 04:28 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  

(07-14-2014 05:02 AM)BettyO Wrote:  Weichmann stated in his testimony that Mrs. Surratt remained in the Herndon House about 20 minutes and that they walked around the block....but then who really trusts Weichmann's testimony? He was and I do believe, trying to save his own neck!

Here is Weichmann's testimony about Mary's visit to the Herndon House. My question is - did Weichmann know who "Payne" was? I ask because he had used some aliases at the boardinghouse including Mr. Wood and Reverend Mr. Paine. Did he know Mary was going in to see the man who originally was known as Wood but later became Reverend Paine? I know Weichmann expressed his concerns to Captain Gleason, but I wonder if he could have done more. Could he not have insisted on seeing Stanton about his observations? I don't know, but it seems to me that Weichmann could have done more - I realize he saw himself as a hero, but I don't think I am seeing it exactly as he did.

Roger,

I don't see what else Weichmann could reasonably be expected to do. I doubt that Stanton would look very kindly on a low level clerk insisting on seeing him and what low level clerk would knowingly incur Stanton's wrath? Weichmann followed the chain of command and told his supervisor.It is not his fault it didn't go any higher up the chain.

No one blames the radar operators who reported to their supervisor that a large group of air planes was approaching Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7th. They did their job. The LT. on duty didn't do his. Same with Weichmann IMHO.

Joe

[RJNorton]

Good point, Joe. I admit I sometimes get frustrated with Weichmann and perhaps have unrealistic hopes that he could have done more in an effort to prevent what happened.

[Gene C]

From what I remember, Weichmann knew John Surratt was a southern courier and his mother had southern sympothies, but not that he or his mother were connected to any assassinatin plot. It wasn't until after the assassination that he was able to put some of the pieces together, such as Booth's visits to the Surratt home. Like most other young people, he wanted to hang out with the popular crowd - John Wilkes Booth and friends.

[JB Banning]

Weichmann frustrates me too Roger. I think there is a possibility that he was a Southern sympathizer. Didn't he give sensitive information about Southern pow's to Howell? Also, why would Surratt invite a true Union man to board in his mother's house? It seems to me the Surratt's were taking a big unnecessary risk doing that.

[RJNorton]

From Pitman, here is a small portion of Howell's testimony:

"Mr. Weichman said he would like to go South with me, but he was not ready, he said, to go at that time; but as soon as he got his business arranged he was going. He asked me if I thought he could get a position in Richmond; I told him I did not know whether he could or not, as the wounded and invalid soldiers generally had the preference in the offices there by an order of the War Department. He told me that his sympathies were with the South, and that he thought it would ultimately succeed. I believe he said he had done all he could for that Government—referring to the South. We had some conversation in regard to the number of prisoners the United States Government had on hand, and he stated to me the number of Confederate prisoners the United States Government had on hand, and the number they had over that of the Confederate Government. I doubted it at the time, but he said it would not admit of doubt; that he had the books in his own office to look at.

In that conversation, I think, Mr. Weichman said he had done all he could for the South; he expressed himself as a friend of the South, as a Southern man or a secesh sympathizer would."

Howell's last sentence, if true, would also corroborate John Surratt's claim that Weichmann wanted to be part of Booth's group but was rejected because he "could neither ride a horse nor shoot a pistol..."

John Surratt also claimed, "Weichmann is a Southern man, and I always believed it until I had good reason to believe otherwise, because he had furnished information for the Confederate government, besides allowing me access to the government records after office hours."

[Gene C]

Augustus Howell served as a Confederate agent and visited the Surratt House on at least two occasions. He was arrested by Union soldiers in Surrattsville on March 24, 1865. At the trial for the conspiracy, he effectively dodged prosecutors questions by claiming he only stayed at the Surratt boarding house because it was cheaper than a motel. He was called as a defense witness on behalf of Mary Surratt (so he could have been slightly biased toward Wiechmann) and never admitted his role as a Confederate agent or escort for Sarah Slater - "The Lincoln Assassination Encyclopedia" by Edward Steers.

I'm not sure Howell was an objective witness.

[L Verge]

If you want an 1865 example of the old Abbott and Costello go-around about "Who's on first?", you need to read the portion of the trial where Howell is being questioned as to what his real name is. It's a stitch!!! It is also a good example of the games that Confederate agents used to play to frustrate their Union opponents.