What Was The Role of David Herold

[Art Loux]

[quote='RJNorton' pid='10331' dateline='1357134152']
Regarding the little "prescription" package Powell held while talking to William Bell...has it ever been determined what really was in the package, if anything?

Roger, my comments are prompted by reading this thread. Herold and Atzerodt were observed several times on Friday, April 14. My speculation about Herold’s role is at the end of this.

8 a.m. As desk clerk Walter Burton was going off duty he ran into Herold in the hall. Herold explained he was looking for Booth, so Burton took him to Booth’s room, opened the door and found the room empty and that the bed had not been slept in. (Clarke, Abraham Lincoln in the National Capital, p 95, quoting The Sunday Star, January 24, 1909.) Herold must have found Booth - see next item.

11:00 estimated. Quoting Atzerodt “Sometime in the morning Herold came and wanted I should go down to Surrattsville. He said Booth had something there and wanted me to see after them. They were in Mrs. Surratt’s old house kept by Lloyd and I agreed to go. I went and hired a horse.” (Atzerodt Confession, April 25, 1865 in LASE p 63 where LASE is an abbreviation for LINCOLN ASSASSINATION - THE EVIDENCE.) Obviously Herold had seen Booth in the morning. Later Booth stopped by Mrs. Surratt’s house about 11 a.m. and learned she intended to go to Surrattsville.

12:00 Booth walked down 10th Street and ran into Harry Ford. Booth was probably walking to the Kirkwood House to tell Atzerodt not to go to Surrattsville.

12:45 (10:30 per Fletcher in LASE 513) Herold rented a horse at Nailor’s and said he would pick it up at 4:00. (Pitman 331.)

12-1. Herold went to the Kirkwood House to see Atzerodt. They left together. (Atzerodt Confession, Apr 25,1865 in LASE 62.) I presume Herold was sent by Booth to tell Atzerodt not to go to Surrattsville. He had seen Mrs. Surratt and she would deliver his message and binoculars.

2:00 Herold mounted on a medium sized roan (where did he get a horse?) and a taller companion (Powell was much taller, Atzerodt a little taller) dressed in light clothes mounted on the one-eyed horse stabled their horses near the Navy Yard at 2:00 and returned for them at 4:30 or 5. (M. J. Pope in LASE 1058) Between 3 and 4 Herold, Atzerodt and another man (Powell?) stopped at a restaurant near the Navy Yard. Herold told the proprietor he was leaving for New York that night to work in a drugstore. (James Steele in LASE 1195)

5:00 Scipio Grillo who with his partner Taltavul kept a bar near Ford’s Theatre ran into Herold at 5:00. Herold asked if Grillo had seen Booth. Grillo said he saw Booth at 4:00 when he had a drink had a drink at Grillo’s. Herold, mistakenly thinking Gen. Robert E. Lee was in town at Willard’s Hotel, asked Grillo if he wanted to go there and attempt to see the general. They walked along Pennsylvania Avenue and encountered Atzerodt sitting on the steps of the Kirkwood House. After a minute or two the two men continued their walk to Willard’s. Not finding General Lee the men walked back along E Street toward Grover’s where they parted. (Scipiano Grillo in Surratt Trial 1:176-78.)

6:00-7:00 In the evening (or the night previous) Herold entered the Star Saloon and asked if Booth had been there. The bartender did not know. (Taltavul in Poore I:180.)

6:30. Atzerodt was in his room at the Kirkwood House. (R. R. Jones in LASE 60.) Booth sent Herold to bring Atzerodt to a restaurant to meet. Herold left a knife, a loaded pistol and a coat. (Atzerdt Confession, Balt Am, 1869.) The coat belonged to Booth and in the pockets were Booth’s Ontario bank book, a map of Virginia, a pair of new gauntlets, three boxes of cartridges, a toothbrush, a spur, a pair of socks and two collars. (John Lee Testimony, Poore I:62-69.) The contents of the coat indicate that Booth had packed it with a few items of use in his escape. Why did Herold have the coat and why did he leave it in Atzerodt’s room? Booth must have asked Herold to bring the coat with him. Herold must have intended to return to Atzerodt’s room to get the coat.

Powell thought Herold was a “little blab” He told Booth he was never satisfied with Herold. (Impeachment Investigation, p. 674.)

Speculation: Herold’s job was not to guide Powell to Seward’s; it was to guide him to the Navy Yard Bridge where all four were to meet after completing their respective assignments. Herold was also supposed to bring JWB’s jacket which he had packed for the escape. After stopping at the Kirkwood House at 10:00 Atzerodt, in an alcoholic haze, rode to the Capitol hoping to run into Booth and, not finding him, returned his horse, looked for the boys at the Herndon House and rode the streetcar to the Navy Yard hoping they were waiting for him.