What Was The Role of David Herold

[John Fazio]

(02-01-2013 09:43 AM)Laurie Verge Wrote:  My apologies, John, for doubting Herold as the source of the statement about "35 others in Washington." I went back through my copy of Herold's statement in From War Department Files and found it.

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(02-01-2013 09:43 AM)Laurie Verge Wrote:  My apologies, John, for doubting Herold as the source of the statement about "35 others in Washington." I went back through my copy of Herold's statement in From War Department Files and found it.

PS: I also agree with Betty - I just don't see Herold having an "assassin's" bone in his body.


Laurie:

No apology is necessary.

As for Betty's comment, I can understand it, and your agreement with it, but remember two things:

1. Booth apparently thought he could do it, inasmuch as he told Atzerodt that he, Herold, had more "courage " or "pluck" and "he will do it" and inasmuch as Booth assigned Herold the job when Atzerodt refused to do it, or so said Atzerodt.

2. He did not do it, which confirms your judgment and Betty's. I believe he went to the Kirkwood for a go at it if conditions were favorable, but when he found they weren't, he took off happily. I believe we have all been in a position when we were expected to do something that we didn't really want to do, and so we proceed with only half a heart, and as soon as the first plausible reason for avoiding it arises, we leap at it so that we don't have to do what we don't want to do and now have an excuse for not doing it.

John

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(02-01-2013 10:11 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  John, agreed. I have my doubts, too, but I think it's possible. I do feel that Booth sending Johnson "a present" would have (to Booth's way of thinking) been a method of (in theory anyway) making certain Johnson was home when the assassin came a calling. Jerry feels Ella Starr was the "chosen one."

Roger:

A good point and one that, frankly, I had overlooked.

John