assassination

[mbgross]

I was at my local CWRT meeting and the speaker said that Booth had bought tickets for John Surratt and Powell to Ford's theater in the same box that Lincoln sat in about a month before the assassination. I had never heard of this before and was just wondering if any of you have? thanks, mike gross

[Wild Bill]

I have and it is in my Last Confed Heroes, part ix, section 7, Weichmann Gets Nosey

[L Verge]

I have also, in Bill's book and in others. I believe that this is the incident where they also took Nora Fitzpatrick and Appolonia Dean, two of the young boarders at the Surratt home (probably as convenient "cover?"). I think it was also another time when Louis Weichmann got pouty about not being invited along with the guys.

[John Fazio]

Everyone:

I too have heard the story and believe it. Further, I view it as further evidence that Booth was closing in. Surratt and Powell were principal figures in his conspiracy, not unreliables like Herold, Atzerodt, Arnold and O'Laughlen. They knew what his real purpose was and what roles they were likely expected to play. It was necessary, therefore, that they have a feel for the place, the place, be it remembered, that Booth had told Chester in New York, as early as the preceding December or January, that the "abduction" was to occur.

John

[RJNorton]

Susan has an article about this online:

http://www.susanhigginbotham.com/blog/po...ane-shore/

[BettyO]

I, too believe that this incident occurred. Weichmann mentions it in his memoirs - as recorded by Risvold. This was the occasion when both Nora Fitzpatrick and "the little Dean girl" as Mr. Hall referred to her, were esorted by Surratt and Powell as a cover. Miss Fitzpatrick also referred to it in her trial testimony.

[L Verge]

God bless Susan for knowing how to spell Apollonia's name! I tried several versions several times and still got it wrong. That has always been a stumbling block for me. Mr. Hall had troubles with pronouncing it because when we were all getting taught by him, the rocker Prince's girl friend had the same name, but did not pronounce it in the time-honored way. Mr. Hall also worried that the play was not a proper venue for a ten-year-old girl.

Susan mentions that the plan was to take the two youngest girls to the theater. That would have been Apollonia and the young Holohan daughter (Mary?), but the latter was preparing for her first communion. Susan has done such a wonderful job of researching characters in the assassination story that I wonder if she ever traced the two Holohan children after 1865?

P.S. You will find the name Holohan also spelled Holahan in various versions of the story.

[Susan Higginbotham]

God bless Susan for knowing how to spell Apollonia's name! I tried several versions several times and still got it wrong. That has always been a stumbling block for me. Mr. Hall had troubles with pronouncing it because when we were all getting taught by him, the rocker Prince's girl friend had the same name, but did not pronounce it in the time-honored way. Mr. Hall also worried that the play was not a proper venue for a ten-year-old girl.

Susan mentions that the plan was to take the two youngest girls to the theater. That would have been Apollonia and the young Holohan daughter (Mary?), but the latter was preparing for her first communion. Susan has done such a wonderful job of researching characters in the assassination story that I wonder if she ever traced the two Holohan children after 1865?

P.S. You will find the name Holohan also spelled Holahan in various versions of the story.

Thanks, Laurie! I did trace them. Charles worked as a stone cutter and married a Catherine Culthane. He died in 1909. Mary married a printer named Francis Shafer. She died in 1927, making her the last surviving Surratt boarder. Their death certificates are at the link below.


http://www.susanhigginbotham.com/blog/po...-boarders/

[Gene C]

Not to be confused with Apollonia Vitelli

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcND0kM0...vg&index=7

[Dennis Urban]

In Susan's blog noted above, she provides a signature of Nora Fitzpatrick as a married woman. In many publications, Nora's given name is usually shown as Honora. Close examination of the signature as written by Nora seems to reveal the actual spelling as Hannora. Could it be that many writings over many years have corrupted the true spelling of her name. The first "a" and double "n" are very clear in the example. I wonder if there is a birth certificate out there somewhere.

Also, the March 15, 1865 Ford's Theatre visit by Nora is mentioned in Louis Weichmann's book, A True History of the Assassination..., on page 98.

[Jim Woodall]

Following Bull Run, John Holohan was arrested and charged with treason. Some of the charges included causing the stampede at Bull Run and also threatening the president. There are several articles in the local papers covering this. If my memory serves correctly, he was eventually let go after ye olde "loyalty oath." It makes for interesting reading.

see:
National Republican, 31 Jul 1861, pg 3 - stampede, threatening
National Republican, 22 Aug 1861, pg 3 - stampede

National Republican, 31 Mar 1861, pg 3 - Wigwam riot
National Republican, 2 Apr 1861, pg 3 - theft charge

I will have to look up the accounts of the trial and post those later.

[Susan Higginbotham]

Following Bull Run, John Holohan was arrested and charged with treason. Some of the charges included causing the stampede at Bull Run and also threatening the president. There are several articles in the local papers covering this. If my memory serves correctly, he was eventually let go after ye olde "loyalty oath." It makes for interesting reading.

see:
National Republican, 31 Jul 1861, pg 3 - stampede, threatening
National Republican, 22 Aug 1861, pg 3 - stampede

National Republican, 31 Mar 1861, pg 3 - Wigwam riot
National Republican, 2 Apr 1861, pg 3 - theft charge

I will have to look up the accounts of the trial and post those later.

Interesting! None of this was brought out against him in 1865, was it? Here's his loyalty oath:

[L Verge]

Following Bull Run, John Holohan was arrested and charged with treason. Some of the charges included causing the stampede at Bull Run and also threatening the president. There are several articles in the local papers covering this. If my memory serves correctly, he was eventually let go after ye olde "loyalty oath." It makes for interesting reading.

see:
National Republican, 31 Jul 1861, pg 3 - stampede, threatening
National Republican, 22 Aug 1861, pg 3 - stampede

National Republican, 31 Mar 1861, pg 3 - Wigwam riot
National Republican, 2 Apr 1861, pg 3 - theft charge

I will have to look up the accounts of the trial and post those later.

Interesting! None of this was brought out against him in 1865, was it? Here's his loyalty oath:

Can anyone get the oath to enlarge enough to read? I have never heard of this and definitely want to know more about the incidents and the trial. No wonder Stanton was so upset when he first learned that Weichmann and Holohan had been allowed to go to Canada in search of John Surratt. He was convinced that the pair would disappear also.

[Susan Higginbotham]

Here's a better version. Photobucket wasn't letting me load it to the board last night.

[Gene C]

Certainly interesting regarding Holohan, good find Jim & Susan
How long had Mary Surratt operated the boarding house before the assassination, about a year?